tr out "33:3: i-A.i3i:it ow oheaoii aeovb
mnitim
VOL. XXII.
LAKKVIKW, LAKH COUNTY, ()KL(iO, THURSDAY, APRIL. ,1
NO. 13.
HH0".:.i3e DECISION IN FULL
Hermann's
Exhaustive Review
Celebrated Case in
in Warner
Cases.
of the
Liti-
HITS
gat ion 1 5 Years.
STRAIGHT FROM THE SHOULDER
The Commissioner Holds That the
State of Oregon and All Those
Claiming Under it, Have no
Right or Title to the
Lands in Dispute.
The Claims of the State of Oregon and the Warner
Valley Stock Company are Held as Naught, are
Rejected and Cancelled, and the Lists are
Meld for Cancellation in General Office.
I I I ' I ' t M I N I I r II K IsTlllloll,
t I N l( t I I A V I I 1 I I H Y .
Wamiiim.ion. I. C, Match 2. l'.HII.
.1. I.. MoiioM el 11!.
v.
Muli' nf iri'i'Mii Hint
W'min t V.tll.-v M...k C.
( K Tin. "idrl ill UHi !
Warnei I.aki-
' ( '..,N.,.,lt, ,
( 'llllCl.
i.-.t
I.IIH
iN-gister .mil l; i
mr, I.akevicw,
r.
,-titt-tiifi 1 I (t lhi roiitr..vriy,
wlli.ll, llll'IlT V It I 1 1 1 1 H 1 f 1 1 1 H llllH bci-ll
la-fore thin nlK-i- mill tin Secretary of
th li!tv1r lor tbo past iUt n yciiM,
ttinrtMi.ii.tt Orpgnn and the Warner
Valley Mock 'mil puny allege that the
llllldx ll If nf 11 1 inil.ii li-r 1 1 1 li 11 1 1 l 11 1 ') hy
tin1 Art "I r- t 1 n 1 .-r 2. I Wi til Mat!,
Mil ), ami iniin- in 1 It. Stale nf Uncoil
under tlir Art nl .Mhm-Ii III. ismi (12
Mat., 'li, while .1. I.. Milium mid miincr
iiih ollu-r xrtllri ili nv lli.il said In m I h
I'M- "swamp iiikI ovctllnivcd" on Miirrli
I", I SiU. unil in-xcrt lluit tlii-V lilt- Mill
tin tt 1 1 r intiiiti 1 1 in I -r 1 In- general
.111(1 111 W n u I III I lillftl Miill. 1 III-
1 .1 1 1 I - involved ln-M'iii mi- xiliiiitc-l in
township I'.'.i S., K. 24 I;., 39 S., K 2.ri
I... iitxl 40 K, ll. '' l;., W. M ., Warner
Y 11 Hi-) , I. nk 1- CHI 11 1 y , 1 in-k'oii, mnl in tin'
llllllll lotto 11 1 -it r t nf wlint WBx 1 -1 11 1 tn- 1
11 h tin- I I nf W ii r i n-r Ijtki- In tin- sur
veys "I .Iiiiiii'n II Lvana iiihI llyms nii'l
liriiv.llu (! inn i-mhiaeiiig 1 1 in I i 1 iim I
townships :;ii 11. 2 -;., ami :',. s.. I!.
"5 F... t 'nut nu t .No. 222. exceiitt-.l May
21, l7'i. and lln- Inlli-r Irm l iuhhI town
kIi'. No ID p., U. '.' F . Contrail No.
H'jst, enr-ruted June I, l7i. The part
of tin I11111I iiivulvi-il ii-ri-iii lluit wax re
1 1 1 r 1 11 a ii 1 111 r t of tin- lii ilnl Warner
I.aki- Lv Fvuiix and liv l'-viirn uml ( irnv
Hint H ll- HllrVi-Vl'll liV Jillill I I . Nf III Untie r ' I lie soralll'd Uki
( 1 hi 1 nu t -M".', executed .Muv II, lH-7.
Said liuiilt 11 n- iimri- particularly de-scnU-d
Hi iih s :
.provisions of Hi.' Art of Mnrrl, 1 lwd.
'I III' llHtgcH 1'Blld Hgail.xt l-llBIII
"Ill lnU l.l th' tn.Vi-llillil-lit. ! tlio-l-claiming
grantees nl tin- Mutt-i-f
On-gnn, Ix-mg pn-sn-d m vigor. .ii-lv mul
, the demands ol tl"' alleged eii.-r la
' in(t n--iiti-l itli mm Ii n-riHti-iir-,
' c-i-rliil iitiuiil, Iimi l-" f llHl k.'l)' Til. Hd
'illti-rli ll to lliM-llt,-iln till! Illl- unl IT-
rr'iil-irii ii- mul Iruinlx. hikI by U- ti t nl
J lllll- 211. lHHIi. lit- Mll.llilll. il Ull . liHII-l-i
ivi- n-mrt, wlurli in lli' IHH111 f' I11111I to
-'-! 1 1 1 1 M x hhI to i-xiw: 111 Wirtm-r mI-
IrV. i Iri'tfiill.
III- HMtl-.i tllHt ill 170 til- l.l k.iM'lltllll'
(ll llil- Mill!' III On-null I M ft" - I It Ult Ull
llmriII K itn i ltl.i li to liiirrliilM- nilli-
I. lit lllllll H to HITI-llp". tl'i' Imi'li- l Htlt-
' nl to Mini Mull- ly tin- Art l Miurli 12,
IHiio 1 1 j Mni., :i), ' mul tlmt ii-iimiiril
ili'liviililHl, Hli'l h ! 1 il Jii-r- 111 M-rii t
nilii'.iirt Willi lulu, lili-il Hl' tlx-Mull-1'..
111. 1 nl I.111.1I t i liiiiil'Mi.l.i iK ul tin-
' jfi-h to niii Iiiim- iit-mly iii- IihI( i'l tin'
Mull- hp hwmiii liiiiil. Tln ir liln. if in-rlnili-
iiiniiiiiiiiii rmini-i1. mi-i-Iiii'-1i I'lHiiix,
IjiH I-i-iIh, liiki'M HI. "I "ll.-M-rtl-, fill vii-l
iiii-l 1111-111 nl .
j II.- iiihiIi- ilinrt iimi nn-rilii: I.bik
MKiiinMi 11 iiiiiuU-r nl I'liit.-'l SihIi-j. i tli
i iiiIh. im lu.l;iiK (i.riiii-r h-i-i ihI hhi-IiIm,
Ii iiity miivi-mu" mul I'"'"' ' Itii'i-n., in
.ln nliiiL- Unit nil lliin-nlliri-ii' win- iiiciii-
lui nl ll.i- 'ahii.;. niiK." I m- nrluiK
i- i-nj .inl.'y vinli tin' Hii.-iiiH ol tin- h'taie
nl lll. n-.il. Illl'l lliinlr li-illlllll'-lit ri-tlllllH,
ii- i-.it-, ri.., iii ill- i.mtt. r -.1 muiii)i
Inn. I m vi , uml jiim,-.-. ti--u in li t- In 10,
M-I.'i I lull, i lr.
'J in- i ii . -i tiiiii-i- ill tli'm n-H-rt, w liirli
lilt- li-lll I'l tin- I.HM" lur i II rlll.M-ijlll-lit
m-t I- ll, m i iiii- to jiii-l ity a 'unln-r iuotn
li..ii Ir. in il, h loilowt-:
'I In m-'ii'Iii.iim i-iiiliiu i- liuiiilri-iln nl
tlinil-Hlnl'i nf arn-f i-l ill ', bihI.Ii- liimi,
Klliliili- III iill. n nr nil lilllMili-H uml
liiiMintiiili iMiiki'". all illnliuw li In-ill
10 . I. ' ;ii 1 1.-i i- 21 mul J.i l:, I. nt tlir-ni-,-1,.
mil tin- l.-lilli Hi.il liii'H.ltli nf wl'iil i
t -r I J .- t 'BII:l-r .kr HO llllll ll lIllT'l.f
i- iinrl iritlili-, Iii r"ii.iiii-iitiiitf mi iliat
r t-x rt, Arlinir hirrrtiny MnlOrow m :
In liirl. Iiif fi Kiil rliBily ii,ir;iti llml
tln-ri- i lio lakf to In- Imnul mh Im nii-il
l.y lln- ii.v.-i nnn-iit iirvpyn. '1 lie
M lllrri-riiiiiint. (or tin- whiiI of Mirv.-y,
n l tln-ir rlaniiK of ri-cmil, uml it in rtHt
nl ll.at tin- whii.i lai.il ( Iniliialilc
tlm-Hli-ii llii-in Willi HiitK in i j.i Hi n iit
h tri-MjiUKM-m. (Nil- Jjiki- U'uri.i-r 5 I.
I. :i-,7).
I iiii-iiiiiit lo tin- i.nlern bImivi- vivi-n,
llii-i.llirc din cl.-d llml tin Mirvi-y la-i-xti-iuli'il
ami on May .'I. 1KH7, rontrHi t
No. , 2!' wax 4-nti-rwl into lii-lwi-i-n linn
t'livi-rntiiriit. u 'tin tlirriiinli Mirvrynr
l.i l.i-nil nf (lrrim ami I)r.iUv Mnvrynr
,. l.ii II. Ni-iiI, wlrr.l-y I In- In! in in (li-r-toi
k to i-xli-inl tin- 1 1 in . of tin- 1'nl.li
r-u t vr) oM-r mi iiiin li of I.aki- Win in-r
bh inav la- piHi lii nlili-. ailt imilriiet
w a a iiroviil l-y llie ('niiiini'iiiM-r nl
tlnx oll.ri' mi May 2H, lhi7, ami tin- cur-i-y
u nni'li- in tlii- lii-ld iluiinn 1 'ie
hilt- Miininrr am) aiiliuini of 1KH7. illi
llu- i xi. iln.ii nl a Mnall ini-iiiiil.-ri-il
lake ( l'i-liraii) tt- an-a nf wliii li wax
(iirii hb 414. -'il Hi li-. I In- lini-a nf cur-i-y
wrti- i xl. iid-d in llii-ir i i.tin-iy
tlii..nli wliat l.inl luili ri-liitiieil H 1 1 if
Ih I nf I.aki- Wm: ner in T M S. it 24 K.
3 H. 25 K. ami 40 S. 1: 24 K. tli. tiKli
tlii- tii-ll imti-K i-liowc.l iiiin li i i h waH-r
in iIiir.-H 'I I ii ImiuI- iii t hi- in'.i iii-liiif
iti iin f-iinii H-iuiiH-ii l.y Mi. 'fl, wlnrli
wen- xlinwii l.y tin I'ltn.i-r mri-y x t.i U
in llu-laki-, hiiioiiii1i-iI to ll.i'lX:.) in-ti-x
in T f, ll 2 K. n.27'.i.2,.iiirn x in 1 40
S. I! 24 K. uml 2.NOI .20 arn-x in T "'. S.
K 2" I.. 1 In- plalx i.f t lie t-urvey wi-tt-..fiivi
l .linn 1, 1RSH.
I'rnintar 1SHS, ,e .Mirvi-VOf
( irm-nil i-l I lit Mali- of t In-t'iili. Ifiiiix
niiilnl lo tlnx nlliri, willi liix a.pnval
tl.i f.-nf. M-li-rtioli li-t Nu. (.1 nf xuainii
xi-ttli iiii-i,t. titln-r n-li-rtioiix Inivi Ii-i-ii
iiiinli- Iv iliffi-n-iit imtlirf iii I In-Miini-: and o-i-i llow i-iI liiinlx, n adi' under tli
ri-rklri-x iniiiii. i r. 'l lu- rl.irl ol-j.i t aj- I n..vii-ioi.x nl tlie Art nl Man li 12. 1SI4),
H-nrx lo I him' la-en to xr -in t-rout ml nl j liy llu-Male of ( iri'K.-ii. .'-aid li.-t inrlu-
Oi-il i-iu-li uml every trail, tiv xiimllexl
li-lk'iil allli-livixiulix Hlirvi-Vi'il Ii V l'eilltv
all li e naler (iniilate, ax ui il ux till hi-
Mull. Ill X to Mlltl-I 111 l.anll I II (Ol L'"ll, llllll
to ol. iiiiii all tlie n'lixx In . In iii llml xec
tloll i f tin Slate, lor Im illtaixe nl
Mi ex to i iitileiiii-il. Tlie -urvey ol wlnil
ix ciilliil l-ake Warner, ijf j,r l). ri Cm k,
in '1 . Mi ft., li. -t 'V A An i.id.lv
in lh7.r I iy llm liite iieni-ti-r nl tin' Ijike-
I view l.iiiul tlllire who re-
r.-j m .i t I a I a I -e iiieiiinler ol tliul l-art oi
mul i-iniiia nl illiin
I . U X ., it
II
'.'
II
J I
J I
'I
-I
U'r.
it'
ft
'.-
r,
ft.,
n .
jn
a .
:u .
:ci
.t.l .
at..
:t ,
.0
M .
f-i
.Ii..
1 .
.1 .
H
4
4 .
4 .
6..
7..
7
a.,
a. .
a.
v
V. .
9 .
Hi .
17..
in
la..
t .
IK
IK
I '.I . .
l..
I'l
W .
i .
HI . .
:il ..
ill..
4 K.
3 (i a. ant)
a. v 1 , unit mi ' . . n.-
I", M ami I xl
I-1. Nil', NK',..- '
r, Nu', ,1 W ',. x'
W',. M '4-V i . S
W 'a. N 1 . 1 , A K',, Ni
N . xl.'4. NK'4.x'
l.l ., .
Nw'a
Kami:.
KM'ltV.
I.M K.
Tiiiiiiiiikh-'II I'l'lnlT Mm. li I.'. Ihvj, (I an)
I ll K-k. II II I 1171
I l.nr,. . lili y I I lulT .
M I' linrrv . . Idl I'i J
.. r W III. v T I .i
rura lurklu Idl l Hi
Km'a Nra. Iiain l x xr,i,. .
II r l i.-ij.... . . t r liw.
I
II I' l l. lji-
lnii lV. iMI'.l
Mat. Ii .1. I v'.l l in
A .ril 1 1-.?
Marrli U I sail (I'mii
Jan Ian.',
M a I.'-. Ml. J Id, X .
Mar. li ,'i, IV-'J
II. t 1167.. Jan I'i. Hh
l.l I.Xm', Nri,.
xw ' .
I..H. I aii. I 1
I nl. I. '.'. .1. 4. ft. 6. 7 .
In. II ami li .
x',. N K' A x', N .
v'i- sl" ami h'4
l.l. I. 'i ami 3
tula I, ii,7 AH.i4, Ni-i...
Im-- x .V N1,. XK'4 .
N'4 . .
.V'.. .1- li. il X 4.
I . in M.. k. ai K. I
l.nl I-.. Iii V I7.H '4 ii.-i, I'Iim Wlllcy
' ,.xa oi . .nrt ' at ui . ...
M W Hli.an IIKHUJI
I r.illlllliywli . Il l I'-1"
A K l olilllliK". II II I I'H.1
K I'.ilmlrxt.-r llt lil
Will IUII. ill. Mil All
J. -DIM M.i trow lixrtiTi
Jn. A Mi.tf..w.
J W Mutrow
J I. ..iutr.iw
Ja W lllianu
ll lii-iv . .
V M liarvi-y .
J VV M.irrnw.,
I'lia. ( ulllljr.
, I'M
Nuv.-nit.rr 17,
.1.11 it. Invl,
hi liriiary 4, Iwi.'i
Jan Itl. it'.tS
Mar. li It. IU7 l n)
1 1. I7. J. n I.., Iht'l
iJ.ll '.;l,i( H ,7. J illy B,ttA)
Mat .ii, xx.'i, Jan Iti, M
iJaii I.', laax
I Mat 4 Ihx.'i. Mart-li I, H7
Mil ll.ii .1.1. ii l i, -i
I I' U0 . Jan Ifl
March I. Ixa1
Match l.V 8a, Mi ll ft, H
N.-al. iii T .It) , U 24 K. :i'J S. K 25 K,
i-xrr.l M-rtionx li and liii. In hia letter
triiiixinittili-j tlie xanl lixt nf xrli-i Iii.i.h,
tlie hiitveyor Cieneral rejairted tliHl he
ii. id tt 'civL-il c letter fntu Mr. Jernnie
Knox, utioi ni'V-at-luw, at I.akeview,
Oreiii .li, traiixmit tint; a ilexrripi inn f lo
I'utioiia made liv a"tul xettlerx in T 39
ami 40 S. K 24 10, with a view nf exempt-
On iii.-iiiiil.-r linea over one tlioiixaiid inji xald lia-ationa from adverse xelectioiiB
'anexof .hI mulile Kiiid, much of it re-j hy the State, lie xlalnl further that
'iiiirint iriialion, uhiii wliirh it iiuinUr j the tiiHttt-r wax one not ouniiitt within
! nl xetlleti! huve riiiixliiirli-il ilu-ir I'ut.inx j the jurixilirtioii nf hia nllire, and that
ami ute ii uf in the lake tin diy hunl. j the letter it ml li-t of lia-atiomi wt-tc
The I ii-iii. l.-r i-orneix ami inealider lim-a . Ihi-rt-wilh eiirloxetl.
' xlmw iiiiinixtakahle e i.leiin-H of framl. , The xettlerx rhiiiniiit; under the differ
1 1 fouml il like roiiilitinii nf annua nt-i.r , ent law a nf the I'nited States a.lvei xu to
Ihilliit r a 1 1 1 ' I , at the x.mthei n eml of ! the Mate of Oregon and ita grantee,
'the Mii'iid.-tl hike, wheie nearly t wo j ami the I'liara Ut of t heir rlniina were
! thiui'-miit arrex nf land, now (H-runied hv ' K'iven xiinrn ill dearrihinit the land in-
I xettlrrx, have U-i-n fraudulent Iv intlu j volved herein. There has la-en coiitinu-
! i li--1 within the ineulidetx ol the alleged ! ed liligalion hrtwern xaid xettlera and
' lake hy Mil eyoix
1 hiii lev made in 1S7'.
nl litteeii or twenty eetllrta on laud re
, in a , the alleged Kiatitin-a of tne Stale of Ore-
I found the liomeB , k''" la-foru the land I V-inirtnu-iit. in the
ka-al t-tute eourta ami in the local federal
. Iilil lu.n
1 1 x
. 11.1 1I..U
.ill xj.',
I'l' i ' lelik
;iix:m
hul. I, i anil a
I... I I ami
I..IU I ami '
X'a. xw '4,i Mi, s..i.
Lull. .1 I it .., Nw
I'M. I .VV A .,, M.
I .la r ,V X .V N'v. x.-'4
l.i.lh 0 ,v 7. S',. x. i .
li'aN,4x-'4xw '4xvt '4 I
M-'-i
K1,, xK'4 ami . .
' a. Hw 1 4
M- ....
J I' Harry ... .
! I I 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 H V 1 1 1 .
i K K Ota ii I
!.lu. A Miirriiw .
,11 J hli-lll
S HlJllill
U r will. y. ..
iN M Krak.-a ..
il. A Krak. .....
IH H;i7.
,11.1 ll.lt
' 1 1 . 1 I 'i d
M.I .'H.J
i'l r nj:i
Hlil Ii.-ii
j ll.l linn.
1 1 1 x :u',-.'i
Ii a :i.ui.
,l a mi?.
Jan ft, 14, Mi b XX (i'n
Jan 21. 1mii.
Jan .'I, lift'.
May 7. Ixttx
Matrh I I. lKN'J
ian H. I xy.
an IMU
lay ?H, ixa.'i
x,-i 1, H7, )an 10, ltX9
Mar. li li ami li, lxftt
iorti d hy aurveyoia , i cmirta, ever rince the landa embraced
aa wit hiu and purl ol Lake Warner in j in the Neal eurvev in aaid townxhipe
Tow iixhipa ;t'.l and 40 !., li. 24 K., Will , I were declared auhject to appropriation.
; Mer. I In fact prior to the approval ol xaid eur-
i ! v.-v tlie lltii-alion t liri'Utii.i.l mmitl.ni
My examiniition tluix far juxtitit-a the (if w hich wax made hy tlie Iepartmeut
coiicluxioii that the reports nf Meaxra. I in ita judgment nrderini; a re-j-urvt-y (5
. and in re-i L ), 3ii7) materialized in oiiita ol replev-
:uid to aw amp and overllowe lamia are in drought hy H F McConnauliv aainxt
iinreliahle, iiiarcurate and corrupt, and J. N. Willey and many others, to recov
that Special Aut-iit 'a re- i er hav alleged to have been wrnt.nlv cut
port and acta are putt and parcel of the hy Willey and the other defendants in
i
lid lu
ll
Sl.
Hw':...
A P Krakt a.
0 J I'llllllll'V
l.aii.-iv liiuuril ll.l iM'-'l
I. I) Ktakra I'H .1:1. 1
Klil.- I'lall. ltd IU-.' . J.
l.W NVIuk.'liiiaii i'C KK4.. Si
HS:lHi'.t.. Ot-t 7, h7, Jan 16, lh
conxiuiai'V entered into hy
land hia coufreiea to defraud the l'ni;ed
I Statea out ol luro tracla nf land, and
' that the attempted hrila-rv of Surveyor-
tieneiul the falxeauiveya
nl the public, domain, the perjury com
I milled in proving up xwiunpy and over
flowed condition of iiiountaiiiB and ele
vated HHiM'ln uxh pliiinx; the procure-
ttivXK..4.
H'.j.m '...f'.-iin1,, lei 10 A llny.l h.-lr.
S't, . ''. ',. lul VAN Ii.-iiii. il .
N'u.m',4.iii',4,ii,4,l.il 11 J M Wlll. y.
I .,u7nn.x T II Wak.-ll.-.
X' Hl.l4 I
Nr.',. S (-.',, hot 12
w ! i nu ',. w 1 ... in'' .
I. HUM.. II. J.-.V
S'j, W-' .. f ',, IIW '4,
IiIm tt, fi ami 7
Uil t
b.ia 7. II. Wan. 1 10
l.nli. ft, 0, 7 .V in-',,
mI a
Inn III, Ihwi
il'tt- x.'ft.. J.
. i n a :i.i77.. M
lid II7.S
iTr 1 1 wi
mi-iiila-r 3). lxyft
ix-liili.-r 7, IHH7
hii la, mil.'.
l.n li la, laxtf
mi Hi, ixvft
ilarr h i. laKft, Jan lri.V
Inn III, Ixxil
Mar. li 11, IMJ
T II Wakfllfl.l.
y ii liiuiKi.iii.
Il.t 11'Hl
II I ii:i.
K.-liriiat y la, 9
Jan 14, 1KV6
Ut 2 Itulit I. Ilarii.-a. ll.l iX Ni.vi-nila-r 211, V7
S Hi ll 11 1 j I
. ... V i Hilt.
K r i lark .
nw1, J H Morrow .
. . Vacant
.Mil I'l-.M
i l l' llilii
hi-i-i-iiil.fr 9. tfft
Mar.li 12, .V
The N 'udf SW'4 and SWJ4' nl SW'4', , of Kvuiih and Hyara and (iray. Said
Sec. 10, T. S., K. 20 K., were iiit-ludeil : parliea ii-preaented that thero were large
in approved lixt No. .'II, hut are omitted ' arena of di v hind w ithin the limits of
from the hi i i ttilii t i ii . It ia alao found the meamlured lake, upon which land
that the SK'4, N !.j SW'j and SW,'4' of I they had made lama tide xetlleuionta
SW1, Sec. II, T. -Ill S., It. 24 K., iuclil-1 and relief waa eurncHjy reqiteHted. The
.led in the atipulalion, were patented lo . character of the land forming a part ol
the Stale aa Bwamp land, March 25, MM). ' and aurroundiiitf the boundaries of l.ako
Hepteiuhi-r Hi, 1H!M, the Warner Val
ley StiM-k t'ouipuny lilml a waiver or
iliHi'.laiinrr of any intent or purjioxo to
prove thu BW'Hinpv character of Lot 12,
Kec. II), T. 40 H., li. 24 K embraoed in
In the lioincatead entry of T. li. Wake
field. During the year 1H,H, and prior there
to, tli iH ollicu received tt number ol com
plaints mm alleged xettlera within the
Warner, aa well an other hind in Kaat-
era Oregon, hud la-en the sulijectof con
llictiiig re porta by agenta ol the Laud
lciarimeiit, and it was charged by thouo
claiming under the aettlemeiit lawa. that
fraudulent returns bad been made by
deputy Hiirveyora and other (iovernment
oIlicialM, w hereby landa dry and in many
invtancea desert in character, had la-en
described as awanip and overllowed.etc,
boundaries ol w hat was returned as j in order that aaid lauds might be cer-1
J.ake Warner by the reaia'ctive surveys1 tilled to the State ol Oregon under the
the respective cases, Ironi the land ol
Mcl'oiiiiaughy.
McCminaiigliy claimed title under
deed from the State of Oregon and al
leged that the State derived title from
the general (iiiverinneiit under the pro
vision of the Act of March 12, lSCa) (12
Stat, 8). Willey defended by alleging
that on Mav 2S. 1885. he then beinur a
incut nl llie issuance ol laixe cert i lira tea qualilied xeltler under the preemption
of sale by the Slate Ollicers in Oregon ; laws. M illed upon said land, extahlixhed
the bribery i4 Special Agent ; : residence, made improvement and main-
the procuiciuent of the ixxiiance ol cer- I turned possession thereof intending to
liticates of the Interior lU-pai'tmcnt an-! acquire title under the provision of the
thorizing the issue of patent on the i preemption laws, and ttiat the land at
faith of the corrupt reports of mid date of settlement was vacant, unsur-
by the State of Oregon
without any consideration; the sale by j
the said to hia secret part
ner, , of all hia fraudulent
titlea to aMeged swamp laud and the:
sales by the saitl of the
titles to said laud till :
vexed public land of the United States.
The matter of said suits having been
called to the attention of this ofli.-e,
Commissioner Sparks on February 11,
1887, addressed a communication to
Secretary Lamar, recited the facts as the
same had la-en presented to this nllire,
constitute links in the chain ol a con- : called attention to the leiiarlment ord
spiracy to defraud the I'nited States of er of January 17, 18S7, directing that a
the said lands. I survey lie made of said lake, etc, and
In this (imitation names of persons are . earnestly recommended that the Hon.
omitted and blanks substituted.
Uy letter nl liecetnber 111, 188ti, this
ollicu trnnsmitteJ to the lH-pattmcut.
the applications of the several alleged
settlers and recommended; that the
public surveys bo extended over the so
called hike in townships 311 and 40 south,
ranges 24 and 26 east, or over so mm Ii
thereof as it ia practicable to survey, so
that the several claimants to the land
may have opportunity lo present claims
in the usual manner.
The recommendation of this oitice was
accompanied by the foregoing report ol
social agent Shackelford, and the lc
parlnient considering said recommenda
tion with the said report and applica
tions, directed not only that the lines of
survey be extended in Townships .Wand
Attorney (teneral be requested to direct
the II. S. District Attorney for Oregon.
to intervene in the cases referred to, for
the purta.ae of protecting the interests
of the United States in these lands and
to spare no effort to prevent the acquisi
tion of the same under fraudulent claims.
lu pursuance with said recommenda
tion, steps were taken looking to the
protection of the interest of the govern
ment in said suits and Lewis L. Mc Ar
thur, the United States Attorney for
Oregon, appeared therein as the repre
sentative of the Government.
January 28, 1888, Hon. A. II. Garland,
Attorney Cieneral transmitted to the
Secretary of the Interior, report from
Mr. McArthur, showing that he duly
appeared at said trials; that on January
I'l. JHH8, said court. hr-niizh Piadv,
Judge, trinl. rid decision in favor of the
deft-mlalita.
l lu- court held that th" purchaser
from the Mate ti.k. subject to the de
tctmiiiatioti l-y the S-cti-taty . the In-ti-iinr,
if tie character nf the land
w I. ether it w as swamp ami met (lowed,
and that it did not Bp-a-ar that such
(iiii-xtion hail ever been passed on by the
I'i larlini-iit nl the Ii't.-rinr. O in tinn
ing the Court said: Having reached
the conclusion th.-tt the plaint. ff cannot
maintain Ibis action, it j necessnrv to
pa's on the que, lion, whether this land
iHswiiuiporii.it. And I do not regret
it. For in my judgement no nne is quali
fied to decide the question in a case like
this, where apparently thete's room, in
the preset' t condition ol the land, lor
difieteiire of opinion, without having a
view of the premises and stirrnundingn.
Much of the testimony ia given by in
terested parties and ia very cnntlicting.
The ilillu lilt v i still further enhanced
by the fact that the inquiry ix, aa to the
n. million nr character of the land on
Mar b 12, 1KC0, rather than the present
time. For mote than a quarter
of a century, the land department has
left the question to le wrestled with in
a sporadic way under the swamp land
grant and the preemption and home
siead acta, at a great sacrifice of money,
tii-e and probai.ly veracity.
It h-s not appear that the matter of
1 title to said land was furt her prosecuted
- in the federal rourta from the derision
id Judge iVady, cited ala.ve. but aa le
fore Milled, since the approval and filing
of the p!ais of the Naval survey there
hits been almost constant litigation in
t he lia-al courts of Oregon, as well aa
mule-Is pending in this office. Injunc
tions ami other w rits have been issued
at the instance- nf those claiming as
grantees of the Mate of Oregon, against
those claiming under the tiniler culture,
desert land, preemption and homestead
laws, and the lifty or more claimants
under tl.e settlement laws have nearly
all hud individual contests before the
Inn. I J '.-part ineni ; thousands..! pages of
testimony weie taken in these cases,
and many of said cases were pending or
bad la-en closed adversely to the sett lers,
when on March 21, 18l)2,"and on Novem-
la-r 1(1, 1KH2, cle. r lists M and 31. of
Oregon Swamp Land Selections, em
bracing to a large extent all the land in
volved herein, were submitted to the
lieparlint'iit with the recommendations
of this otlice, that the same la-approved ;
and on A pnl 9, and Ieceniber 3, 1892,
respectively, said lists were approved by
Secretary Nobie, as inuring to the State
under the said acts of September 28,
18-'aJ, ami March 12, 1800. Jeccmber28,
18!'2, the settler claimants, by resident
counsel, applied to the IVpartment for
the exercii-e of its discretionary pow
er over the land embraced in said clear
lists No. 30 and 31. January 8, 1893,
Secietary Noble directed this ottice to
submit a report as to the matters and
things lepresented in the ; ft i lion of
said settlers, and directed that uo pat
ents should issue for said lands, w ith
out further instruction. This olhce hav
ing by letter K January 24, 1893, com
plied w ith the said departmental order
of January V, 1893, the assignees of the
Mate of Oregon having, in the mean
time riled application for the patent,
and the settler claimants having also
tiled supplement statements, accompan
ied by numerous exhibits, Secretary
Noble on March 2, 1893, considered the
show ings made in behalf of the respec
tive parties, together with the aforesaid
report of this office, slated that had the
charges and allegations made by the
settler claimants been In-fore him prior
to the approval of said lists No. 30 and
31, he would hardly have approved the
same, without further examination, etc,
and that in order the consideration of
said case might not be prejudiced by his
action approving said lists in the ab
sence of full and accurate information,
he revoked and cancelled his approval
of said lists 30 and 31, and dir-cled this
office to take such steps as were neces
sary to make said cancellation and re
vocation formally effective. He direct
ed ftiitht r that this office make full re
port in the matter and transmit to the
llepartment all pavers, etc, that the
same may bo fully considered and prop
er directions given in the premises.
Hy letter k March 13, 1893, this office
subuiitted further reports as directed by
the departmental order of March 2,
1893, and transmitted therewith paers,
tiles, etc, and by letters K March 27,
April ti, and April 19, 1893, this office
transmitted plats of survey and addi
tional documents, papers and files to the
l'epartment. llecember 19, 1893, Secre
tary Smith having before him, iu ad
dition to the papers, tiles, reports, and
petitions, etc, hereinbefore specified, the
affidavits, statements and briefs tiled by
the res;ective parties subsequent to
March 2, 1893, considered the questions
involved and rendered judgment to the
effect that on March 12, 1800, the land
involved herein was a part of the tied of
Lake Warner, a permanent body
of water, and that it was therefore
not ol the class and character con
templated by the said Act ol September
28, 1850, aa extended to the State of
Oregon by the Act of March 12, 18ti0.
He took official notice of the fact
that a great many contests arising