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A. I don't know whether the land was cheap or not. 



Q. I didn't ask that question. 



A. The statement you made was : " Didn't you know this man Peck 

 wanted the money, and was desirous of selling the land cheap for the 

 purpose of obtaining money,'' and my answer is that I don't know 

 that they are cheap. 



Q. Cheap in his estimation; he made the offer to raise the ready 

 money, and I ask if you didn't think he would sell to someone else, 

 and your explanation is that you were too busy to attend to it ? 



A. We were at that time. 



Q. Do you expect in the future to have more time and opportunity 

 to follow this matter up than now, ? 



A. Yes, sir; we expect our employes will have more time than they 

 have had. , 



Q. Having the right to have as many employes as you deem neces- 

 sary, what explanation can you make for not appointing special agents 

 to go and examine the land at the expense of the State and close up 

 the bargain; you have full power to appoint all the agents you want, 

 and what explanation have you for not employing special agents to 

 go and examine the land ? 



A. I don't understand we had the right to employ all the agents we 

 wanted. , 



Q. Does not the act say you may ? 



A. Yes, sir; but the Legislature limited us. 



Q. When was that ? 



A. Tn the appropriation bill. 



Q. That is, they appropriated so much ? 



A. That was a practical limitation to us. 



Q. What was to hinder you from employing a special agent, when 

 you were charged with the special duty to buy lands; you looked to 

 the purchase of land to enlarge your park, and the opportunity to pur- 

 chase; charged with this special duty, why didn't you appoint a 

 special agent to examine the land to see if it was worth what it was 

 offered for? 



A. I don't really understand we could do it. 



Q. You think you hadn't the power ? 



A. I don't think we would be justified in appointing any special 

 agent to do it; we were not justified after the action of the Legislature. 



Q. That is all the explanation you can make of that ? 



A. Isn't that sufficient? 



Q. You say these lands were small parcels; weren't they as large as 

 other parcels that the State acquired through tax sale ? 



