The Omaha morning bee. [volume] (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927, 1923-03-27
Colonial Acreage
Title Valid, Says
Witness at Trial
W. A. Culver. One of Original
% Indicted for Fraud, De-
clares West Virginia Prop
erly Worth Millions.

Wflllam II. Culver OF MonIoNla.
Cal. testified at the Colonial Timber
& Coal corporation case in federal
court yesterday afternoon that in his
opinion the Colonial concern has valid
title to the 900 acres it claims IN
West Virginia and that the property
is worth millions.
Culver Is one Of the % men orig
inally indicted in the case. lie sold
his one-eighth interest in the conf
pany to Walter l.. Stickel for $4,000.
He Is now In poor health. lie is not
being tried but has not been promised
immunity.
Woman Causes Commotion.
Mrs. II. a. Schneider OF Fleming.
Colo, caused a connection among ths
Is defense attorneys when she testi.
fled that Harold Cozier, employe OF
the Guaranty Securities company. had
told her in 1918 that the Guaranty
company had vast coal lands in West
Virginia. The defense has paintain-
ed that the government. IN the IN
diotment, charged two conspiraeies,
che in the Guaranty case and the
other in tho Colonial, and that the
20 had no connection.
How half a dozen men gathered ia
the office Of Thomas II. Matters in
the Omaha National Bank building In
April. 1919, and incorporated the
Colonial Timber and Coal corporation
for $40 900 900 was related in federal
court Monday morning By Lee Herd
man. an Omaha lawyer.
The half dozen and 10 others are
on trial charged with conspiracy TO
use the mails 10 defraud.
Mr Herdman testified that he got
s1oo, 900 of the stock. Willard V Math-
ews got 81 ,00o. 600 and the rest was
divided pro rata. Matters getting 80
per cent. Walter l.. stlckel of Kear-
ney 80 per cent, Ralph Sunderland Il
per cent and smaller percentages 60
ing to two or three others.
Property Claim Made.
Then % 600 900 bonds were author
lied. half Of these 10 be allotted under
the same percentages. and the re-
naming half to be placed in the cos-
poration's treasury.
The Colonial corporation claimed to
have title to nearly 700 600 acres
about 900 square miles-o' land in
West Virginia.
A lawyer from Charleston, W. Va
James y. Ellison. was present ut the
meeting. lie said the land was worth
800 an acre At least. but never had
been placed ON The tax rolls and that
the corporation, by paying one year
taxes, could get title to il.
did You really believe that this
had been left off OF the states tax
iists?" W. C. Dorsey for the govern.
ment, asked Mr. Herdman.
Well. at first. / didn't. but when
some Of tho men went back and veIi.
fed Il, | did" was the answer.
Ellison, the lawyer, has disappeared
and all efforts OF the government I,
apprehend him have failed.
Herdman testified that he sold out
his interest for $4,000 In June. 1919.
There is no charge against him.
Stickel bought his interest aud later
bought Matters quota OF bonds. $3.50.
600 worth.
Herdrnan said II was understood
that the securities were not TO be
sold to the public until title 10 the
vast tract was perfected. Two women
named Gregory. living I'm Chicago,
were the holders Of the alleged title
They were very poor and we're
brought to Omaha for interviews at
the expense OF some of the promoters.