The Squatter in the Two-Story House
A landowner is fighting a legal battle to evict a tenant who allegedly obtained permission to pitch a tent on the property only to move into the main house.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Mary M. Burr and her husband, L. J. Burr, filed a suit in superior court claiming they are the owners of a fifteen-acre tract near Slaughter, where they built a two-story frame dwelling. They complain that Lou Eldridge is in possession and refuses to vacate, although he has no right to remain. His alleged method of getting in is unique. It is stated that on September 1, during the hop-picking season, he asked to be allowed to pitch a tent on the piece of land and to remain there until the season ended. His request was granted. The Burrs say they thought the leave was terminable at any time, and on September 15 they ordered him to leave. But he did not, and on October 1, he took possession of the dwelling house, which the Burrs allege he has since continued to occupy through threats of violence and display of weapons. The Burrs further allege that one prospective buyer was desirous of purchasing the land until he found out the state of things, when he backed out and refused to carry out his contract, to their damage in the sum of $500. A writ of restitution and damages are prayed for.
“His alleged method of getting in is unique. It is stated that... he asked to be allowed to pitch a tent on the piece of land and to remain there until the season ended.”
Squatter disputes and land-use conflicts remain a persistent, contentious issue in the Pacific Northwest, where the tension between property rights and housing access often plays out in local courts. The mention of 'Slaughter'—the town historically known by that name—is now Auburn, reflecting how even our geography has been renamed to better suit the times.
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