Rolling Stones Page: 216

Copy of a land Grant file for land issued to the Houston & Texas Central Railway Company in the Bexar Land District. Includes a folder jacket with table of contents and notes about the land grant (filed July 12, 1928); field notes by M.J. Doyle, Deputy Surveyor, Bexar Land District for Section 21 Block 20 (January 13, 1873); the affidavit of ownership of S.N. Allen (July 12, 1928); and a note by Land Commissioner J.H. Walker indicating that the file has no relation to the O. Henry story of the same name (December 4, 1933). O. Henry’s story tells the tale of a Railroad baron taking a poor homesteader’s land by stealing this file. Walker notes that although the file was missing for a period, due to office procedures the land fraud could not have occurred.

Relationship to this item: (References)

Short story about a doctor who leads a double-life as a burglar.

Short story set in New York.

Short story about holding up a train. A preface by O. Henry says "The man who told me these things was for several years an outlaw in the Southwest...I give the story in almost exactly his own words."

Short story set in South America.

Short story about two old friends meeting in New York.

Short story about the character Jeff Peters.

Short story set in Texas.