New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-27
Third Armed Expedition to
Force Entry on Disputed
Lands Victims of Trick.
CHAUFFEUR DESERTS THEM
Men Are Ordered Out of Auto
mobile Twenty five Miles
from a Railroad and
Left Stranded.
NJ, relerranh 20 The Tribune /

san Francisco. Dec. 2s.-Started with
grim determination TO force entry upon
the disputed potash claims al Searles
Like. the third armed expedition financed
by san Francisco capitalists and directed
by Los Angeles attorneys came 10 an Is-
rominous and almost farcica end In Tie
Aloiavc Desert to-day.
Before the raiders had sighted the grea'
slate range that borders the southwestern
shore OF the American Dead Sea the party
and It's leader. Lou" Razor, civil ehsl-
neer, OF Los Angeles, were dumped IN
tremendously from their big touring car
and were. left on the chilly alkali in the
carly morning. with their maps, utensils
and supplies as their only solace. sesrles
Lake lay seventeen miles TO The north
ward and the nearest railway station vas
twenty-five miles away.
The coup d'etat, which was conceived
nv Joseph X Hutchinson, San FRAN
cisco attorney and director or the Can
fornia Trona Company. and w. \. Nun
dell. Pacific Coast superintendent OF a de-
tective agency. went through with greater
nrecision and dispatch than It's originators
dared hope.
Left IN the Desert
The hero Of the affair was W. A. VAR
nev. an automobile man. OF Los Angeles
who was hired by Henry T.. Lee, an at
tornev. OF this city. Varney drove the
FIVE gunmen and Razor into the heart OF
the Mojsve aink and on the border OF inc
slkali fat called Lake Elizabeth. Inc
! chauffeur. who owned the machine, then
informed his employer that he had de-
| cided 20 turn back.
VainIy the men expostulated and threat
cned For reasons which he did not deem
necessary to reveal. Varney decided mat
the peaceful bouleyards OF Los Angeles
were more attractive than the bleak des-
crt and the surveillance Of armed men.
While Varneys passengers were bIus'
u. terinc two automobiles containing detec-
tives, Los Angeles and San Bernardino
County deputy sherins and Hutchinson
whirled up. and Narney's revolt received
| firm and adequate support.
| Slowly the men and their leader piled
out The detectives sprang into theii
/ touring car and dumped out maps camp
supplies and cooking gear. Two re-
1
malned I'm the machine. usurplng the
places OF the raiders. and. with fe"
bonks from the automobile horn. all three
cars chugged of toward Garden Station
the rendezvous OF the Trona company's
| men
| A man named Ambrose announced that
he was going to hike back TO Searle'
station, twenty-five miles away, and IN
started, leaving the others sitting glumy
beside the roadway with their impedi
ments.
Meanwhile a second party, headed b,
ed" Razor, had left Los Angeles BY
! train for Searles station. The programme
OF the claimants was 10 send the gunner
10 the lake and then steam back tC
Searles and pick up the laborers. The
second party. deprived OF its automobile
help. is in for an indeterminate stay a
Searles, which consists OF a platform fol
| loading freight and board house. will
the rude legend. Lunch and Meals OF
the door. The restaurant has been CLOSED
for more than year