engaged in dealing in school land base. Throughout 1893-4, W. N. Jones, Rader and Clerk Davis were in cahoots, while McCornack and D'Arcy operated together. I preferred to go it alone. The Jones-Rader-Davis combination tried to hog the game, and in consequence, frequent disputes were aired before the School Land Board, which had the effect of often causing that body to shut down on all of us. Their action in this respect would last for a few months, when we would patch the matter up with some scheme or other, and affairs would run along smoothly for a while until there was another row in camp, when there would be a repetition of the quarantine process.
Pending one of these wrangles, in which Governor Pennoyer had refused absolutely to recede from the ruling of the Land Board, I resolved to overcome his stubbornness by resorting to some clever subterfuge, and the scheme worked like a charm. Realizing that the Governor, while exceedingly firm in his convictions, and austere in manner, was a man of deep sympathies, I concluded that the best way to secure his favorable action was by playing upon this chord of his nature rather than attempt to appeal to the cold equities of the case. He was in a position to waive aside all consideration of equity, and interpret the regulations of the Land Board pretty much as he saw fit, but when it came to a question of sentiment, I knew that the rugged old fellow had a soft spot in his heart that might be touched by some shaft of pathos.
Actuated by this instinct, I sought the North End precincts of Portland, and was fortunate in securing the co-operation of a cheap variety actor, who entered heartily into the scheme. Arraying this individual in an old dilapidated pair of overalls and ragged jumper, with a straw hat that had seen better days, and everything else to correspond, by the aid of some lamp black and other stage-like processes, I soon had him in shape to carry my plans into execution. Equipped with dinner pail and a look of the utmost despair and abject misery, and bearing the appearance of a typical woodchopper, my actor friend stationed himself at the foot of Montgomery street, near the Governor's sawmill, and calmly awaited developments. It was the custom of Governor Pennoyer to devote considerable attention to his lumbering interests whenever he was away from the seat of State government in Salem, and upon such occasion was in the habit of remaining at his sawmill until about 5 o'clock when he would proceed homeward.
In a voice husky with well-feigned emotion, and with tears taking their pathetic course down his weatherbeaten countenance, the pseudo woodchopper upon intercepting the Governor, proceeded to unfold a tale that would have moved a graven image.
"Behold in me a victim of bitter fate!" he pleaded. "I am the owner of an humble homestead claim in a heavily-timbered tract that has appealed to the covetous eyes of the merciless landgrabber. See before you the father of nine motherless children, weeping out in the woods all alone for their devoted father, of whose tender care they are bereft in order that the immutable laws of a great government might be satisfied. By the force of cruel circumstances, I am obliged to remain away from them weeks at a time in order to earn my daily bread and keep the hungry wolf from the lonely doors of my loved ones. I am told that all this can be overcome through your Excellency, and that by relinquishing my homestead filing, I shall be permitted to make a State lieu selection of the tract, and thus avoid the necessity of compliance with the harsh measures incident to residence thereon."
Evidently Governor Pennoyer was touched deeply by this pathetic appeal, as after listening to the assumed woodchopper's harrowing tale of woe, he patted him sympathetically upon the shoulder and assured him that he would do all in his power to relieve conditions. As a matter of fact, the land in question was still vacant, unappropriated land belonging to the Government, but as soon as I ascertained that the Governor was disposed to make exception to the strict ruling of the State Land Board in this particular case, I lost no time in taking the alleged woodchopper to the Oregon City Land Office and having him makePage 327
