West Branch Times, West Branch, Iowa, Thursday, November 22, 1923
Transcribed by Sharon Elijah, July 25, 2018
GIN SENG LAND $80,000 AN ACRE
Witnesses Testify In Court That Small Timber Tract Is Worth Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars
Court proceedings for the appointment of a guardian for Dick Witte came to an end yesterday afternoon when at the conclusion of plaintiff’s testimony the court sustained a motion by the defense that the jury be directed to return a verdict for the defendant. The case had interesting features. During the trial witnesses testified that a small timber tract near Lowden, planted to gin seng, was worth $500 a square rod, or $80,000 an acre.
Dick Witte, the defendant, is an eighty year old bachelor who lives in a rude shack on a twenty acre timber tract south of Lowden. He is an expert in roots and herbs and practically all his life has been spent in trapping, and digging gin seng roots. For many years he spent part of his time tramping the woods of Illinois, Missouri and Arkansas, in search of gin seng. About twenty years ago he bought a twenty acre timber tract and started to cultivate the plant. Frank Smith, a nephew, testified that he had over one acre in old plants and that a fair value of this, based on what it produces, is $80,000 an acre; another tract of 3 ½ acres in four years old plants he estimated as worth $1 a square foot. The market price of the roots is now $9 to $16 a pound.
Last September the defendant deeded the tract to Edward Witte, a nephew, for “1 and other consideration”, at the same time turning over to him notes to the amount of $1950 and cash in bank of $650, all being placed in the custody of Cashier Reinking of the Lowden bank. Edward Witte, about the same time executed a contract to provide a home for his uncle as long as the latter lived, and also agreed to pay Forest Witte, another nephew, $2,000 at the death of Dick Witte. The disposition of his property led to the action of other relatives to have a guardian appointed, but the court held that the evidence as to unsoundness of mind was insufficient and did not allow the case to go to the jury. –Tipton Advertiser
