Show TESTIMONY TAKEN IN I 1 LAND FRAUD CASE mcelroy said he did work for comstock building houses and land within spade ranch Oi onitha nalia nov 28 testimony was introduced today at the trial of bartlett richards and W G comstock of the nebraska land and feeding company tor for alleged land frauds to show that at tho the time the kinwald law went wens into effect richards looked after filings by people frendly to tile the company at the alliance land office while comstock was similarly engaged in tho the valentine district the first witness today was william mcelroy I 1 gordon neb who S sold old I 1 1 I did some work for comstock in 1904 this work was bul building iding houses on landd within the spade ranch tho the contract called jor for building houses 12 by 14 at 65 por houze house I 1 built about fifteen of these houses I 1 paid for everything except the freight on the lumber I 1 was told to build them where I 1 found the lumber piles on various verious sections of the ranch I 1 was paid pahl by check on the bank for the work the check was sent to the bank ot of grdon gordon the houses were built of sides aides single roof one ona door and one half window prior to june julie 28 1904 1 had bad talked with comstock stock about abou filing tAlling on oil lands and I 1 said I 1 wold try it he wanted to know it I 1 had a few friends who would like to file and I 1 said I 1 could get a tow few but they did not nave any money lie he sald said ho he would let them have the mon money ey to file A party of seven or eight of us went to valentine to fil file e to te expenses were paid by comstock I 1 made an accounting to him for these theao expenses tor for railroad fare and board and sent him the bill and it was palo paid through a checkon check on tho the bank sent to me mcelroy said comstock fumi furnished shed the money to pay for the filing lie ho made and took his note tor for 40 this note the witness said has never been presented for payment he said he had never done any plowing or other cultivation on the land or made any improvements other than the of a building john F oneill of gordon clyde R beckwith of valentine charles T savage an employed of the spade ranch owned by the nebraska land and feeding company and G W campbell of gordon told of making filings under the kinkaid law at the solicitation of mcelroy Ic Elroy their testimony was much alike comstock was said to have furnished the necessary funds funda to pay all filing charges and took notes for the various amounts and these notes have bave never been presented for payment none of the men ever made any improvements on the I 1 lands a ads filed on |