The sun., 1919-09-14
Col. Hunters Daughter, as Executri,
Even Renounces Thought of Mar
riage to Garry on Legal Fight
Against Government in Cause
to Which Her Father Devoted
Thirty Years of His Life
co., ROBERT E. HUNTER.

MERICA'S most celebrated land
u suit is the term applied to the
litigation now pending in the
Supreme Court of the District of Co
lumbia by which the heirs of Col.
Robert Finley Hunter, West Pointer,
one time prominent Washington, d. c..
attorney, frontiersman and later unof-
hcial chief OF the ancient Papago In
dams Of Western America, are seeking
to wrest from Government control
nearly 100000 fertile acres in south
western Arizona, a territory larger
than the combined area of the States
Of Rhode Island and Delaware, the
value Of which has been estimated in
actual and potential richness at from
SOC, 1000, 900 to $500, 200. 900. ..
No American tribunal has ever been
called upon to decide a case more
replete in human interest than this, for
the facts at issue have already re-
Vealed a chain of romantic circum-
stances that afford material for a
thrilling Western noval without the
author having to delve into the realm
OF fiction for plot, motive or actors.
The outstanding figure in .the legal
action, which Is on the calendar OF the
District Court for trial later this year,
Miss Virginia Hunter OF Glendale.
suburb Of Los Angeles, Cal, daugh-
ter and chief heir of Col. Hunter. Her
devotion to her fathers ideal that the
hghs OF the Papagos-a "pueblo" of
village people whose title to the lands
IN dispute vas recognized and re-
fpectsd by the King Of Spain as long
ago as 1910, or 236 years before the
ngning OF the American Declaration
r lndependence-should be held in
violate by his heirs and given prece-
oence by them in the struggle for pos
session OF the princely Arizona do
main forms one of the romantic chap
ters OF the entire litigation.
has caused Miss Hunter to re-
hounce all thought OF marriage, ir
view Of the prolonged legal battle i'm
posed by the peculiar terms of hel
miners will, to maintain three suit:
against the Federal Government which
nave cost good sized fortune and II
Oerend series Of bitterly fought cour-
oontests brought by dissatisfied rela
yves who sought to end her authority
a. executrix. -
'"rted More Than Five Years AEs
this famous contest, which begaI
nore than five years ago and which
uS neen fought through the processes
the District Supreme Court, tn,
S1strict Court Of Appeals and tn,
supreme Court Of the United States
KNOWN TO the legal calendar unde
.ne prosaic title. Secretary of Interio
al vs. Pueblo Of Santa Rosa" Witt
aeh successive issue It has brough
.ne Hugants, as they feel, nearer tn
son OF victory. until they now believ
-aiuiy doubt overshadows their fina
ownership OF territory that has bee
ooveted by white men from the outse
ot their invasion OF the Far West. i
sp''ome the facts OF this absorbin
oiV lIeSes
0ol. Hunter, West Point gradual
WIN the class Of 1858. a gallant Unio
c Can onieer and later law partner Q
en' Charles Ewing. famous Wash
,1ston attorney of his day, was Gale
west In 1880 to investigate a series Q
.eported illegal aggressions of whit
Nnemen and would-be settler
sAiast the Papaso Indians. Co
unter belonged to a coterie OF Wash
ing men then sincerely engaged l
preventing the exploitation of tn
tnoian lands by set of cattle baron
hacked by a political ring at III
eepitaL He left Lucrative la
Practice and went directly into I'll
ueart OF Arizona. then at the heigi
2 its wild and wooIly days and II
petuesround Of Geronimo and h
notorious renegade Billy the Kid
sna what he learned there from h
Qtst hand investigation told him tn
we FApasos we're IN need Of frienl