The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-04-22
Chicago Man Volunteers Information in Re
gard to Just Claim to Be Instituted
Against Government.
BONDS WERE "PARAMOUNT" BONDS
Claims that the Bonds to the Value of S64OOO000 Were
Still in the United States Treasury
in the Year 1884,

reopen the whole consideration of the
Durkee estate. The Chicago man
bases his story of the Durkee claim in
a statement found in Lambs Biograph-
ical dictionary; aareference book which
IS not listed on the shelves Of the Gill
bert M. Simmons library here. The
dictionary gives in detail the story of
the life of Charles Durkee and his con
nection with the government bonds
alleged to have been the basis for his
claim against the government.
Were Paramount" Bonds.
In leading up to the story of the
famous bonds the dictionary" accord
ing to the Chicago man has this to
say: Senator Durkee was appointed by
President Johnson to the office of
governor of Utah in 1865, resigning in
1868 on account of i'll health. He be-.
came interested in the building of the
Union Pacific and the Central Pacific
railroads and headed syndicate that
purchased $64,623,512 Of new para
mount bonds. After Mr.. Durkee
died these bonds could not be found
and his family were unable to recover
ItuC UIOpG4 W. dlbiOuSll biiC pOAAAo WNAC
recovered in 1884 and were turned into
che United States treasury, whence
Ahey again disappeared Immediately
er Secretary Folger who had knowl-
edged Of their ownership, by the Dur
%yee heirs, resigned The heirs then
began suit against the United States
20 recover $20,000,000 the amount they
claimed the government had collected
from the Union Pacific railway and
the suit was before the court Of claims
in 1890"
The Chicago nan appends to his
story the fact that Senator Durkee
died at OMAHA M, January IA, 1870,
while he was on his way to Kenosha.
First Real Story of Bonds.
This is the first real story of the
bonds, what they were and where they
came from ever told in Kenosha. Old
residents Of the city today were asked
for their opinion Of the story as to the
facts in the case. They smiled broadly
and declared that it was strange
thing that Franklin H. Head who had
been the close personal friend Of Sem
ator Durkee and who had been one Of
the executors of his estate had never
brought this story to light before it
reached the dignity of appearing in an
encyclopedia. They scoffed at the
whole story of the bonds and declared
that it was creation of some ones
Imagination.
1t is a matter of record that suit
was brought against the government
in the court of claims in 1899. At
that time Mrs Durkee the widow of
Senator burke and the sole heir to his
estate was living and living in Keno
sha. She declared that she knew moth
ing of the suit and had no part in it
but it was afterward admitted that she
had conferences with some of the
men who had for years pushed the
"Durkee Claim" as speculative in
vestment.
KenOsha People Never Interested.
* While the claim if there ever was a
claim would necessarily come through
the courts of Kenosha county, the
home Of Senator Durkee connected
with it. Stock statesmen found this
county a fertile field when the first
stories of the twenty million dollars
claim were circulated and hundreds Of
people who were loking for Ship to
come in" bought shares of that stock
Some Of this stock has been found in
the settlement of estates in the county
and it has been invariably declared
worthless.
The activity now being shown by
Al
that new big spring offensive is
A Chicago man, who declines to have
his name made public has sent to Ke-
nohsa the first authentic story Of the
famous Durkee claim in which hun
dreds of Kenosha and Kenosha county
people hold shares of stock and in
which the United States government
has declared that it does not take any
stock. The Chicago man does not ad.
nit It but it is suspected that he is one
Of the men who hold shares of tbs
stock and possibly his expectations Of
realizing on the stock has caused hin
to proffer che information in regarc
to the old claim which bears the name
Of the only man that Kenosha count!
ever sent to the United States Senate
This man admits that he searched
through the public library in Chucagt
to gain facts in regard to Charles Dur
kee and the claim Of his heirs agains
the United States government and it il
just possible that the statement which
he sent to the Evening News today wa
in some way connected with letters re
Gently received by the judge Of tn,
county court here which sought t.
planned. People are warned not t,
purchase the stock until it has beer
shown that it has been given the sane
tion of the Wisconsin Railroad com
mission which passes on all stock
sold in the state. 1t can be said tina
the commission has never passed OF
stock in the Durkee claim and it i
Improbable that it will be asked t,
pass on it.