The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-23
PRESIDENT WILSON
DEFENDANT IN SUIT
FOR DATE LAND TITLE
California Land Claimed by
Wilson and III. L. Goddard.
Faulty Publication
Alleged

os Angeles, January 22.-Sixty acre J
of date land in the Coachella valley,
in southern California. decided to Pres
ident Wilson by his wife. was brought
into contest today in a complicated
proceeding before the registrar and re-
ceiver of the United States land office
here. Two persons claim the land-the
President of the United States and
Homer l. Goddard, a date planter
and three entries were filed on it,
The contest was brought by John T.
King, rancher. who sold the land
to Mrs. Margaret Axson Elliott, sis
ter of Mrs. woodrow Wilson. and wife
of Edward Elliott. former dean of
Princeton university and nom resident
at Berkeley. Cal Mrs. Elliott sold the
property to Mrs. Wilson and the Pres
dent's wife in turn decided to the Pres
ident.
Alleges Conspiracy
King brought the contest, which
hinges on faulty publication of a no.
tice of filing. because as the seller of
the land he guaranteed title.
King alleges that a conspiracy to
commit fraud was carried out by Mrs.
Maude Compton Hensie of Los Angeles.
and her brother. John L. Compton, ed
1tor Of newspaper in the Coachella
valley, One of his chief exhibits is a
deed naming President Wilson as the
present owner of the land. If Kings
contest is successful the President will
remain owner but an adverse decision
Will turn the land over to Homer L.
la nd
Angeles High school. who paid Mrs
Henste $500 cash and gave her a note
Tor $3.50 for her REIMBURSEMENT of
claim.
The lanG-an S0-acre tract-lies. in
the region of the Salton sea and is so
feet below ocean level. Originally King
filed On ii with state lieu land scrip.
According to his statement, Mrs. Az
son Elliott, the Presidents sister-in-
law, visited the valley to investigate
Ills date growing possibilities and he
sold her 60 acres. This she subsequent
ly turned "ver to Mrs. Wilson, who
decided it 10 her husband.
Published Notice
In the meantime King published no
tice of location and filing of claims,
according TO claim. in the Coachella
Valley News. The government land Of
tice found a Typographical error in the
legal notice and ordered a republica-
tion. In his pleading King alleges that
Compton. as owner of the News failed
10 make republication and in the in
term advised his sister to file home
stead entry ON the land. Compton tes-
titled today, however, that he was not
editor of the News which is at Indio.
but of the Coachella Submarine, pub
lished at Thermal.
Before Mrs Hensie filed her home
stead claim the government had for
fe,ted Kings claim. King declares he
did not know this until Mrs. Hensie
took possession. While he was prepar-
ing contest he alleges Mrs. Hensie
relnquished her homestead claim to
Homer L. Goddard. who supplanted it
with desert land entry.
The contest may not be decided for
a day or two.
The record of the land transaction
shows interesting features. Goddard
paid Mrs, Hensie $3.50 for her relin-
For the outright and sup
posedly final title to the land Mrs
Margaret Axson Elliott paid King
$500. She Immediately sold the so
acres to Mrs. Woodrow Wilson for
$4,000.