Page:Looters of the Public Domain.djvu/83

 at the same time collecting $575 in full payment of the contract price named therein. Lloyd also instructed Miss Ware that she might retain $50 for her trouble, and that she was to hand the balance, $525, over to McKinley when he called, and who, in turn, was to deliver the money to Mr. Simpson, for whom he was acting as agent.

"This deal," continued McKinley, "was comsummatedconsummated [sic] within a few days from the time it was first planned, and when the money was received by Marie and handed over, I divided up with Lloyd as per original agreement."

McKinley then went on to explain, as he appeared at this time to be anxious to reveal the whole truth, that his sole and only purpose in turning this first deal with Lloyd was to place the young man in a compromising position, as he believed that by having him acknowledge the signature of a fictitious person and attach his seal to a bogus deed, he might eventually force him to make settlement of the commissions due on the Marion county deal, under threat of exposure.

As to the three claims sold to Lloyd for $1500 and which, as hereinbefore stated, belonged to me, McKinley admitted, at the time of making this sale, that he was really hard pressed for money, and that, insomuch as Lloyd was indebted to him, he thought it would only be fair to secure the money through this source.

It will probably seem incredible that Lloyd, after entering into a conspiracy with McKinley to defraud Hobson out of $575 but a short time before, should allow McKinley to turn around and treat him in like kind; nevertheless, that is exactly what happened, and as McKinley said afterward in relating the circumstance to me, Lloyd looked like ready money, and as he was in urgent need of finances at that time, he decided to bump him to the tune of a thousand and a half, and had no difficulty in carrying his plans into execution.

I entered a vigorous protest against this sort of business, but McKinley—who was exceedingly easy going—declared that there was no danger of getting into trouble, as he calculated from the first to repay Hobson and secure a reconveyance from him. In the meantime, McKinley said, he was not afraid of Hobson causing any trouble, as he, too, had been mixed up in some fraudulent transactions in Lane County, McKinley claiming, to his certain knowledge, that Hobson had contracted with a number of people whom he had located on timber claims, agreeing to furnish them the money with which to make proofs, with the understanding that they were to deed the claims over to him as soon as final proofs were made.

As for the other three claims, those taken up under the names of William H. Watkins, Samuel L. Carson and James E. Warwick, and which he had sold to Clyde Lloyd, McKinley contended that I had no reason to complain, as Mrs. Watson had recorded these deeds fully a month before Lloyd had recorded his, and if the latter should discover that he had been bilked and should attempt to kick up a disturbance, he would take occasion to quiet him with the club he had so ingeniously prepared to hold over his head. He assured me further, even in the case of Lloyd, that he had no intention of beating him out of the money, and as soon as he could secure a settlement of the Marion county deal, the amount collected would be repaid him and a reconveyance of these claims would also be secured.

After listening to all McKinley had to say by way of explanation of his actions in the matter of disposing of my lands, I insisted that, insomuch as Mays was the owner of the Simpson claim, I wanted him to make settlement with Hobson forthwith, and to procure a deed from the latter to Mays. McKinley, although hard pressed for money, agreed to do as requested, provided that I would pay Hobson the $575 and charge the amount to his account, as against what might be coming to him in the "11-7" deal, which had not yet been closed up. This I consented to do.

Going to Mays' office, I explained the situation to him, as related by McKinley to me, at the same time advising him of my plan to get the tangle straightened out. I informed him, of course, that there was little danger of Page 77