Imperial Valley press., 1909-02-06

The professional land contestors and jumpers, who have been perniciously busy in Imperial Valley under pre- tense of aiding the government In the exposure of fraud, have fallen out, as such persons usually do, sooner or later, and in their quarrels over the loot they are disclosing their methods of operation and opening the way for application of an effective remedy for the evil they have introduced
 The break in the combination be- came known when Sigel Skinner a notorious contestant, resorted to methods which the peaceable and pa- tient settlers of Imperial Valley have refrained from applying to the preda- ceous gang. Skinner and Clark Ok ford, who have been associated in schemes to get possession of lands claimed and improved by settlers, got on opposite sides in the Davis case, and Oxford and John E. Davis attempt ed to squat on an excess strip adjoin- ing tract claimed by Skinner as 1 spells of a contest. They built shacks on the land, and last week they went to the claim and found Skinner in pos session and the shacks demolished. Skinner ran them off with gun, and Davis came to Fl Centro and caused the arrest of Skinner on charge of assault with deadly weapon. The case was dismissed by Recorder Tout because it was not shown that the gun was loaded.
 At the trial Davis testified that af- ter they had moved off to another part of the land, Skinner came to them and offered to release a contest which he had pending against land held by Davis in Water District No. z, pro- vided Davis would not mention the fact that he had drawn his gun upon Davis. This offer was refused by Davis.
 Davis has filed four complaints in Holtville against Skinner for malicious mischief and for the destruction of property, and the cases will be heard next week
 This scrimmage has brought out the fact that the Skinner-Oxford break has taken form in affidavits filed in the Land Office at Los Angeles by Clark Oxford, Nettie Oxford, Henriet. ta B. Davis and John E. Davis, purport- ing to show how Skinner has worked his contest graft. All the affidavits are of similar general nature, and the exposure of the ways of the specula. tive claim jumper seem to be summed up in the following document, filed February i
 Holtville, California, January 18th, 1909. STATE OF CALIFORNIA )
 ss. | COUNTY OF IMPERIAL )
 l Clark Oxford, being first duly sworn, on his oath deposes and says: That 1t has come to his knowledge that certain | contests against public land entries In the Imperial Valley, California are be- ing made for speculation, and for the purpose of selling the preference right of entry acquired by such contests, and not for bona ide purposes, that for the 1 purpose of bringing to the attention of 1 the Government certain facts with re- gard to said hereinafter mentioned con- tests, he asks to be permitted to inter- vene in some of said proceedings, in order that sad matters may be properly disposed of by the officers charged with 1 such disposition. To this end he hereby charges one Slgel p. Skinner with hay ing filed and prosecuted the following contests against Desert Land Entries in Imperial County. California, as follows:
 skinner vs Benjamin White. s. W. quarter of Sec. IA, Tp. 16 s., R. 15 B.. 160 acres.
 | skinner vs. Wyman Turner, 10. half of Sec. g. Tp. 8 s., R. 15 E., 320 acres. (COntinued on page S)