A Rabbi Died on the Road to Washington, Still Fighting for His Maury Island Homestead

M. Eisbert, the Jewish rabbi, who left this city two weeks ago for Washington City to apply to President Cleveland or to the Secretary of the Interior to have his wrongs in relation to land rights on Maury Island redressed, died yesterday afternoon at 3:25 o'clock at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Finkelstein, 107 Main street, Helena, Mont. A telegram received last evening said that the remains would be buried there, but an effort will be made to bring the body here, where the greater number of his children live. It is supposed that worry and anxiety over the land litigation broke him down and caused his death.

He was born in Galitzia, Austria, fifty-five years ago, and was educated as a Jewish rabbi. He had several congregations in the old country before coming to this country in about 1879. He first lived in Omaha, Neb., where he was rabbi of a large Jewish congregation. He lived there until the latter part of March, 1883, when he moved with his family to Seattle. He lived about a year in the city, when he decided to retire from service to his congregation and make his living farming. He chose a tract of land on Maury Island, King county, and filed a pre-emption, which he changed in the following year to a homestead. When he offered final proof in 1890, C. H. Davis, the present postmaster and lighthouse keeper, filed a protest, claiming that Eisbert's family had not lived on the land until October, 1883. The local land office decided the contest in favor of Eisbert, upon which an appeal was taken to the general land office. The land commissioner reversed the local office, after which Eisbert appealed to the secretary of the interior. The secretary affirmed the decision of the general land office and subsequently denied a motion for a review.

Then Eisbert got up a petition signed by 860 well known people of the state asking for a rehearing. This was forwarded to Washington City, and is now on file there.

Two weeks ago Eisbert started for Washington City with letters of introduction to President Cleveland and Secretary of the Interior Smith concerning the justice of his claims. Eisbert said he simply wanted justice. Before he left Seattle he was feeling unwell and on arriving at Helena stopped off to visit his daughter and to avoid traveling on Saturday, which is contrary to the laws of the Jewish religion. His health failed rapidly and his death was announced yesterday afternoon by wire.

He leaves a wife and six children, three of whom are living on the land now in litigation. He was practically destitute, as he spent about $4,000 in improving the property which he has lost by the decision of the general land office.

Eisbert was a well educated man and a great Hebrew scholar. He has many friends in this city, Tacoma and Olympia.