davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22

a check for $50. This check was made
out by Mr.. Crawford.
About a year ago-I cannot reCollect
the day,Hafry lanpe came IN the
store and said. LET US go up 10
Crawford's office and get the balance
of the money went with him, and
as ] understood it. Mr.. Crawford said
we We're not to prove VI on the land,
and that | should sign a rclinquish-
ment. ! remember signing a paper at
that time, or what ! supposed was a
relinquiShment. Mr.. Crawf""' was busy
al the time and did not say much else
about the land. He paid me the bal
ance of the money on the deal. $50.
in the form of a check signed by the
firm name of crawford & Tylor.
Ny only idea in fling on the land
was to make 500. | had no intention
Of making my home on the land or Of
giving up the business I was engaged
in at Huron.
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22
NOT A ROOSEVELT TYPE

Mr.. Crawford is not a Roosevelt type
of man. Roosevelt seeks to make his
actions conform to his preaching-he
practices what he breaches, standing
always for higher civic virtues in both
public and private life.
What will President Roosevelt, whose
administration is conspicuous for pros
ecuting land grafters, think of the
intelligence of "A people who support a
man of the Crawford type for public
office? What will the whole country
think of the morality of the people of
this state if they elect such a man
after the facts connected with his ear
Ger are well known? The country VIII
condone his election to the governor
ship because the people were not at
that time aware of the true situation.
Now, however, every vote east for him
will be construed as an evidence of
moral obtuseness..
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22

expenses of this trip to the land and
return.
shortly after the second trip I called
or Mr.. Crawford in his law office in
Huron and asked him if he could let
me have the money on that homestead.
He said he could, and paid me 500
and the expenses of the two trips |
had made. He said he wanted us to
continue with u homesteads.
Late in the fall Of 1904 ! made an
other trip to Selby; Thompson and
Blount were with me, and Mr.. Craw-
ford was with us and paid our ex-
penseS. Mr.. Crawford went with rs as
far as Aberdeen when he informed us
he had forgotten some papers. We
went as far as shelby. stayed overnight
there, and as Mr.. Crawford did not
show up. we returned to Huron with
out seeing him again on that trip.
The three trips enumerated herein
are all | made TO the nj got the
500 that was promised me. and I sup
pose that if Mr.. Coe Crawford wanted
to finish the deal up he would come
and see me about it.
The only reason ] took this home
stead was to make the 500 which Mr.,
Crawford paid me. I never had any
intention ~f making my home on the
land.
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22
Story of Attempted Land Grating by Coe. l..
Crawford is Laid Bare.
Evidence Indicates That Crawford Is Also Guilty
of SubOrnatiOn of Perjury.
He Induced Young Men to Violate the Homestead
Laws of the United States.

when 1 made proof: He said that Har-
ry Lampe and Floyd Valentine had
taken a claim under the same condi-
lions before.
l told him had not used my right
and that l would go. We, Valentine.
Lampe and Blount, started for the land
some time in the early part of Novem-
Der, 1908. We went to Bangor. where
Blount and myself fled on land. We
drove out to Crawford's ranch before
fling on the lond and looked it over.
Mr.. Coe |. CraWford'S brother met us
at Java, l think, and drove us out to
the land. We then went to Bangor
to the courthouse and made the filing.
| do not know before whom we filed
nor do | remember the description of
the land. Couple of months later we
land and stayed over night. Valentine,
Lampe and Blount, and myelf went on
this second trip. Mr.. COe |. Crawford
accompanied us from Huron to the
ranch and paid out expenses and rail-
road fare on this trip.
The improvements of the lane / filed
on consisted of a shack S by S feet,
6 feet high. / do not know who built
the shack.
The next trip / made was in the fall
If 1904. The three young men named
above went with me on this trip, or
rather the three young men went the
day before l did. | vas sick and did
not leave until the day following and
when | got to Aberdeen, Julian Blount
do and that / could go back home. /
did not see Mr.. awf on this trip.
Mr.. Crawford paid my expenses on
this trip also.
Several months after | filed Julian
Blunt came to my house and gave me
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22

out on the Milwaukee Railroad to Sell
by, 5. Oak. From Selby we went out
to the land, some 10 or u miles; Mr.
Crawford went with us and showed US
the land; he then returned to Bangor
with Valentine and myself, where we
court house and fled on the land. |
do not remember before whom we made
the filings, but we swore to the home
stead papers. After filing, Mr.. Coe
drove US to the railroad sta
ton at Selby; we came home to Huron
and he rturned to the ranch.
The following winter-late in the
fall, l think, / made another trip to
the land. Valentine. Thompson, and
Blount We're in the party with Mr.. COe
l. Crawford. Mr.. Crawford told me on
that trip that the improvements were
on the land and that he had them put
on. These Improvements consisted of "A
shanty. about 6 feet high and about 7
were ShantieS on the other boys claims
about the same size, and each of us
slept in our own shanties that night.
We returned to Huron the next day.
Mr.. Crawford paid all the expenses Of
lodging, meals, and railroad fare for
this trip.
The next spring-it may have been
in June made another trip to the
and returned to Huron the next day.
Valentine, Blount, and Thompson made
the trip with me. and Mr.. Coe Craw-
ford also accompanied us. The bed
clothing We used when sleeping in
shanties on these trips were fur
niShed by the Crawford ranch. Mr..
Crawford also paid the travelling
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22

Blount, who was a clerk in the Office
of crawford & Taylor at Huron, te
these tracts, suggesting that he and
some of his acquaintances who We're
men might like to make settle
ment and proof upon them. 4 r = | told
Mr.. Blount that ! would assist him and
the other Il men financially =
ana ] would not. under any ClrCEm-
stances, agree to buy the land, nor
lease it. nor take the title or posses
sion, directly or indirectly, from them.
But these young men, excepting the
one still in the employ of Mr.. Craw-
ford at Huron, fatty contradict Mr..
Crawford, as the afhdavits of two OF
them, printed herewith, and on file with
the land department at Washington,
conclusively show.
Coe I. Crawford was at the times
referred to in the above quotation IN
the practice of law in the city of Hur-
on. a long way removed from has
"homestead claim in Walworth conn-
ty. He was the high salaried sole state
counsel for the Chicago & Northwest
ern railroad company IN 1901, requlr-
ed bv virtue of his position to make
Huron his permanent home. lie con
tinued in such employ until April. 1904.
He never reIinauished to the govern
ment.
He saws in one breath: lit was a
rough tract Of pasture land and in
the same sentence he adds: But at the
time / made the fling I intended, in
good faith, to make settlement upon
and improve it,
Again, in the same "defense,' he
says regarding the nature Of the land:
"The land Is very rough, stony and
billy and Of little actual value" Think
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22
POLICIES.

The people of the whole country IN
derstan1 what has come to be known
as the "Roosevelt PoIicies,' one of the
most conspicuous of which, aside from
the railway rate legislation, has been
a determination to put a stop to the
stealing of the public domain, the pur,
pose being the preserving of the re
naming public lands for honest home,
seekers and home builders. Many land
grafters rave been placed behind prison
bars, though some, through the influence
of wealth or political considerations,
have managed to escape conviction,
either by preventing indictments or by
fixing iuries or bribiug witnesses.
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22
HARRY C. LAMPE'S AFFIDAVIT.

County of Beadle. State OF South Da-
kota. IS:
Henry c.. Lampe, being first duly
sworn. on his oath deposes and says:
| am a citizen of Huron. s. Oak.
% years on August 81. 1905: am a sim
gle man. and clerk in Robinson's shoe
store at Huron.
In July. 1908. Julian Blount came to
me and asked me If l wanted to take
a homestead near Crawford's ranch.
in Walworth county. Blount said that
if I would do that Mr.. Coe Craw-
ford would pay all the expenses of fl
ing on the land and the expenses of
the trips ] YOU have to make to it.
and that when proof was made on
same he would pay me 500 for a deed
to the land. Blount told me that he
was going up and that Thomas Thomp-
son and Floyd Valentine We're going
too. agreed to the proposition. and
early in August. 1903, Valentine and
myself started for the land. Mr.. Coe
L. Crawford accompanied me in this
trip.
We went to Aberdeen and stayed
over night. and the next morning went
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22

Immediately after they LETT Crawford's
room. and they told me of the ConVcr-
sation Crawford had with them. They
said they had told him that they We're
understood it, about his hiring them
for 500 to make these entries, and
that the statements he had just then
made to them were not in accordance
with their understanding of the mat
tiers when they made the entries.
He Crawford also stated voluntar-
lily that he had taken ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Of their entries some eighteen months
ago.. and that he still had them in his
law office at Huron. He offered no
excuse for keeping these relinqGish-
ments. and I did not ask him anything
convicted himself in the short eNpla-
nation he tried to make to me of the
things.
Everyone connected with the prose-
cution at this end believes the evidence
Is sufficient in every particular to have
reason l can give for this miscarriage
of justice was that Crawford or some
of his friends got in their work with
the grand jury on Friday night or
some time before the jury convened on
Monday. Last evening and this fore
noon three of the grand jurors have
said to me that the evidence IN this
case was as complete as in any case
before them at this term, and that as
soon as the case had been submitted
talking politics and said that this case
was a political scheme.
This ease is in many respects similar
to other fraudulent land schemes ON
which indictments and convictions had
been secured. and | do not believe that
because of this mans political or So
cial standing and influence the case
should be allowed to drop.
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22
BUT WORSE YET.

But. eliminating this phase of the
question and leaving it entirely with
Mr.. Crawford and his conscience. the
worst feature of Mr.. Crawford 5 whole
land transaction in this case hes in
the fact that he deliberately induced
certain young men cone of whom was
a minor) to violate the spirit of the
homestead laws in order that he might
acquire title to adjacent lands. Mr..
Crawford knew the contents of a home
stea,ler's oath in fling on government
land. He had lived in South Dakota
many wears. had himself taken the
oath. and was well aware of the pro
visions of the land laws 10 prevent
fraud. He hired these young men to
file o. these lands, and each hal to al.
lege, upon oath. that he took the same.
not for the benefit of Mr.. Crawford
or anv one else, but for actual settle
ment.
Read the following afidavits Of two
of these young men (remember that
they were friends of Mr.. Crawford.
lived at Huron, and. despite Mr.. traw-
fora's pleading with them when the
Crawford case was under investigation,
as shown by the report of Special
Agent McEnirv. they refused to com
NIT further perjury to save Mr.. Craw-
ford from disgrace). and then say who
is guilty of a miserable Plot:
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22

young men to perjure themselves. per
haps unwittinglv on their part. he was
planning a great campaign upon a plat
form of civic virtue and political re
form And while he was paving their
expenses in making trips to this land
in the fall of 1904 he was also barat
legged personal and political derelic-
ton of duty.
Do these young men who made the
sworn statement above quoted lie?
Nowhere, either by word Of mouth or
through written documents, has it been
alleged tina. Thompson and Lampe have
not told the truth. Their affidavits
were published in the Congressional Re
cord in March. 1906, more than two
years ago., and their allegations have
gone as yet unchallenged save as Mr..
Crawford has sought to create the i'm
preston that the investigation of his
land transaction was the work of his
political enemies
BY shouting "reform' this suborner
of perjury was elected governor of the
state before the people became aware
of his real Observation-Disclosures they be
came aware of his many broken pledg-
es, his favoritism to the railroad in
~terests in the matter of taxation, and
his subornation of perjury. Now he
wants to be promoted to the United
States senatel Men have been sentenc-
ed to states prison for lesser crimes
than that w1th xUhirh Mr. Nravford
stands charged.
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22
THOMAS, H. ~THoMPsON'S AFFI-
DAVIT.
County OF Beadle. State of

County OF Beadle. State of South Da-
kota. SIS.
Thomas H. Thompson. being first
saws. l am % years Of age, having
been born June u, 1882; am clerking
for my father, Thomas Thompson, IN
q mems clothing store in this city
Huronb.
In the fall OF 1903 Julian Blount, who
is a s~tenographer for Crawford & ray
Tor, lawyers. in Huron, S. D., came 70
me and asked me il I did not wish 70
90 with him and take up a claim. !
asked him Where and he replied;
aIn Walworth county He told me !
ali my expenses paid: that II I took the
claim Mr.. Coe l. Crawford would pay
the expenses and give mo the SloV
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22

of a great corporation lawyer drawing
a princely salary from a railway COM
panv, saying nothing of what else he
might do in his profession, riding
about the country in opulence, living
on the fat of the land, giving it all up
to make his home Gin good faith,'
away up in Walworth county, on a
tract of every rough, stony and hilly'
pasture land :of little actual value.'
Is he honest or does he think the peo-
pie he begs to vote for him are fools?
Is he not convicted by his own wordsf
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22
"FLAGRANT VIOLATION SAYS
ATTORNEY GENERAL.

On June ). 1906. the attorney gen
eral of the United States, under the
Roosevelt administration, made a final
report to the secretary of the interior,
in which he said:
"These cases appeared to present
fragrant violations of the public land
laws, and the failure Of the Govern
ment to secure indictments can only be
explained by the unusual political sit
uation in South Dakota and the strong
partisan feeling resulting therefrom.'
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22
AGENT McENIRY's REPORT.

M. D. McEnirv, chief of the field di,
vision of the land department. in per
sonal charge of the Crawford land
fraud investigation, on April Il, 1906,
reported as follows to the commissioner
Of the general land office:
Coe T. Crawford was in Sioux Falls
Friday night, a short time after two
OF the witnesses, Lampe and Thomp-
son. arrived, and sought to influence
the testimony they We're to give be-
fore the grand jury by stating to them
nesses in his room at midnight Friday
night for over an hour. I saw them
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22
THE PLAT

The electors should examine the plat
which shows the actual survey of lands
filed upon by this one of good faith'
and by those he sought to aid. This
plat discloses a scheme as dark as hell
and yet as plain as day, a scheme to
defraud the government of the United
States into whose senate chamber this
good faith homesteader is seeking
to break.
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22
THEN PLANNING REFORM
CAMPAIGN

At the very mOment that Mr.. Craw-
ford was engaged in inducing these
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22

Crawford @r WIN a IBIS mam@ %s@@ mM& the G@sn a@ M only Es Valentine
THOMPSON mhmnh emmH Huron young men, Tc@I Crawford mh and "am nmh mMm Mgd hWMgm men were en-
the phma w d@n dhn hd entries within the fence mGym aga@ na hmaemmy 70 get possession Of ha
mmsued the government sn "h@mmn here FEDERAL regulation pmmu the @m@ wp portion the public mw within
The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1908-05-22
. CRAWFORD'S LAND GRABBING
SCHEME.

ietv involves no less a person than the
present governor of South Dakota, Mr..
Crawford. The facts in his case are
fully set forth in a speech by Con
gresham Mann Of Illinois, published
in the Congressional Record of March
is. 1907.
On July /, 1901, Mr.. Crawford took
the following oath:
81, Coe ]; Crawford. of Huron. $. D.:
do Solemnly swear That my
homestead application is honestly
and in good faith made for the purpose
Of actual settlement and cultivation
person, persons or corporation, and
that I will faithfully and honestly en-
deavor TO comply with al the REQUIRE
ments of law as to settlement. resi-
sience II cultivation necessary 70 &C
Quire title TO the land applied for;
that I am not acting as agent for any
pers~n, corporation or syndicate IN
making such entry, nor in colluSloh
with any person, corporation or syn
dictate to give them thc benefit or the
land entered, or any part thereof 'taI
| do not apply TO enter TIN" same for
the purpose OF speculation, but in, good
faith to obtain n home for myself, and
that I have not directly or indirectly
made. and Will not make, any agree
mcnt or contract in any way or man
ner, with any person. corporation or
syndicate whatsoever by which IN"
title which I might acquire from the
government OIL IIlP llltfh StiA'N VI
inure. in whole or in part. to tho bcn"-
fit of any person except myself.
Will any one believe that Mr.. CraW-
ford ever intended to remove from
Huron to the land entered as a home
stead in Walworth county?
At that time Mr.. Crawford was the
ralaried attorney and lobbyist of the
Northwestern railroad in this state. lie
was living with his family in Huron.
To comply with the requirements of
law. '~'honestlv and in good faith as
to settlement and RESIDENCE he hal
to move upon this land within SIX
months ana with his family live there
on ont among those whom he after
wards called "nnlesirable ncighhors.
Voters of South Dakota, when he,
with uplifted hand, ~solemnlv swore be
fore God that he would 10 this, did he
intend to do So? Was he honest. or
did he. with perjury in his heart, IN
tend to lefraul the government?
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-03-05
WINDSOR COUNTY NEWS NOTES.
(From the Rutland Ncws)

Somebody will be calling our old
friend the Springfield oporter a ycllow
journal If it prints many more stories
like this:
\ Woodstock man picked a bunch of
fresh apple blossoms from a tree on his
farm February T. This looks like fore
ing the cider season in anticipation OF
license
or this one:
A Windsor woman has invented what
she calls "snorc divertcr.' II is COM
posed Of n hood and flexible p.pc.
When her husbands SHORES grow NV
hcarablc, the hood is lowered over his
head ana the snoro is conducted into tho
cellar. There has not been a rat in the
house since the diVcrtcr has been in use.
If that snorc diVortcr is q reality (and
there is no reason why it should not boD
it ought to be patented ana placed on
the market at once. 1t VIII bc great
boon to humanity saving thousands Of
the dollars now expended for sleeping
powders and rough on rats.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-03-05
CAMP PLUMBER FOUND.
Located in Home Of Reuben Alien, " hu
Was Arrested.

Reuben Allen of Winooski was ar
rested Tuesday afternoon by CON
stable f.. H. Horton and Special OH
cor f.. A. Burdick Of that village and
was brought to Chittcndcn county Jail
charged with burglariZing Camp Bar
nard at Malletts Bay, the summer re-
sort of the girls from Barnard college
New York.
The arrest followed Il search Of Al
lens premises at the head of North
street. Wmooski. tho officers finding
there IL quantity Of silvorware, table
linen, uniforms of IN" Barnard girls
table dishes and various other articles
of china. etc. The discovery that tho
camp had been hurglarzcd was made
following the conviction of Walter W
Baker for hurglarizing summer camp,
at starr Farm beach and ii was AT
first thought likely that the same partN
was responsible for the depreciation
committed at both resorts.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-03-05
The Last Great Fire

Did not cause SO much suffering to the
homeless as many a case Of eczema causes
its miserable victim. And the relief fund
did not bring SO much JOY as Hoods Sarsa-
pGrilla has given thousands Of times, in
relieving the agonizing itching and burning
of eczema tortured people.
In Bed Of FIRE. lived In a bed OF
fire for Gears. owing to blood poison. all over
my body, itching intensel, Hospital treat.
ment did not 'pm me- ! Hoods Sarsa.
saparilla and continued tai d. it until was
entirely cured" MRS. j. T. WILLIAMS,
Carbondale, Pa
Tied tn HANDS," had to tie the
hands q our two year.old son on account of
eczcr'a on his face and limbs. No medicine
helped until we used Hoods Sarsaparilla
which soon completely cured" Mrs. A. VAN
WICK. 1913 ,ntgomery St.. Paterson. N. j.
Hoods Sarsaparilla is SO everywhere.
In the usual liquid, or in ia. { form called
Sarsatabs. 100 Doses On, collar. Pre-
pared only by c. 1. Hood Co., Lowell. Mass.
Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1908-03-05
BISHOP HALLS APPOINTMENTS ron
LENT,

Each "Wednesday evening Cbcforc
holy week., the bishop will speak at
trinity Church, > Rutland. and each
Friday evening AT ST FauIS, Burlug-
ton
on the Sundays he viii make WISH
atiuns as follows: March S. Mont.
pcler: March Is, Brattlcboro. March
- Northficld; March 20 st. Johushury
ana Lyndonvillc; April :, Bellows
Fails, April IL and tho whole Of holy
week, -. Adams; Easter day, Middle
bury