Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1923-02-09
TESTIMONY in
STEWART CASE.
ALLEGES FRAUD!
All Witnesses Examined State
That Land Purchased Had
Been Misrepresented as TO
Irrigation Facilities

KANSAS CITY. Mo-, Feb. p.-w. ".
thiles. testifying today at the trial %
w. j.. Stewart. charged with using tho
mails 10 drfraud. charged that agents
OF the Stewart Land Company evaded
true representation Of facts concerning
the water supply for irrigation. They
testified that although they were within
three miles Of the Edinburs irrigation
system the train loads of homeseekers
were not taken 70 the irrigation project.
The prospective purchasers were led
"a believe that they would get water
from the Mercedes system. Chilcs said.
Dther Witnesses had previously testified
that the Edinburg system was inadequate
to supply water for the lands Stewart
had sold.
The five Witnesses who testified yes.
terday all asserted that the land they
purchased had been misrcprescntcd ms
supplied with water from the Mercedes
irrigation system
William n. Rossclot. formerly an irs
rigation farmer in Arkansas,was the
second witness Thursday, and testified
that he purchased land near Edinburg
in March, 1920. and moved to the new
farm the following May. He testified
that he attempted to cultivate u cot
ton crop. but the entire yield on Is
acres was only 1000 pounds. lie said
he tried to grow vegetables, but could
not get sufficient water The land did
not pay expenses, he said and he was
compelled to hire out as q farmland
to obtain money
Judge Van valkcnburgh declared that
there would have 10 be more speed. as
at the present rate Of taking testimony
the government would require seven
teen or eighteen days TO examine it,
sixty-nine witnesses, he said.
Believing an extensive Irrigation sys-
tenn operated by the Mercedes company
mt Mercedes, Texas. the source of wa
ter supply for tract near Edinburg.
Texas. J. VI. Monroe of Terrell. Texas,
bought the land only to discover that
il was not irrigated nc all, according
10 his testimony in federal court here
today nc the trial Of WI. Il. Stewart,
charged with $60,0O0.O00 land fraud
IN Hidaleo county. Texas Monroe and
his wife asserted that ID. 4. Kirgan. m
agent for Stewart. had shown them the
Mercedes pumping station and had told
them that II would irrigate the land
they proposed to buy.
Kirgan declared. according to Mrs.
Monroes testimony. "that without this
water the land Is absolutely worthless"
On cross-cxamination Mrs. Monroe
admitted that she was q sistcr-in-law
Of Nels Nelson, a witness who was to
testify later. She acknowledged that
Nelson bought % acres in the Mercedes
tract and then traded IL for 40 acres in
the Stewards Edinburg tract.
Monroe testified that he bought 40
acres said 70 be four miles east Of
Edinburg. He paid S100c In cash. he
said. and later paid $i,t00 more, and
still later gave q mortgage on farm In
kanass for $1,000. He was told that aIl
he had to do when be wanted water
was TO ask for il before o'clock tho
preceding day.
Monroe asserted that the Mercedes
irrigation system did not resemble the
Edirburg system. The canals OF the for
mcr are deep and full or water. he as
serted. and the canals OF the later are
dry and small.
Nelson testified that he " not liv~
ing on the tract which he obtained from
Stewart because he could not procure
water for il. He declares that he lives
on rented farm near Edinburg- He
said he had not seen the EdinburE
irrigation plant until one year after he
bought his land.