He found a fatal defect in the title of the land as on file in Bexar
Scrip No. 2692 and placed a new certificate upon the survey in his own
name.
The law was on his side.
Every sentiment of justice, of right, and humanity was against him.
The certificate by virtue of which the original survey had been made was
missing.
It was not be found in the file, and no memorandum or date on the
wrapper to show that it had ever been filed.
Under the law the land was vacant, unappropriated public domain, and
open to location.
The land was occupied by a widow and her only son, and she supposed her
title good.
The railroad had surveyed a new line through the property, and it had
doubled in value.
Sharp, the land agent, did not communicate with her in any way until he
had filed his papers, rushed his claim through the departments and into
the patent room for patenting.
Then he wrote her a letter, offering her the choice of buying from him
or vacating at once.
He received no reply.
One day he was looking through some files and came across the missing
certificate.
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