Page:Life and Select Literary Remains of Sam Houston of Texas (1884).djvu/555

 "causing the State the cost of additional counsel in defending herself against such enormous preconcerted spoliations; and, on discovery of his interests in said class of certificates being made, said judge transferred said suit for determination to the United States court in another State, after shaping the case and influencing that court in such a manner as to obtain his desired judgment.'"

It will be observed from what I have stated of the sudden translation of the conspiracy from New Orleans to Texas, that there is no pause in the progress of the drama; the scenes are shifted with almost incredible swiftness; and when the interest might seem to flag, we find a new character introduced into the drama to challenge our admiration of the versatility and resources of the plotters.

Thus we find, on the very day of the rendering of judgment in the Phalen suit at New Orleans, Thomas M. League, a new character in the play, but sufficiently well known as a partner of Judge Watrous in his land speculations, and an ally in all his enterprises, intervenes, and institutes a suit in the State court of Texas, as the transferee of the identical fraudulent certificate that had been declared valid in the United States district court at New Orleans. This Mr. League will be found to be a conspicuous party throughout the whole system of fraud dealt out through Judge Watrous' court. In a resolution adopted by the Senate of Texas, in 1856, just referred to, his connection with the judge is pointedly alluded to; and it is stated: "That it is believed by many good citizens that said Watrous, in connection with Thomas M. League, and other compeers, are directly or indirectly interested in most of the important suits brought in his court."

It will be well to keep an eye on this Mr. League, and to note his association with the enterprise of the fraudulent certificates, for there will hereafter be shown his connection with other and later schemes of judicial fraud, carried out through the machinery of Judge Watrous' court.

It would appear, from the evidence taken before the committee of the House, in the investigation into Judge Watrous' conduct, an attempt is made to have it appear that League's connection with him dated from the inception of the Lapsley frauds, in 1850; but here we have the fact to note of his previous connection with the judge's land speculations; and find him, in 1847, at the head and front of the nefarious land certificate conspiracy. His connection with Watrous was a general one, and contracted with a common design, whenever and wherever opportunity offered.

The object of this suit, instituted by League, was to compel the surveyor to survey the land called for in the certificate. Thus we have the case brought into the State court, backed by the authority of a precedent decision, declaring this fraudulent certificate valid. The manner of thus bringing it may be explained by that passage in the letter of Reynolds, in which he says: "Nor do I think it was the best policy to have pressed the courts. of Texas. They may be easily made to follow the law, while they have not the nerve to pronounce it."

The case was decided in Galveston, the court sustaining the surveyor in his refusal to survey under such certificate; whereupon an appeal was taken to the supreme court of the State, at Austin.

Now to exhibit more fully the connection of Judge Watrous with these suits,