Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1916-04-13
DAN LAvERTY LAST WEEK PROV
ED UP ON TWO HOMESTEADS
NEAR PARDEE-INTERES
ING STORY OF THE
LAVERTYS.
(Lewiston Tribune. J

The strange spectacle of one blind
man acting as witness for another
blind man in filing notice of intention
to make final five-year proof to es-
tablish claim to 160 acres of land
located near the town of Pardee, was
witnessed yesterday in the office of the
register and receiver of the United
States land office, when James Laverty
was interrogated by the receiver rel
ative to the homestead laws being COM
piled with on the enry of his brother,
Patrick. The witness proved to be one
of the most accurate the local govern
ment officials ever had to deal with,
and his knowledge of the work carried
on about the homestead improvements
on place, the general character of the
area, all was surprising as to its clear
ness.
James and Patrick Laverty have been
blind these 25 years or more, both be-
ing victims of a mine disaster. Not
withstanding this serious handicap the
men located on their homestead made
improvements in compliance with the
law, and at the some time carried on
operations in mining.
Dan Laverty proved up on two
homesteads yesterday, acting as guar
dian for his brothre, Patrick, now an
inmate of the North Idaho santitarium
and for the heirs of Hugh Laverty, de
ceased. James Laverty was witness
dian for his brother, Patrick, now al
gether with Winfield and Richard Sim
Ter. residents of the Pardee section
where both homesteads are located. In
answering the questions put to him by
the receiver James Laverty displayed
knowledge of the land in question sucf
as seldom is elected from persons en-
loving their sight, and in many IN
stances the answers of the blind mai
were nothing short of marvellous, as the
questions propounded by the govern
ment officials were of a very technica
character, and in some instances diff
ficult.
The appearance of Dan and james
Javerty before the land office Officials
for the purpose of offering proof OF
the lands located on by their less for
tunate brothers, served to recall th'
tragic incidents connected with th'
lives of the two brothers, served to re
call the tragic incidents connected witt
| the lives Oh lHt b"o pioeh~S'
and Patrick, some five years ago an
more.
The four brothers located in the Par
dee section of Idaho in 1899, COMING
ont from the Buffalo Hump mining sec
tion of Idaho county, where the fou
had operated extensively on minln
claims, but without paying result
patrick and James Laverty, desp1t
their handicap of lost sight, were wv
Of the most expert miners in the Hum
section. Dan Laverty stated yestei
dav that his brother James still worke
in his gold and copper properties
Pardee. and that he considered him ON
Of the most expert miners he had eve
come in contact with, excellent
everything except the double-hande
work.
On August IA, 1910, this being SUI
dav. Hugh Laverty was shot and XII
ed near Pardee by 15-year-oid DO
named Fred Thomas, the discharge froI
q shotgun entering his body in tn
reo;on of the heart, causing almost II
stentaneous death. From evidence take
at the trial of the youth, who wa wa
later sentenced to serve time IN Cd
nenitentiary of from one to ten year