The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-06
COURT DECISION
NAY UPSET DEAL
New Jersey Suit Will Deter
mine If Blackman May
Sell to Japanese

NEW 2OktAr ApII hS ut&iSsch
q New Jersey court may complete
" upset the reported purchase OF
land In and about Magdalena bay by
japanese fishing and trading COM
pauy backed BY the japanese gov.
1enment.
Investigation by the International
News service discovered today that
John T. Blackman. who has been nego-
tIAttnx with The JAPANESE for the dis
pooai ~ The Aexican concession. bases
hta claim upon an opuon which the
chief nnanciA hackers OF the enter
pr1se exy expired q Year ago.
Tne question AZ 10 whether or not
DlAsxuaAn has any right To zeal with
tie Jnpanese or any pody else. 10 no"
betOre tnU court OF cnancsry In Iren-
con, ~. ]. The case. known az the
fiosltty Trust Company. OF Newark.
~. H.. vs. John Il. biackman. 1t al.
came IN for argument last Tuesday.
For some unexplained reason II was
adjourned.
il may have been a coincidence. but
NJ all events, II was last Tuesday that
Senator Lodge introduced resolution
which called on President TAFT for all
ayniia tile Information in the possession
Of the government relating to the pur-
bay, by japanese.
Chset strategic Point.
The resolution aroused alarm in the
military and naval CHI cles. for the rea-
son that Magdaiena bay has long been
REGARDED As the chief strategic point
m the Pacific between California ana
Panama. should Japan obtain control
~ this bit OF Mexican coast, its navy
could command the great trade routes
az the Pacific. resulting from the open
ana OF the Panama canal She could
also bottle up any fleet that attempted
10 enter the Pacific by way OF the
canal.
LINDA bury, Depue Il Faulke. OF New
ara. said tonight at his home in Ber-
sff the Japanese have bought the
Magadlena property from John u.
Biackman. who, understand. has
boen svery busy looking for pur-
chaser, there could not have been a
bona fide sale. OF any actual sale l
certainty would have knowledge. al
reprAsent the j. e. Henry estate OF
New Hampshire, which Is the largest
bondholder in the company that
owns the concession.
His Option Expired.
mr.. Blackmon had an option on
the concession which he obtained
uhder certain conditions. Because
II failed to meet these conditions We
contend that his option expired
year ago. The whole matter Is now
\ before the Court' or Chaucery at
Trenton."
"A former associate OF Blackman
consented tonight to reveal the In
stdA workings OF the s. Indicate which
has been trying for the last Eve
years or more to dispose OF the Mag
daiena Fay grant
When the chartered comrNny OF
Lower California, Maine corpor-
alton, bought the concession on De-
& eemher ., 1902 II obtained posses.
sion of about 4.e90, 600 acres along
the ocean shore OF Lower California
and included MagdaIena Bay.
The Japense, however were 30 slow
n making up their mands that
Biackman's option expired, according
TO the majority OF the creditors OF
the Lower California company. about
year ago. Blackman. howevere.
Japanese, and last winter chartered
steamer and took a party OF pros
pective purchasers to Magdalena
Hay. It was on this trip, 1t 10 said.
that papers were signed which start
"a the report that the japanese had
purchased the grant and which. on
coming to the ears OF Senator Lodge,
prompted him to introduce the reso-
luton Of last Tuesday.
Tho Fidelity Trust Company of
Newark brought the action against
HlAckman at Trenton. because It had
been desienated az the trustee with
which all the holders OF bonds were
- deposit these securitiea