Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-11-04
NINE RANCH OWNERS
ARE INDICTED FOR
LAND GRABBING
Omaha Grand Jury Charges
That They ConSpired TO Drive
HomesteaderS From Rich
Valleys in Nebraska,

IBy Morning Journal Special Leased Wirel
Omaha. Neb., Nov. 3.-Indictments
/ returned by the federal grand jury
wednesday against nine ranehmen OF
western Nebraska were made public
today. The indictments charge on
spiracy by the defendants to drive
I from their claims ut the points OF
guns homestea ders who took quarter
sections Of somi-arid land under the
Kinkaid homestead law.
Those indicted are Perry 5. Yeast
Of Hyannis. Neh., his son Frank w
Yeast. Leslie T.. Ballinger. NJ. c. Hub
bel. Emil Anderson, Willmot u. En-
erson. Harry sutton. Eoene b. Haw-
thorno ana Or. Harry IL. HUFF.
HUFF and suffer are members OF
the state insanity board. Yeast, one
OF the largest ranch owners in the
state. was convicted two years ago of
fraudulently securing title to home
stead land and paid q Tine and served
a Jail sentence.
There are four counts in the in
dictments and the specific overt acts
! mentioned indicate an unusual from
tier condition.
According to the charges Yeast and
his associates carried their efforts so
far as TO secure the Incarceration In
the insane asylum NJ Hastings, Neb.,
of one cf their alleged victims.
When the Kinkaid homestead law
passed many persons went to Grant,
Banner, Garden. Cherry and other
western Nebraska counties and took
-. ,..ta ..,tfang nv. la,1 &C. In
the SAM hills country but contains
many fertile valleys.
Several big rnnehers, among them
Yeast and his associates. have here
tofore depended on this valley land
for their hay and winter feeding and
the settling of the homesteaders was
resented.
The indictments charges that a
band OF about thirty persons. headed
by Yeast, went to the homes of many
Of these homesteadcrs ana by intimi-
dalton and threats forced them to
leave their claims.
The specific case Of c.. J. Davashcr
Is mentioned in detail. It is charged
that Yeast and the other defendants,
accompanied by a hpnd ci cowboys,
visited Davasher's home, destroyed
his buildings, broke up his machin-
cry, cut his harness 70 pieces, and In
other ways mistreated him. Later,
according TO the Indictment, Yeast
%conspired with members of the
county insanity board and secured
Dayasher's incarceration in the asy-
lum
The insanity commissioners, it is
alleged, went through q mock exam
ination, declared Davasher insane
and issued Il warrant for his arrest.
This was served ana within an hour
he was rushed off TO the asylum
without being permitted the advice of
counsel.
Davashcr's case was brought to the
attention of the superintendent of the
institution. He ut once decided Dav-
asher was not insane and the latter
was released through habeas corpus
proceedings.
According to IN official OF the in
terror department the present indict-
ment covers one Of the most remark
able attempts at land grabbing which
has recently been brought TO the at
tention of the department. A letter
written to President Taft by n Of
the victims is said to have caused
the investigation which resulted in
the indictments. A special grand
jury was summoned to consider The
evidence.
Many thousand acres of grazing
is contained in the tracts in
question.