Frontier
BUBeOBIPTION, >1.80 PEK ANNUM. D. H. CRONIN EDITOR ANO MANAGER.
H VOLUME XXII._O’NEILL, HOLT COUNTY. NEBRASKA, SEPTEMBER 26 190L NUMBER IS.
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The latest that has come to our
notice concerning the strategy board
that has control of the populist party
of Holt county is a charge on the
republican breastworks by the pop
ulist buccaneers in a ilank move
. ment that is being executed in which
iB they are tiring from masked bat
teries. The republican forces are
driving them from one kopje to an
^ other so fast that they have aband
oned all honorable tactics and rules
recognized in legitimate political
warefare. So desperate has the gang
of guerilla wariors)become at the pros
pects of defeat that they are resort
ing to every known method of tie
ception and downright falsehood.
There is being prepared and sent
out of theolfice of the land syndicate
in this city hundreds of letters
to the farmers in this county in
which it is purpored to show a com
parison of the taxes levied by what
they term the republican party in
this county and the tuxes levied by
the populist party. For the benefit
of those of our readers who may not
have received one of these letters
we publish below a fair sample of
the many that have come into our
possession. Here are the letters,
the originals of which are in our
■ possession and can be seen by any
Dody wanting to see them:
Official Headquarters
- Peoples' Independent Party
J. P. Mullen, Chairman.
O’Neill, Neb, Sept. 11, 1901.—J.
Humpel, Atkinson, Neb.—Dear Sir; In
the present county election we desire
to get before the people the truth in
regard to the amount of tax levied by
the republicans and the amount levied
by the populists. The last three years
that the republicans were in power in
Holt county were the years of 1891, 1892
and 1893. While the taxes levied for
this year, 1901, are not due uutil next
spring, still, wo have the tax books
made out so that we can tell vou the
amount of taxes levied this year and to
be paid next year.
You pay taxes on the southwest of
9-29-15. The republican party taxed
this land as follows:
In 1891.$30 32
In 1892. 19 38
In 1893. 17 54
Total Republican tax in three years $97.23
The peoples independent party has
taxed tbiB land as follows:
In 1899.*13 T9
In,1900. 10 51
In 1931. o on
Total populist tax In three years $31.28
Ion will see that this is a reduction
in three years of $35.96; It is an reduc
tion each year of $11.98. You can see
that this is a great saving to you as a
tax payer. We are now getting the
county debts that the republicans made
nearly all paid up; and, while doing
this, we liaie reduced the taxes. The
same old republican ring is making a
desperate battle this year to get back
into power so as to put the tax up again.
Tell all your neighbors about the way
we have reduced the taxes aud get them
to vote the peoples independent ticket.
Yours truly, J. p. Mullen,
_ Chairman.
Official Headquarters
Peoples’ Independent Party
J. P. Mullen, Chairman.
O’Neil!, Neb., Sept. 5, 1901.—William
Boklioff, Atkinson, Neb. — Dear Sir
The people’s independent party desire
to present the truth to the people in re
gard to the rate of taxation in this
county, during the republican govern
ment and uuder the populist govern
ment. Thelast three years of republican
government were the years 1891, 1892
and 1893, and we wish to compare the
taxation in these years with the three
last levies made by us. While the 1901
taxes is not due untill next May, still
the levies have been made and we are
able to give information as to the tax of
1991.
l°u °wn lots 3, and 4, block 3, in the
village of Atkinson. The republican
party taxed this property as follows:
ISiSS:::::-::.
ini8«3.,...777777;;;;;.;;;; ' b to
Total republican tax for three years $16.44
The populist party has taxed this
property as follows:
In :8!l9..
In 1900. 1.B6
In 1901. i,80
Total populist tax for three years $5.18
You will see if you figure it up that
the republican tax is just three tunes the
amount of the populist tax. We know
you to be a republican in national poli
ties but we know you to be a substantial
tax payer in this county. You know,
Mr. Bokhoff, that the republican party
today is controlled by the very same
men that levied these former high taxes.
In this county election can'; ou as a
good citizen be so blinded by party pre
judice as to vote against the interests of
yourself and your neighbors.
We invite your careful consideration
of the question of taxation and solicit
you support of our ticket.
Yours truly J. P. Mullen,
Chairman.
Official Headquarters
People's Independent Party
J. P. Mullen, Chairman.
O'Neill, Neb , Sept. 0, 1901.—Mr.
Janies Brown, Atkinson, Neb.—Dear
Sir: The people’s independent party
desire to present the truth to the people
in regard to the rate of taxation in this
county, during the republican govern
ment. The Iasi three years of repub
lican government were the years 1891,
1892 and 1893, and we wish to compare
the tfixation in these three years with
the last three levies made by us. While
the 1901 tax is not due until next May,
still the levies have been made and we
are able to give information as to the
tax of 1901.
You own lots 9 and 10, in block 7 in
the Village of Atkinson. The repub
lican party taxed this property as
follows:
In 1893. 14.98
Total Republican tax for three years *43.22
The populist party has taxed this pro
perty as follows:
Iu 1899.$9,74
Iu 19.0. if 74
In 1»U1. .. 8.(9)
Total populist tax for three years $28.14
This is a reduction in three years in
your tax of $15 08. It is an average of
$5 each year on this property. Lets us
leave well enough alone. A countv
government that produced these good
results is entitled to the reipect and con
fidence of every one of its citizens, and
on this good record we invite your
support. Yours truly.
J. P. Mullen,
Chairman.
It will be seen from the above
that the letters bear the name of J.
P. Mullen, chairman of the pepulist
county central committee. But as a
matter of fact they were written in
the ring leaders office and either sign
ed by him or some other member of
the land syndicate.To show the down
right attempted deception and de
liberate falsehoods contained in the
letters wo have but to call attention
to the fact that the
tax levying authority in the
county—the board of supervisors,
which has not been under republi
can control iu Holt county since
1891. Every board of supervisors
since 1891 the populists have been
in the majority, and they, and they
only have made whatever levies that
have been made for county purposes
against the taxable property of the
county. In their letters they seek
to make a comparison of the taxes
levied for the years 1891-’92-’93
with the years 1899, 1900-’Ol. The
former three years they designate as
“republican tax.” And the latter
three years under populist
tax Iu tho letter to Mr.
Bokholf the land syndicate says:
“You will see if you figure it up
that the republican tax is just three
times tho amount of the populist |
tax.” They insult the intelligence
of every man they send these letters
to, as everyone knows that the
amount of a man’s tax depends upon
two things. The first is the value
placed upon the property by the as
sessor and the second is the rate of
levy made by the board of super
visors, i.e., the number of mills or
cents charged by the board against
each dollar’s valuation as returned
by the assessors. From this it can
be clearly seen that the county sher
iff, clerk, judge, superintendent and
treasurer has no more to do with
fixing the assessed valuation of
property and making the levy than
has Aguinaldo in the far off Philip
pines. The assessed valuation of
each piece of property in the county
varies from year to year as in the
judgment of the assessor may ap
pear proper. It was the practice
of all the assessors during the years
1891-’92-’93 to assess property
higher than has been the custom the
past three or four years. To this
fact is due the difference in taxes
for the various years referred to in
the above letters. Neither the re
publican nor populist party can
claim any credit or be charged with
any blame for the valuation placed
upon property by the assessors. If
this were not true the republicans
could consistently claim credit for
the decrease in the taxes the past
few years on each piece of property
referred to, for in each instance
during tho years 1899, 1900 and
1901 the properties have been valued
by a republican assessor, while in
the former years in which the taxes
wore highest the valuations were in
most instances made by populist as
sessors.
The assessed valuation as made
by the assessor for the various years
on lots 3 and 4 in block 5 in Atkin
son, referred to in the letter to Mr.
Bokhoff, is as follows:
1891 .$78 11899. $24
1892 . 78 1900 20
1893 . 80 I 1901. 24
Lots 9 and 10, block 7, in Atkin
son, referred to in the letter to Mr
Brown, was valued by the assessor
as follows:
1801.$200 I 1899.$125
1892 . 200 | 1900. 125
1893 . 210| 1901. 125
The man who made these assess
ments for the years 1891 to 1893 in
clusive was Charles Potts, who does
not now live in Atkinson, and we do
not know what his politics was; it
matters not; suffice it to say that
the higher taxes for those years was
due to the higher assessed valuation
that he placed upon the property.
The men who havo assessed this
property at a lower figure, thereby
making the taxes correspondingly
less, are republicans, R. W. Tower
being assessor in 1899 and A. D.
Havens in 1900 and 1901. Under
the circumstances, would it not be
much mure consistent for the repub
lican party to claim the credit for
reducing the taxes in these instances
than it would be for the corrupt
strategy board to claim the credit
was due to the populist party?
The same explanation will apply
to the SW4 section 9, township 24,
range ID, referred to in the letter to
Mr. Humpal, who lives in Stuart
township. The assessed valuation
on his land for the years referred to
is as follows:
i»ui.*.w;i | lHity.$368
1892 . 388 1900. 248
189H. 342 | 1901. 246
Mr. Humpal lives iu school district
No. 143, which iu 1891 had a very
high school levy, made by the school
district officers, and the school tax
alone on this piece of land for 1891
amounted to $15.75, whereas in 1901
there is no school levy in district No.
143 and no school tax to pay, and as
a result of this, coupled with the
reduced assessed valuation of his
land, the taxes for this year are but
$0.43. Too gang that sent Mr.
Humpal the letter must have
thought him very verdant indeed if
they thought he would not see
through the shallowness of their
claims and the method in their
madness. The assessment of Mr.
Humpal’s property for the first three
years above referred to was made by
W. 13. James, a good populist living
in Stuart, and the last three assess
mentp were made by J. N. Hovey, a
good republican living in Stuart.
We do not refer to this to in any
way claim any particular credit for
the repul lican qarty for this differ
ance in the taxes by reason of asses
ment nor to speak disparagingly of
Mr. James or queston his honesty in
assessing the property at what he
believed it to be worth. It is done
for the purpose of showing up the
inconsistency of the claim made by
(Continued on page 3.)
fPopulist h
| Pirates^ |
The Frontier has many times had
occasion to refer to the tax lien fore
closure business that is being carried
on by the populist laud grabbers’
association, and while it is not with
in the scope of the present article to
enter exhaustively into the subject,
one phase of it will be treated at
present and others from time to
time, feeling convinced that when
the public understands the high
handed robbery which is being car
ried on in the name of reform the
combination of corruptionists will be
broken by the voters turning the
party out which fathers such out
rageous robberies.
In bringing foreclosure by tax lien
against non-resident land owners,
tbe law requires that notice shall be
given the parties interested in the
land by publication in some news
paper published in the county. It
is through these notices that the
leading lights of reform which dom
inate the Holt County Independent,
Atkinson Plain-Dealer, Ewing Advo
cate and the side show at Stuart
have been getting in their tine work.
The fee established by statute for
publishing these notices is $1 for
each ten lines or fractional part
thereof for the first publication and
fifty cents for each ten lines or
fractional part thereof each subse
quent publication. Tax lien notices
are required to be published for
four weeks. A notice which would
amount to $10 the first publication
would be $5 for the next, and so on
until completed, or $25 for the four
publications. The cost of publica
tion depends upon the number of
lines.
It is, then, understood that the
more lines the more money for the
publisher. And here is where the
pop papers of Holt county aloDg
with the county attorney have
worked the people out of about $10,
000. They have not only over-charged
from $2 to $-1 on a notice but the
notices are four times larger than
noed be. We reproduce from the
Holt C.-unty Independent of Octo
ber, 1890, a notice prepared by the
Harrington-Butler-Eves Laud Grab
bers’ association and along with it
the same notice boiled down to the
size it ought to be. The land grab
bers notice comes first:
Notice to non resident defendants.
The Commercial Investment
Company, a corporation, T. C. Can
non and Winuifred 11. Canuon, hie
wile, defendants, will take notice
that on the 12lh day of October.
1899, the County of Holt, plaintiff
heiein, filed its petiiion in the
District Court of Holt county, Ne
braska, against The Commercial In
vestment Company, a corporation,
T. C. Cannon, and Winnifred H.
Cannon, his wife, defendants, the
object and prayer of which are to
foreclose the tax liens hereinafter
described.
In its first cause of action stated
in said petition the plaintiff seeks
to foreclose a tax lien upon the
northeast quarter of the sontheast
quarter of section five (0) in town
snip thirty-one (31) north of range
(15) west of the Sixth principal mer
idian in Holt county, Nebraska;
that the taxes involved in said first
cause of action are the taxes that
were levied on said premises in the
year 1894: that there is now due
the plaintiff upon its tax lien the
sum of four dollars and ninety-oue
cents ($4 91) for which sum with in
terest from this date on three dol
lars and twenty-eight cents ($3.28),
thereof, at ten per cent, per
annum, the plaintiff prays for
a decree that defendants be
required to pay the same or that
said premises may be sold to sat
isfy the amount found due.
In its second oause of action
stated in said petition the plaintiff
seeks to foreclose a tax lien upon
the southeast quarter of the south
east quarter of section five (5) in
township thirty-one (31) north of
range fifteen (15) west of the Sixth
principal meridian in Holt county,
Nebraska; that the taxes involved
in said second cause of action are
the taxes that were levied on said
premises in the year 1894; that
there is now due the plaintiff
upon its lax lien the sum of four
dollars and ninety-one cents, ($4 91)
for which sum with interest from
[ this date on three dollars and
twenty-eight cents thereof, at ten
per cent, per annum, the plaintiff
prays for a decree that the defendants
be required to pay the same or that
said premises may be sold to satisfy
the amount found due.
In its third cause of action stated
in said petition the plaintiff seeks
to foreclose a tax lien upon the
east half of the southeast quarter
of section five (5) in township thirty
one (31) north of range fifteen
west of the Sixth principal
meridian in Holt county, Nebraska;
that the taxes involved in said
third cause of action ate the taxes
that were levied on said premises
in the years 1895, 1890 and 1897; that
there is now due the plaintiff upon
its tax lien the sum of twenty-six
dollars and twenty-four centB ($20 24)
for which sum with interest from
this date on twenty dollars and
forty cents ($20.40) thereof at
ten per cent, per annum, the plain
tiff prays for a decree that defen
dants be required to pay the same
or that said premises mav be sold
to satisfy the amount found due.
In its fourth cause of action stat
ed in said petition the plaintiff
seeks to foreclose a tax lien upon
the northeast quarter of the north
west quarter of section four (4) in
township thirty-one (31) north of
range fifteen (15) west of the Sixth
principal meridian in Holt county,
Nebraska; that the taxes inolvved
in said fourth cause of notion are
the taxes that were levied on said
premises in the year 1894; that
there is now due tne plaintiff upou
its tnx lien the sum of five dol
lars and fortv-Uve cents ($5.45) for
whioh sum with interest from this
date on three dollars and sixty
six cents ($3.(56) thereof, at ten
per cent, per annum, the plaintiff
prays for a decree that defendants
be required to pay the same or that
said premises may be sold to satis
fy the amount found due.
In its fifth cause of action stat
ed in said petition the plaintiff
seeks to foreclose a tax lien upon
the northwest quarter of the north
west quarter of section four in town
ship thirty-one north of range fif
teen west ot the Sixth principal mer
idian in Holt county, Nebraska;
that the taxes involved in said fifth
cause of action are the taxes that
were levied on said premises in the
year 1894; that there is now due
plaintiff upon its tax lien the sum
of five dollars and forty-five cents
($5.45) for which sum with interest
from this date on three dol
lars and sixty-six cents ($3 66)
thereof, at ten per cent, per annum,
the plaintiff prays for a decree that
defendants be required to pay the
same or that said premises may be
sold to satisfy the amount found
due.
In its sixth cause of action stated
in suid petition the plaintiff seeks
to foreclose a tax lien upon the
southwest quarter of the northwest
quarter of section four (4) in town
ship thirty-one (31) north of range
15 west of the Sixth principal mer
idian in Holt county Nebraska;
that the taxes involved in said
sixth canse of action are the taxes
that were levied on said premises
in the year 1894; that there is
now due the plaintiff upon its tax
lien the sum of five dollars and
forty-five cents ($5.45) for which sum
with interest from this date on
three dollars and sixty-six cents there
of at ten per cent, per annum, the
plaintiff prays for a decree that de
fendants be required to pay the
same or that said premises rn.ay be
sold to satisfy the amount found
due.
In its seventh cause of action
stated in said petition the plaintiff
seeks to foreclose a tax lien upon
the southeast quarter of the north
west quarter of section four (4) in
township thirty-one (81) north of
range fifteen [15J weBt of the
Sixth principal meridian in Holt
countv, Nebraska; that the taxes in
volved in said seventh cause of ac
tion are the taxes t(iat were levied
on said premises in the year 1894;
that there is now due the plaintiff
upon its tax lien the sum of five
dollars and forty-five cents, for
which sum wiih interest from this
date on three dollars and
sixty-six cents [$3.66] thereof, at
ten per cent, per annum, the plain
tiff prays for a decree that defend
ants be required to pay the same
or that said premises mny be sold
to satisfy the amount found due.
In its eight cause of action stated
in said petition the plaintiff seeks
to foreclose a tax lien upon the
northwest quarter of section
four (4) in township thirty-one (31)
north of range fifteen (15)
west of the Sixth principal
meridian in Holt county, Nebras
ska; that the taxes involved in said
eight cause of action are the taxes
that were levied on said premises
in the years 1895, 1896 and 1897;
that there is now due the plaintiff
upon its tax lien the sum of sev
enty dollars and thirtaen cents for
which sum with interest from this
date on fifty-five dollars and
ninety-seven cents ($55.97) there
of, at ten per cent, per an
num, the plaintiff prays for a de
cree that defendants be required to
pay the same or that said premises
may be sold to satisfy the amount
found due.
In its ninth cause of action
stated in said petition the plaintiff
seeks to foreclose a tax lien upon
the northwest quarter of the south
west quarter of section four (4) in
township thirty-one (31) north of
range fifteen (15) west
of the Sixth principal meri
dian in Holt county, Nebraska;
that the taxes involved in ninth
canee of action are the taxes that
were levied on said premises in
the year 1894, that there is now due
the plaintiff upon its tax lien the
sum of five dollars and forty
five cents ($5.45) for which
sum with interest from this date on
three dollars and sixty-six cents
($3.66) thereof, at ten per cent, per
annum, the plaintiff prays for a de
cree that defendants be required to
pay the same or that said prem
ises may ba sold to satisfy the
amount found due.
In its tenth cause of action stated
in said petition the plaintiff seeks to
foreclose a tax lien upon the south
west quarter of the southwest
quarter of seotion four (4) in
township thirty one (31) north
of range fifteen (15 west of
Sixth principal meridian in
Holt county, Nebraska; that the
taxes involved in said tenth cause
of action arc the taxes that
were levied on said premises
in the year 1894; that there
is now due plaintiff upon its
tax lien the sum of five dol
lars forty-five cents ($5.45) for which
sum with interest from this date on
three dollars and sixty-six cents
at ten per cent, per annum the
plaintiff prays for a decree that
defendstns be required to
pay the same or that said premises
may be sold to satisfy the amount
found due.
In its eleventh cause of action
stated in said petition the plaintiff
seeks to foreclose a tax lien upon
the west half of the southwest quar
ter of section four (4) in township
thirty-one (31) north of range fif
teen (15) west of the Sixth principal
meridian in Holt oonnty. Nebraska;
that the taxes involved in said
1 eleventh cause of aotion are the
taxes that were levied on said
premises in the years 1895-6-7; that
there is now due the plaintiff upon its
tax lien the sum of thirty-five dol
lars and thirty-seven cents ($35.37)
for which sum with interest from
this date on twenty-eight dollars
and two cents thereof, at ten per cent,
per annum, the plaintiff prays for
a decree that defendants be re
quired to pay the same or that said
premises mav be sold to satisfy the
amount found due.
You are required to answer said
petition on or before the 27th day of
November, 1899.
Dated this 12th day of October,
1899.
21-4 The County of Holt,
Plaintiff.
Compare the above with the fol
lowing:
LEGAL NOTICE *
Notice to Non-Resident Defendents.
The Commercialln vestment company,
a corporation, T. C. Cannon and Winni
fred H. Cannon bis wife, will take notice
that the plaintiff herein filed Its petition
in the district Court of Holt County,
Nebraska against you, the object and
prayer of its petition being to foreclose
its lein for taxes assessed and levied up
on the following described real estate
situated in Holt county,' Nebraska, to
wit: East half of southeast quarter of
section five and northwest quarter and
west half of southwest quarter of sec
tion four, all in township 31, range 15,
for the years 1894, 1895, 1896 and 1897,
which plaintiff alleges are due and un
paid, Plaintiff alleges that there is due
and payable by reason of the assessment
levy and non-payment of the taxes
against said land for said years as set
forth in its eleven causes of action
$174.26 with interest at 10 per cent
from this date.
Plaintiff prays tbat the defendants be
required to pay the same or that the
above described lands be sold to satisfy
the amounts found due.
You are required to answer said peti
tion on or before the 27th day of
November, 1901.
Dated October 12, 1901.
The County of Holt, Plaintiff.
The syndicate notice oontains
over 1,GOO words, the notice we have
prepared, 210 words. E. “ S. Eves
made affidavit io the publication of
the syndicate notice, for which he
charged $72. The notioe we have
prepared figures $10 for four in
sertions. Now The Frontier makes
this preposition: We agree to for
feit $25 if our notice is not a legal
notice in all respects and confers
jurisdiction on the court of the de
fendants, if the petition and affidavit
for service on non-residents are in
proper form. Why then was a $10
notice stretched to $72? W. R.
Butler, then county attorney, had a
contract with the publisher whereby
he (Butler) wa3 to have a rake off of
20 per cent on each notice. Twenty
per cent of the $72 notice gave him
$1440. Twenty per cent of the coat
of publication of the same notice
boiled down to the proper size
amounts to only two dollars;
it is probable an increase of twelve
dollars and ninety cents in his as
sets in this instance had something to
do with the elongating of this notioe.
But close examination shows that
Mr. Eves has done a little padding,
too. There are twenty-eight squares
—that is, ten lines twenty-eight
times — in his notice. For four
weeks this would amount to $70 in
stead of $72, the amount he oharged.
But perhaps these extra two dollars
(Continued on page 8.)