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About Bellevue gazette. (Bellevue City, N.T. [i.e. Neb.]) 1856-1858 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 3, 1857)
BELLEVUE GAZETTE. 1IKNHY M. News and Lor Hi mriiT, Kill (or. DCLLEVUE, N. T. THURSDAY, DEC. 3, 1957. lnrs. Whereupon, Mr. Trntiiluti pro ceeded to jump n claim owned by the Town Company of Jlellcvuc, and within the cor porate limits of said city. Said claim had a good houso upon it, and uliont i?0 ucros of breaking done,' nt the time Truin lull jumped tho sniuc. Judge Ferguson was one who acted ns a mediator between the Town Company and Trumbull, and Mr. Trumbull was paid two city lots, and $'J00 iii money, thereby Belling again his right to pre-empt. Tread lightly, Mr. Trumbull, w e have but just commenced. You agreed to nettle honorably, nnd have peace with the company; and in good faith for the pun huso money you got, nnd the money you had been paid, by said compa ny, for labor done, when money wus . ...... I., r . .. scarce. ton were now icuny iur jum regular business, and proceeded to jump KM) acres, that belonged lo n young man of this place, by the name? of Page, who hud taken n trip lo Iowa City, for a young w ife. Page hearing that bin claim had been jumped, wrote to tho writer of this article, that he. would not come buck t ) Nebraska, unless ho could get his claim. 1 1 in venerable father came on, and plead with you, for justice and his son's right. Did you pay that old man u single cent ? " Might makes right." again. DiJ you stop here, contented with 100 acres? No, sir; you reached out, breaking faith w ith the Bellevue Company, and took more land that they claimed. You did not stop nt this. You asked for 320 broad acres, and you made up the ballance, by taking the land and improvements of an old veteran Government Officer, who had (-pent his hard curnt gold, to improve it, as a future residence for his family. The nolle, dig nified, princely, courteous, and gentleman ly conduct, of this gentleman towards you, even after you had done wrong to him, should huve been a withering rebuke to your uct of injustice. Were you not, Mr. Trumbull, a w itness less than ten days ago, for one Charles Fish, to pre-empt one half of the 320 acres? and how much, if any thing did you pay for such proving up ? Did Fish cultivate, improve, and occupy said land, more than five days ? Did ho not cat his meals at an other house, during the timet Who fur nished Fish with lumber, to build his shanty 1 Again, have you not filed voi-a intention to prove upon the ballance? and that, too, after you hnd sold your right to pre-empt, twice, and for a inon eved consideration, all raid you? You, sir, live in a glass house. Your own per sonul safety, requires that you throw as few stones as possible, at your neighbor s bouse. From what wo know of you, we are free to say, that we believe that had you been iu the streets, where Christ stood, on one occasion, addressing a crowd, concerning the faults of n certain woman, whom the people were about lo stone, there certainly would have . been i store thrown in the direction of that un fortunate woman, and the history of that transaction, changed. We now come to speak lastly of the next liule great mau, in this most remarkable play, for Justice, Chapman, God and Lib erty. Win. K. Watson : is a brother of Eli P. Watson is the very graie adviser of his brother's best remedy, lo force Judge Ferguson to pay his brother's un just and unlawful demand. He is the organ grinder set lo tune by JJ. B. Chap man. He . pinches the tails of sundry small animals, and immediately thereafter thev soueal. to the satisfaction if the a grinder," and his presuming muster, Last spring, he ran for the office of Recorder of Sarpy Coanty, receiving the vote of F.!i P. Watson, his brother Charles E.'s voie, is voted for by Trum bull thinks ho got the vote of his hired man is modes and votes for himself in all, six votes. Sarpy County has live hun dred r iters. Chapman's paper says, to give rredit to Trumbull, that he was elected, last fall, county sup't of common Judge rrrgiiKou's I'rr-r.mpUoii. i JUDGE FERGUSON. His Pr-Xmption and hit Malignen. Wo feel satisfied that when the public have read, even the few affidavits, which we have room to publish, out of twenty three already made, show ing thai Judge Ferguson complied with the law, as an honorable man, in his pre-emption, they will see. as tho facts are, how much wrong, and how base and palpable an in jury, can be done a man, by three evil minded, ignorant, and wantonly unscrupu lous men, for the purpose of gratifying a petty revenge, that rankles in the breast of that class of small minds. Let the facts speak for themselves. Fifty, yes, ono hundred men, come up voluntarily, and wrier to make affidavits, to sustain the in tegrity of an honest and injured man. Read tho affidavits in to-day's paper, and iho subjoined facts, in connection with thrt history of his calumniators, then judge. Neither of the four persons w ho made af fidavits against Judge Ferguson's pre emption, cluim.or pretend to claim, in any way, that Judge Ferguson was not the sole owner of the land, he pre-empted, as a claim, and that, too, by every prin cipit of right. They, nor their friends, nor no one in the w ide world, claim said trad as agaiust said Ferguson. Why then, are these men, so much interested ? We will show. Eli P. Watson, the chief in swearing, of this beautiful trio, (for there is but three, Marshall W. Stoddard, having explained himself, as will be seen in to-day paper,) had a pretended claim agrinst Judge Ferguson, in amount less than one hundred dollars. He, Wauon, alleges that the Judge's boy, while play ing on the prairie, following a team of Judge Fergusons, ami his hired man, sometime over a year ago, the boy 1 set fire to the prairie, aiid Wo days .'and a half subscqueut, t ihe selling of such fire Eh P. Watson, had, as he alleges, some liay burned, by a prairio fire. If it was the fire set by the Judge's boy, that burn ed Watson's hay,;had not Watson a rem -edy in law ? Hut the truth is, we know three good and substantial witnesses, who say they will swear, that tho fire set by the' Judge's boy, was not the fire that burued Watson'a hay. Further, Watson had the pon'oum, and honesty, mi y noth ing about ihe impuience, to appproach Judge Ferguson, on the day of election, in which Ferguson was a candidate for Delegate to Congress, saying to the Judge that he had not voted yet, and asking the Judge to arrange the settlement of burn ing hay, in dispute ; and further remark ing, it wouJJ have something to do with his, Watson's, course, in the election. Judge Ferguson, (as every body who know him, knew, under the circumtdan-1 ces, ho would do,) kindly remarked to Mr. Wstson, that he might pursue such a course as he thought best, about voting, but he, (Judge Ferguson,) should not pay the unjust demand. Watson did vote for Ferguson's opponent, and did swear, we believe, that he did not err. Judge Fer guson reside on his claim. And as a guilty conscience needs no ac cusing, notice his swearing before a mnj istrate, while his knees are knockiug to gether, from fear, and for shame, know ing as he did, his veracity would le ques tioned, on this point, by honest men, he appeals to 1). 13. Chapman, for whom he voted, for Congress, and three great men uway oil" in Michigan, to sustain him for truth, and that, too, before any body had niiAtl tnnast t,Ja tirr.I . ........ . schou s. of Sorry Coimtv. Ihe Nobras- Anotner ot mis illustrious oano or i three, engaged in the conspiracy, to ma 1 gn the fair fame of Judge Ferguson, is one A. W. Trumbull, who had a little inis understandiug with Judge Ferguson, near ly two years ago. Trumbull came to this county, about three years ago; and very soon thereafter, on one Sunday morning, proceeded up the Flatte Valley, and took for himself a claim, that the sou of a wid ow woman, from Illinois, had purchased three days before, giving in payment a jrold watch. Mr. Trumbull being a man of large physical proportions, and seeing that the poor widow woman's son was physi cally small, and weak from consumption, with one foot in the grave, and the other . setting wpon, a portion of the beautiful soil ( of Nebraska, to make a home for his w id . owed mother; proposes that might, iusuch a case, would make right, and did hold iid claim, ftud sold the same to Col. John ' . Seatoo, for one hundred and fifty d-l- lb-low will hp found th lev.tnl affidavits relating to tho pre-emption case of Judge Funr Ferguson, our Delegate elect, to Congress. We invite a perusal of them, and we belive all will be convinced that there has either been some tall swearing, or else certain parties were laboring un der a great optical illusion. These affida vits aro made by individuals that are well known to bo men of unimpeachable ve racity. To those sure heath, that have at tempted lo break the Judge's pre-emption, we will say, that tho " end is nol yet," and " Lrry on McUvjJ'e t nnd damned be he ulto fir J crits hold ! enough William (Jarrsuorsr, being duly sworn, deposes and say. that he bos re sided in tho County of Sarpy, and Terri tory of Nebraska, since the month of April. A. D. ISoOj that ho commenced to work forjudge Fenner Ferguson, of said County and Territory aforesaid, by tho month, on or about the first of September, A. 1). 150, and continued so to work, for Subscribed ami sworn this the 'J.'M (lav of Noveml Witness it i v hand and seal SILAS A. STRICKLAND, Notary Public, in and for Sarpy County, Nebraska Territory. Andrew M. Pollock, being duly sworn, deposes and says, that he is the Treasurer of tho City of Ik llevue ; that he has lived and resided in what is known as ihe County of Sarpy, and Territory of Nebraska, since the fall of A. D. 1855; that he has been acquainted with Judge Fenner Ferguson, of the county of Sarpy, and Territory of Nebraska, since that time ; and that he knows the tract of land pre-empted, on the 0th day of July, A. D. I ls57, to wit: the North East qua ter of I Suction nine, (9) Township thirteen, (13) I North of Range thirteen, (13) East of the i prin' i pal meridian, lyimr in tho County J and Territory, aforesaid ; that he knows i of his own personal knowledge, that the said Juduo Fenner Ferguson, did, with j his family, occupy said land, os ubnve des cribed, the summer lust past; thut fie vis ited snid premises in person, in company with one lmrrmart Meyer, and his to before mo, 1 'I0" "P ,M present time, occupy w ith I he, of his own personal knowledge, knows or. A. D. 17. i '''.'';'' l-'""'t further that thill ,j10 .jj JVnner Ferguson, did in the ' , lie know .f fin own personal knnwled ire, tint ., , ', . of otl.ee. hus,f ,,,,, vers..,!..,, rr-ssi,!. ril.i, some. I s""'""-r of IS )7, live upon and improve son t I.fiiji". Afvrr!i Riimn timM in lha fol( rinrl Judge Fenner Ferguson, up to the lythj j,, A D anJ aw at lhnl lmi(.( day of August, A. D. JSo7; that he knows , snij jUlgtJ i:vuuvr Ferguson, and his well, of his own personal knowledge, the j f.,miy . U)J lht.y were rt.3jjjll? (, tail trad of land pre-empted by the said Judge pmm;(eSi Bl ,,e li,ne . Dnd Uns deponent Imim.t Ferguson, situated in Sarpy Coun- flin,1(.rs.iySillmt he k)mvs cf hiiJ mvn ly, INehraka territory, and clescribeu as n(.rsnil illowl(!J1,. il,at said Jude Fen kian lies under a miMake. Trumbull was elected Iwo years ago, sup't of Doug las County. For the same office, for this County, he received last spring, thirteen votes. It pains lis to show up, to the public gaze, in so unfavorable a light, any citi zen of Sarpy County, but ihey have per mitted their names, as the maligners of an honest man, to be paraded before the public, through the columns of a hireling sheet, aud duty and justice prompts us to detail these facts, that the admirers of this trio, may see what manner of men they are and in what estimation they are held by this community. To conclude, are not the above trio, just such kind of men, necessary for Ctnp man'f vile purposes, to carry on the kind of warfare, he (Chapman) is an adept in? He knows his tools and how to select them, and how to plan their dirty work. follows: being tho North East quarter of Section number nine, (11) in Township number thirteen, (13) north of mnge thirteen, (13) east; and this deponent says, that he knows of his own personal j knowledge, that said Judge Fenner Fer- j guson, did, sometime in tho month of; April, A.D. 1S.",7, build u comfortable: atnl substantial house as above described,! and immediately thereafter, to w it : in the month of April and May, nt the yeur next above written, plow lrom sixteen to seventeen acres ot land, or Hootit Unit; quantity of land, in amount nol less than sixteen ucres, all on the trad described above: and this deponent further says, that the land so plowed, was immediately, to wits in the month of May and June, A. I). 1837, planted to corn, sown to oats, and planted to potatoes, cabbages, beets, onions nnd other garden vegetables ; nnd the various crops Ds above described, were raised on said land; aud this deponent further says, that Judge Fenner Fergu son, with his own hands, a d th? help of this deponent, in the months of April and May, A. D. 1857, complete the fencing of eighteen acres of said land, as above described; nnd this deponent further says, that he knows of hi own personal knowl edge, that the said Judg-e Fenner Fergu son, with his wife and children, did live upon said land, as above described ; that their household furniture and goods, were moved on to the premises, and that the said Judge Fenner Ferguson, did reside with his family, upon the premises as above described, before and at the lime he pre-empted said land, to wit: on the 0th day of July, A. 1). 1S-37, and that he, Judge Feimer Fergus-jn, nnd his family, did live in the house above mentioned, on siid trad of land, which houso said Judge Fenner Ferguson, with his own hands, and the help of this deponent, built; and this deponent furtuer suys, that he was the witness for Judge Fennor- rerguson, in proving up his right to pre-empt said land, and all the facts set forth by Judge Fen ner Ferguson, at that time, in his affida vit, (and this deponent, as the witness,)are true ; and f his deponent 'further says that he knows-one Eli P.Watson, living in the County aforesaid and Territory afore said, and thut he knows that said hli P. Watson held a personal animosity ngninst Judge Fenner Ferguson; and this depo nent says he telieves that said Kit P Watson, in making an adiduvit, as he has le en credibly informed, lhai he did make nn affidavit, against the pre-emption of Judge tenner ierguson, was prompted by malice; und made said affidavit for the purpose of preiudicinir the claims of Judge Fenner Ferguson, to his seat in the present Congress, as a Delegate from this territory. Attest. WM. GREENHOUSE R. S. McEwr.s. Suultscrihcd, nnd sworn to, more me this the i!3d day of November, A. D. !So7. ltness my hand and seal of ofuce. SILAS A. STRICKLAND, Notary public, in and for Sarpy County Nebraska Territory. Thomas Ik Lemon, being duly sworn depo.-es nod says, tha the has lived in Sarpy 'County, Nebraska Territory, since the 15th day of Mav, A D. 1S7; that he is well acquainted with Judge Fenner Fer guson of this County ; that he has seen lime without number, Judge Fenner Fer guson, going in llie direction of his claim with a team, nnd implements of husband ry, and that on the last of June, or the first of July, 1N7, be saw Judge Fen ner Ferguson, and his family, packing up his household goods, and was informed by Judge Fenner Ferguson, and his wife, ul that time, that they were moving to their claim ; and this deponent further says that on the same day above mentioned, in which he saw the Judge and his family packing up his goods, tie saw Judge i en tier Ferguson, with a load of household goods, and his family, going in the direc lion ot the Judge s claim ; ana inn depo nent tunner says, he knew mat said Judge Fenner Ferguson', was at dint time absent with his family, from Hellevue about one week ; and this deponent te lieves, from may reasons, that said Fer guson and his fsmily, were , residing upon their claim. Ibis deponent further says that at the time, he was boarding at llie Bentou House, iu Hellevue, with his fam ily, and thai said ' House was kept by firm known as Stoddard & Cotl'man. THOMAS 11. LEMON. Hum in tli sproi; or A. p. ts.,7, trri t a liwrlliri)' liou'c, uixm the tract of laud tle-s. scril'fcl, above. As pre-cmptrd by .fud Fm nrr Fimc'i0'1? n'' ",at said J'mige Femur 1'rrgiison, did, with his family, live upon and occupy said premises, ss above ilejcnbcil. in tli saininrr season, I ant pt, A. 1). IKj7 and tbia deponent futher states, that he knows that said Jiilp Fenner FtrRtnon, did the ut season past, to wit: the summer of 13.Y7, cul tivate, fence, and raise a crop, or crops, upon said prrtniHea, above deacribetl and this depo nent further gays, that he has been informed, that one l'.li I. Watson, had made oath, that said Judge Fenner Ferguson, had never resid ed upon, or cultivated, the tract of land, de scribed above, as pre-empted by him, Judge Fenner Ferguson; and this deponent further states, that he believes that snrh oath or state ment, if iniiJe by Raid Watson, was made wiili the malicious ami willful intent, to prej udice Jndje Fenner Ferguson's claim to his seat in Congress, as delegate from this territory- as well as to the great damage of said Judge Fenner Ferguson's reputation, and just ri'-liU, in the premises. BERNIIARD MEYER. Subscribed and sworn to, before me, this 3tUh day of November, A. D. 1K57; witness my hand and seal of office. SILAS A. STRICKLAND. I Notary Public in and for Sarpv County, Ne ( braska Territory. Louis Meter, being duly sworn, deposes and nays, that he has heard the forrgniiig ati iilavit.of Uernhard Meyer's read, and that he is a son of the deponent, above descibed, and that he knows, of his own personal Knowledge tli.it the matters and tacts, set forth, in said tier FiTgu-Hin, did, during the Miring nnd ffidavit, nre all true; and the deponent fuith 0 1 13 3 1 1 1 1 1 a. V.. I.n ..mi-ill Munuier of the present year, to wit : A. I). 1K37, cultivate, fence, nnd otherwise improve said premiees ns above derscribed. ANDREW M. POLLOCK. Subscribed nnd sworn lo before me this the IlOth day of November, A I). 1S-37. Witness my hand and seal of office. SILAS A. STRICKLAND, Notary Public, in nnd for Sarpy County, Nebraska Territory. Lemuel Iklden, being duly sworn, de poses and sa s, that he has resided in what is nr iv known us Sarpy County, Nebraska Territory, since September, A. D. 1S.1G ; that he is well ncquuinted with Judge Fen ner Ferguson, and has been since that time ; that he is well acquainted with the tract of laud, lo wit : ihe North East quarter of Section nine, (9) Township thirteen, (13) North of Kange ihirteeu, (10) iAist ot the principal meridian, pre empted by Judge Fenner Ferguson, on the MXth duy of July, A. D. 1S37 ; that 10 knows of his own personal knowledge, inl said Judge 1 cnnerl-erguson, did cul tivate, occupy, improve by fencing and oth erwise, the trad of, lend nbwe described, le last summer past, to wit ; the summer of A. D. 1857, and this deponent further stntes, he saw.Judge Fenner Ferguson al the time he moved his household goods, nnd family, on to said land, sometime in the fore pnrt of the last summer, to wit: . D. 1507, ihat he was a loa der nt the Henton House, in LVllevue, ut the time, which house was kept by a firm known as Colfmnn & Stodurd ; that ho has heard that one Eli 1 .Watson, had made an affi davit to the effect that Judge Fenner Fer guson, hnd never lived upon, or c iltiviited said land, above described; and that he eiily believes, that taid affidavit was made by said Eli P. Watson, if made at all by him, for ihe purpose of prejudicing the claims of Judge Fenner Ferguson, to ns seat m Congress, us a Delegate from this Territory, and for this purpose only. L KM I EL. liELULK. Subscribed und sworn to, before me, n Notary Public, in and for Sarpy Coun- py. u I'ness my hand and seal of office, this the 30:h day of November, A. D. 1S.T7. SILAS A. STRICKLAND, Notary Public, in nnd for Sarpy County, Nebraska Territory. ' Wiluam Wu.kv, being duly sworn, de poses sna says, tiiat lie is now me county Freasurer of harpy county, INehraika lerri- torv. That he lias resided m what is now known as Sarpv roontv, Nebraska territory, since the fall of A. 1). 1S.")4; that lie has known well, and intimately, Judge Fenner Ferguson, since that time; that he is well ac quainted with the tract of land, to wit: the north east quarter of section nine f, town- sum thirteen U, norm or range uiirieen D, east of the principal meridian, pre-empted bv Judge Fenner Ferguson, July the rtth, A. I. 157; that he, Wilev, did sometime in he month of August, A. 1). 18.V7; pre-empt the south west quarter of the earn section, pre-empted by Judge Fanner Ferguson; that lie, Wiley, resided upon the said quarter sec tion, wlurli lie pre-empted, In a dwelling house of his own, and cultivated and raised a crop on lite s:iiue. to wit: t'ue last summer, past; and that from the above favorable ccr rumstanees for personal observation, he states, that he knows, of bis own personal know ledge, that said Judge Fenner Ferguson, did w ith his ows hands and the help of o.hers, erect sometime in the spring of A. V. I-) a dwelling ho ixe, on the north east quarter of section nine '., township thirteen 13J. north of range thirteen 1 1J 1, east, ami Hint aid Judge Fenner Ferguson, did occupv, cul tivate, fence, and raise a crop on said land, above described, the last season past, to wit; the summer or A. V. 107. WILLIAM WILEY. Attest. In presence of ) S. A. Struklano. $ Subscribed and sworn to before mt this thitieth day of November, A. D. 157; wit ness uiy hand and seal of orne. ILA3 A. STRICKLAND. C Notary Public io and for Sarpy County, Ne- f barska jerruory. Br.axii4D Mrves. being dnlv sworn, de noses and says, that he has resided with his family on the north-west qtuirter of section sixteen 116, township thirteen 13, north of ranpe thirteen 13, east; in Sarpy countv, Nebraska Territory, since March, A. D. l"5ft; that he hat known intimately, since that time, Judge Fenner Ferguson, of said ounty, and territory; that be knows well the tract of land prs-empled bv Judge Fenner Ferguson, Julv 6th, A.P. 18f7, to wit: the north-esst quarter of sec nop sins W, township thirteen HJ, norm of range thirteen 13, cast of the principal meridian; that said tract of laud, pre-empted bv Judge tenner Ferguson, as stated and de scribed above, is by section lines, exsctlv one hstf a mile from this deponent's land. describ ed above, which this deponant pre-emnld at 1 ihe land ofnc, at Omaha City, the 14'h day, j of July, A. ti. I?J": and upon which land I this deponent, since Msrch, A. T. l.Vi, h. er slates, that he has been, in person, many times upon the premises, described in the afli davit, of liernliard Meyers, as those pre-empted by Judge Fenner Ferguson, the summer last past, and that he knows Judge Fenner Fergu son, with his family, consisting of -his wife nnd three children, andhimielf, were residing upon the premises as described above, and tins deponent says, that he is in his twenty-s-eond vear. and has lived with his father, since he has lived in Sarpy county, Nebraska Terrilory. LOUIS MEYF.K. Subscribed and sworn to. before me, this HOlli day of November, A. D. 1S.)7; witness my hand and seal of office. SILAS A. STRICKLAND. t Notary Public In and 2 for Sarpv County, Ne ( braska Terrritory. Silas A. Strickland, being duly sworn, deposes and suys, that he was a member of the last Legislature, and i3 a member of the present Legislature, of the Territory of Nebraska, ns a repre sentative lrom rarpy County, inatne has been a resident of what is known as Sarpy County, in said Territory, since the fall of A.D. IH.U. That he has known Judge Fenner Ferguson, since that time. That he knows the traot of land pre-empted by the said Judge Fenner Ferguson, on iho 6th day of July, A. D. 1857, to wit : the N. E. quarter of Section nine, Township thirteen, north of Range thir teen, east of the 6th principal meridian, situated in Sarpy County, Nebraska Ter ritory. That he knows of his own per sonal knowledge, that said Judge Fenner Ferguson, did occupy by living on the premises, above described, with his fami ly, the last summer past, to wit: A.D. 1S37. That the said Judge Fenner Fer gu.-on, cmtivmeti ny raiding several vari ous kinds of crops upon said premises, de scribed above, the last season past. That the aid Judge Fenner Ferguson, raided, cultivated and gathered, or caused to be gathered, said crops; and this deponent further says, that he is well acquainted with the laws of the United States, and their provisions relating to the right of nre-emntions, and he knows of his own rersonnl knowledge, that Judije Fenner -IS t ereuson, did honorably comply witn the spirit of the law, and was thereby justly untied to the nodit ot pre-empting the said described tract of land; and this do ponent further savs, that he personally knew that judge ien.iu.-r iergusoH, rid not leave a residence which he had a title in the territory, for the puriiose ot pre empting the said described truct of land ; and iunher, this deponent verily belives that the . only land in this territory, to which the said Judge Fenner Ferguson has right by title, 111 the said tract pre empted as above named, to wit : on the 6th day of July, A.D. 18.57; and this de ponent further says, that he knows well, one L.I1 1'. ivatson; also, one A. i. Trumbull, who, he has been credibly in formed, had made affidavit, to ihe eilect, that Judge Femier Ferguson, hud not complied with the law, in such cases made and provided, in pre-empting the tract above described, und that he verily be lieves, that if said aflidavits were so made, by tho persons above named, they were made lor the purpose of prejudicing the claim of ihe said Judge Fenner Fergu son, to his scut in Congress as the Delgute from litis territory, und for the further purpose of gratifying a personal revenge, by reason of a personal difliculty, which this deponent knows to have existed for a long time, and by reason thereof, the said parties opposed the election of the said Judge Fenner Ferguson, in August last, as they frequently expressed themselves to this deponent. Further, this deponent siiith not. SILAS A. STRICKLAND. Subscribed and sworn to, before me, this 30th day of November, A. D. 1857. NVitness my hand and seal of office, T. JJ. LEMON, Notary public, in and for Sarpy County, Nebraska Territory. lid trad of land, by plowing, fencing. and planting dill'erent kinds of vegetables, and raised, and gathered, and garnered, the snuio ; and this deponent further says, that he, of his own personal knowledge, knows that tho said Fenner Ferguson, did not leave a residence to which he had a title, for the purpose of pre-empting the said above described tract of land. A. C. STRICKLAND. Subscribed and sworn to, before me, this the .10th day of November, A.D. 1957. Witness my hand und seal of office, T. II. LEMON, Notary Public, in and for Sarpy County, Nebraska Territory. Marshall W. Stoddard, being du ly sworn, deposes and snys, that he was for the Inst summer past, one of the firm of Cofl'man & Stoddard, proprietors of the Ilenton House, in Hellevue, Sarpy Coun ty, Nebraska Territory, that one Eli P. VVntsjn, presented to him sometime in the nieiith of September, last, an affidavit written, by whom, he does not know. That said affidavit was general, and that he signed it, and that he makes this affi davit, for the purpose of explaining said affidavit ; that he lived as he had stated, a few rods from the place formerly occu pied by Judge Fenner Ferguson, some time before he pre-empted his claim; that said Judge Fenner Ferguson might have cultivated, occupied, nnd improved the claim he pre-empted, and this depon ent not hnve known it, as this deponent's business occupied all his attention about his own premises. MARSHALL W. STODDARD. Subscribed and sworn to, before me, this ihe second day of December, 187. Witness my hand and seal of office, SILAS A. STRICKLAND. Notary Public, in and for Sarpy County, Nebraska Territory. Washington, Nov 13. 1857. Despatches were received by the Stale Department to day from Chief Justice Echols, of . Utah, dated at " Camp on Sweet Water, twenty one miles east of South Pass, October 13, 1857." Judge Echols.says: "An express has just arrived from Green River, and reports that on the night of Oct. 5, a train of twenty six wagons was captured by the Mormons, twenty live miles from the Pacific Spring. At the same time two oilier trains were taken near Green River in all seventy eight wagons and loading. The Mormons said they had seven hundred men there, and fifteen hundred more al Salt Lake City. , " Col. Alexander is encamped on Ham Fort, thirty miles in advance of the front train, which is destroyed, lie sent lapt. Many with four hundred men back to Green River, to enable the teamsters to collect their cattle. The Mormons killed no one, for the reason thut no resistance was made. " Cot. Smith will collect the trains on this side and escort them forward. One train is now before us and two behind. We are in good spirits, and that is a great help to all. The Mormons will likely at tack us in a day or two and may rue their impudence. We have forty seven men in this command, but Col. Smith is a host within himself. We have determined, if attacked, to use the rifles in the lines. We shall most likely take the route on Bear River for Salt Luke City. The want of forage for our mules is the great est hindrance, but we will go on if we have lo walk and carry our provisions." The above despatch, showing the first overt act of Mormon treason, was imme dirtely laid before the President of the United Slates, who summoned the mem-, bers of the Cabinet for consultation upon its contents. The intelligence was considered iu Cabinet meeting in the afternoon, but no definite action determined on. The Sec retary of War thinks it would be hopeless to attempt to send reinforcements or sup plies so late in ihe season as this. Des patches are anxiously looked for from Col. Johnson, who is incotmrand of the army for Utah. A. C. Stbicklawd, of the city of Bellevue, Sarpy County, Nebraska Terri tory, being duly sworn, deposes and says, that he has been a resident of said ci'y and county, since the eleventh day of August, A. D. 1856. ' That he has known Judge Fenner Ferguson, intimately, since thut time. , That he knows the tract of land, pre-empted by tha taid Judge Femier Ferguson, on tho 6th day of July, A. D. 19-37, to wit: the N. E quarter of section nine. Township thirteen, north of range thirteen, east of the 6th principal merid ian ; nnd tbi- drpoio-nt fuither snys, that The BtLLtvuE Gazette. We have received several numbers of the above paper, from which we learn that its Newt and Local department, is under the edito rial management of Henry M. Kurt, a young Printer from New England, who was in the Journal Office for a couple of months brfore going to Nebraska. Mr.. Purl is one among the many young men who have left their New England Homes to make one for themselves in this glori ous western country. We are pleased to see Mr. Hurt, thus prosperous in his pro fession, and wUh him success in his pres ent undertaking all but the bogus demoe racy! and so far as this is concerned, we hope he will inculcate wherever and whenever he can, the only true principles of our beloved country, freedom and the rights of humanity. "We annex Aij Platform. Bttoxi ( Ww.) Journul. Bellevue G a sett b. From the far Terrilory of Nebraska, comes a good looking paper, with the above title, edited by Henry M. Bun. Judging from the advertisements, &.C., Bellevue is a lively and flourishing place, with hosts of law yers, doctors, merchants, &c. May suc cess attend this new paper, and may it advocate the true democratic doctrine of equal rights to all of every race, color and clime. CAif opes (Mass.) journal. fj Those who visit Jthe national collection of curiosities over the Patent Office in Washington City, w ill find in one of the esses, duly labeled, a piece of leather said to be tanned from the skin of a negro iu Georgetown, D. C.