The Coconino sun., 1925-07-31
GOVERNMENT SEEKS TO
CANCEL MINING CLAIMS OF
'CAMERON'S ASSOCIATES.

A suit of equity against Ralph FL.
Cameron Jr., Ida M. Cameron, his
mother, q. Il. Stetson, and business
associates OF Senator Cameron and
others, asking for the cancellation of
55 placer mining entries held by
1 Cameron and his associates along the
| Colorado. river, on the grounds Of
! fraud, was filed yesterday with the,
clerk of the federal court in Phoenix
by Harold Baxter, special assistant to
the attorney sgeneral of the United
States for the district Of Arizona.
The complaint, very lengthy docu-
ment, charges the defendants with
making placer mining entries with
| the intention and purpose of obtain
ing for themselves jointly and in con-
cert the possession, ownership and !
control of said lands for the purpose
of utilizing the water and water
power resources of the Colorado river
and the storage reservoirs and power
damsites adjacent
The complaint further charges. that
such entries were made by the defend
ants, knowing that the lands in ques->
ton, by reason of first form power
Withdrawals duly made by the secre-
tary of the interior, and the non-dis- |
covery of minerals, were not open to |
mineral location or entry.
The defendants named in the COM |
plant follow:
Ralph H. Cameron Jr. of Phoenix, |
son of Senator Cameron; /. M. Cam |
eron, wife of Senator Cameron; E. w. |
Campbell Of Washington, d. c., secre-
tary to Senator Cameron; G.. H. Stet- !
son of Pasadena and Philadelphia, fl /
nancial backer of Senator Cameron;
H. B. Stetson of Elkins Park, Pa,
wife of G. H. Stetson; S. e. Queiroz
of Elkins Park, Pa, mother of G. H. /
Stetson; T. 7. Potter of Elxins Park,
social secretary to Mrs. Stetson; H. N. /
Williams of South Gloucester, N. j.,
E. E. Hopkins of Hollywood, Calf,
and Fl. r. Gillett of New York city,
Stetson's business associates; M. Gil
lett of the Cameron Machel company
of New York city; j. f. Hesse of Las I
Vegas, New, Cameron Stetson engi-
neer, and H. r. Bedient of Las Vegas,
New, Cameron -Stetson representative.
The complaint petitions the court
for cancellation of ''55 pretended min
ing entries and repossession of $500
acres of lands in Mojave county, Ariz.,
the Colorado river for a dis
tance of about 25 miles from the
Boulder canyon damsite to the upper
Black canyon damsite inclusive, along
the border of the states of Arizona
and Nevada" The complaint also
asks for decree quieting title in the +
United States government and mo
right in the defendants" to the lands
in question.
The history of events leading up to
the filing of the equity suit goes back
a number of years and is replete with
inquiries and investiga-
lions touching upon the Cameron
claims and other lands in and around
he Grand Canyon.
Locations of the placer claims sit
lated along the Colorado river for 25
niles, were made in 1920 and 1922 by
/ group of the defendants, the lands
low being held by the defendants,
1esse and Bedient, who have erected
i substantial camp upon one of the
1lacer claims near the old Callville
-uins, situated close to Las Vegas,
n Clark county, Nevada.
The lands, according to the COM
,laint, are of public domain since 1848
md because of water and power re-
ources, in addition to flood control
possibilities, are of great value to the
,eople of the United States.
Attorney Baxter, who filed the ac-
ion in his capacity Of special assist
mt to the attorney general of the
United States, refused to make any
Ornmauf an the pagp
Il have nothing to say at this
ime," Mr.. Baxter declared, when
'ressed for an opinion on the filing of
he suit.