The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-03-06
IRVINE hACHELL
AUTHOR o.
0eN MODEM. 1Ri AND / DARReL OF THE BLESSED HA
keEPRAo W WITH LIZZIE, ETC, ETC

SSsh III Tx uiluSt VI u ucuuO1EuCy. IL
was the immortal life Of the PATRONS
"a relic Of ancient feudalism which
had Its beginning In 1929. when the
West Indies company issued its char
ter OF privileges and exemptions. That
charter offered to any member of the
company who should, within four
years, bring fifty adults to the New
Netherlands and establish them along
the Hudson. a liberal grant OF land, to
be called a manor. Of which the owner
or PATRON should be full proprietor
and chief magistrate. The settlers
were to be exempt from taxation for
ten years. but under bond to stay In
one place and develop 1t. In the be-
ginning the PATRON built houses and
barns and furnished cattle, seed and
tools. The tenants for themselves and
their heirs agreed to pay him a fixed
rent forever In stock and produce and,
further, to grind at the owners mill
and neither to hunt nor fish.
Judge Westbrook, In whose office I
worked. was counsel and collector for
the PATRONS, notably for the manOrs
of Livingston and Van Rensselaer,
two little Kingdoms In the heart Of the
great republic.
Mr.. Louis Latour Of Jefferson coun.
ty whom l had met In the company Of
Mr.. Dunkelberg. came during my last
year there to study law In the office Of
the Judge. a privilege for which he was
indebted to the influence of Senator
Wright. I understood. He was a gay
LOtharto, always boasting Of his love
affairs, and l had little to do with him.
One day In May near the end Of my
two years In Cobleskill Judge West
brook gave me two writs to serve on
settlers In the neighborhood of Bald
win Heights for ~nonpayment Of rent.
He told me what I knew. that there
was bitter feeling against the PATRONS
In that vicinity and that ! might en-
counter opposition to the service Of
the writs. II &C I was not to press the
matter, but bring them back and he
would give them to the sheriff.
II do not insist on your taking this
task upon YOU" he added. 81 want a
man Of tact to &c and talk with these
people and get their point Of view. II
you don't care to undertake 1t I'll send
another man."
~ think ! would enjoy the task" I
said In ignorance of that hornets nest
back In the hills.
"Take Purvis with you" he said.
"He can take care Of the horses, and
az those ~back-country folk are a little
lawless it will be just a. we'll to have
a witness with you. They tell me that
Purvis Is q man of nerve and vigor."
had drafted my letters for the day
and was about to close my desk and
start on my journey when Louis La
tour came In and announced that he
had brought the writs from the judge
and was going with me.
II wouldn't miss 1t for a thousand
dollars" he remarked. "By Jove! I
think Wen have a bully time"
II don't object to your going but
you must remember that 1 am in com
mand," l said, a little taken back, for
I had no good opinion either Of his
prudence or his company.
"The judge told me that I could go
but that l should be under your or
ders," he answered. Tn not going to
be a fool. I'm trying to establish q
reputation for good sense myself"
We got our dinners and set out soon
after n o'clock. / had read the
deeds of the men we were to visit
They were brothers and lived on ad.
joining farms with leases which GOV.
cred three hundred and fifty acres OF
land. Their great-grandfather had
sgreed to pay a yearly rent forever OF
sixty-two bushels Of good, sweet. mer
charitable. winter wheat. eight yearlins