Page:Looters of the Public Domain.djvu/76

 whereby she agreed to permit of the "dummy" system being employed in securing title to the lands, for which services she was to receive the sum of $100 in each instance, and in addition, the actual expenses for land office fees, etc., or about $50 extra, making $150 in all for each claim put through.

After examining the map to determine that the township was located as represented and within the limits of the Cascade Forest Reserve, Mays consented to go in with me on the deal, he to pay one-half the expenses and to receive one-half the profits.

When the subject of patents came up, Mays said that he would attend to that feature, as he was in a position to have them expedited without delay. He could not tell, however, off-hand, what it would cost, but that was a matter, he stated, that could be adjusted in final settlement, so I agreed to take him in as a full-fledged partner.

He wanted to know how many claims I expected to put through by the process described, and I replied that I could not say, as it all depended upon circumstances. My idea was to run through a few at a time, so as to avoid arousing suspicion. Mays thought, however, that we should get at least twenty-four or more right away, but I objected to that on the ground that the officials of the Roseburg Land Office would become suspicious if called upon to issue so many final certificates all at once in a single township.

I then went down town and secured applicants who signed up two sets of papers for me, and mailed them, together with a check for $100, to Marie Ware at Eugene, and requested her to make the filings. I also gave a bunch to McKinley and asked him to have them signed and forwarded to Marie.

Several days later I received a letter from Marie, stating that she had filed the two applications sent up, and that Horace had left five sets of papers with her to be filed for me, and requesting that I send her the necessary fees. I thereupon inclosed her a check for $250, and requested her to make the filings, which was done. A week or so after this I sent her another bunch, but she wrote back that McKinley had instructed her not to make any more filings.

I met Horace on the streets of Portland a few days later, while he was en route to La Crosse, Wis., and asked him what objections he had to Marie filing the last bunch of homestead claims. He replied that he did not propose to permit her to file those entries for Mays and myself, unless he could be figured in on the deal. I then told Horace, as I had in the beginning, that he, too, could go in with Mays, the same as I had done, and that whatever they put through independent of me, I should claim no interest in. He urged that it was giving Mays too large a share, and proceeded on his journey without any definite understanding on the subject.

I sent Marie a check to cover the expense of filing the last bunch of papers forwarded her, and again requested her to file the same. Some days later, she returned them, together with my check, and said that, upon receipt of my letter, she had wired Horace at LaCrosse to know whether or not she should file the last bunch of entries, and that he had telegraphed a reply, directing her in positive terms not to do so. I thereupon telephoned her to come to Portland, which she did at once, registering at the Imperial Hotel.

Upon Marie's arrival, I called on Mays and told him that she was in town, at the same time explaining the circumstances of her coming, and he said he would have a personal interview with her. Mays then went up to the hotel and pleaded long and eloquently with her to recede from her position, informing Marie that there were but three days left in which to file the homestead claims, as the ninety days were about up in which settlers would have prior right to initiate title, so he insisted upon her putting them through without further delay, but without avail, as Marie positively declined to take a single step without the consent of McKinley.

Mays returned to the office and reported to me all that had occurred, at the same time advising that I call on her again and see if I could make any

Page 70