Prosser v. Finn

Citations

• 41 Wash. 604
• 84 P. 404
• 1906 Wash. LEXIS 1018

Syllabus

<p>Public Lands — Entry — Who May Make — Employee in Land Office. Under U. S. Rev. Stat., § 452, a special timber agent appointed by the general land office is prohibited from making an entry on public lands, and his entry of lands under the timber culture act is void.</p> <p>Same — Contest — Decision of Land Department — When Conclusive — Redress in Courts. A ruling of the land department upon the cancellation of a public land entry is conclusive where no rights have been denied the applicant, and no error has been committed in deciding upon the legal rights involved.</p> <p>Same — Illegal Entry — Improvements — Subsequent Entryman Trustee. One who files on public land after the termination of a contest in the land department resulting in the cancellation of an earlier entry by another, is not a trustee of the title for such unsuccessful applicant, by reason of knowledge of his improvements on the lands, where such improvements were made with no legal claim to the land.</p>