Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-20
WORK B|GFRAUDS
IN VIRGINIA LAND
Sell More Acres in Buchanan
County Than the Total of
Its Area.
ALLEN CASE TO FIGURE
IN JUDICIAL CAMPAIGN
Determined Effort to Defeat Judge
Staples for Election to the
Supreme Bench.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.


RICHMOND, Va, April 10. 1913.
What is puzzling the people in this
state and amusing the force in the offlce
OF the auditor OF public accounts is the
report from the county of Buchanan. Ac-
cording to the best figures obtainabie
that county has an area Of some $4,000
acres. But the land books show that
there is something wrong. for close on
TO one and a half million Of acres Of
land are claimed by persons living there
and elsewhere. AS matter of feet the
county is said TO be mineral bank and
a coal bank. There are millions and
millions OF tons Of coal in the county,
not an ounce of which can be used for
the reason that ii is not being mined.
There is not railroad in the county.
The land is on the books of the COM
missioners of the revenue. but there Is
not the least record TO show that taxes
have been paid on the property. 1t ap-
pears to be transferred" from one party
to another. The name Of the party from
whom the transfer was made does not
appear on the books OF the preceding
Year, so II IS easy TO see that no
taxes have been paid. AS a matter OF
fact, several years ago the county court
house was burned and all records went
with the building. Immediately there
siteC q crOWQ Oh Nlen from the west
came In ana proceeded to buy up few
tracts of the land. getting such titles as
they could to the property. They took
these deeds and went out to reap a har-
vest. and they have been at it for years.
The west seems TO have furnished the
field for the operations OF these sharp
ers. A few days ago there came to this
city an inquiry from a wealthy man in
Texas regarding the lands. and the reply
vas by telegraph to the effect to buy no
lands IN Buchanan county. The promo
ters were preparing to sell him a tract
of some 100000 acres. or a bit more than
there Is In the entire county.
To Defeat Judge Staples.
Report has it that there will be a de-
termined effort to defeat Judge Waller r.
Staples of Roanoke. the man who pre-
sided in the Allen cases, for a place on
the supreme court bench when the legis-
lature meets next winter The friends OF
the Aliens are making the war on him.
and they are declared to be making con-
siderable Roadway in the case.
Judge Buchanan Is to retire from serv-
zee. and there are a dozen or more can
didates who are trying to succeed him.
among them being Judge Thomas W.
Harrison OF Winchester. Judge Fl. A. w.
Skeen of Dickinson. the man who has
been engaged in running down the cleo
ton frauds and who has sent several
men to jail and driven others from the
state: Judge Archer A. Phlegar OF Bris-
tol who served a brief term on the bench
by appointment
OF course, IL Is impossible TO say who
will win. but it Will be difficult to get a
man who has served on the bench who
will not express the same opinion on the
Allen cases that Judge Staples entertains
Dry Wave Setting In.
With Danville uniting with two cities
which have already voted dry this year
there is said to be setting in in the state
generally decidedly dry wave. Danvill'
gave the biggest majority yet given. saw.
one instance. for the dry ticket. reversing
a vote of three years ago. when the towr
voted to retain the saloons.
This time there was no speechmakinl
and no campaigning. Both sides went u
work In earnest. and both sides expected
TO win. but tho liquor men were consider
ably charmed whom tho figures becam.
known. The majority was sixty Eight
three yearR ago the town going wet b. {