125 



Q. Before the month came around did you see any of the 

 commission ? 



A. Immediately after Mr. Garmon gave me this appointment we talked 

 over the matter in a friendly way and he instructed me orally to not 

 be too fast about hurrying up these fellows; the trespass had been 

 done; they were then drawing the logs to the river; he said in this 

 way: "Let them draw a while; the logs will be worth more in the river 

 than in the woods;" it was my duty to obey orders; that was reason- 

 able; that was right; then I went on a little while after and reported 

 some four or five of them; this was about the middle of February that 

 I got the second appointment of one month. 



Q. Before the month was out, did you attend a meeting of the for- 

 est commission ? 



A. Yes; about two weeks after, I received a circular from the com- 

 mission requesting all their employes to be in the office at a certain 

 day, and I came down. 



Q. What occurred then ? 



A. There was a sort of general inquiry. 



Q. I mean as between you ? 



A General inquiry; I didn't even then know what particular 

 charges were against me, if any; well, made sort of a general inquiry, 

 and I stated how I had done my work, and that I had done the best I 

 could; when I had finished my statement there, the last one, they 

 called in one of the commissioners, Mr. Basselin, and said, as near as 

 I can recollect, that while he saw no especial evidence of guilt, he 

 considered me worthy of censure for negligence, and that closed down 

 the meeting for them. 



Q. Negligence in what; did he specify ? 



A. In my work. 



Q. Did he specify anything more than that ? 



A. Nothing more; that was the end. 

 > Q. After saying that, what did he do ? 



A. There was nothing more; that wound up the meeting; they 

 adjourned at once; I was rather thunderstruck at that; I understood 

 then they were to have a meeting the next day, at New York; 

 I went right to New York that night, but before going I took 

 some letters from the secretary and others to show I had been at work 

 all this time; that I hadn't neglected anything, and went down into 

 the office, and was going to make my statement. 



Q. That was in New York ? 



A. In New York, in Mr. Kneval's office; well, I suppose they were 

 in a hurry; Mr. Basselin stood up the moment I entered the room; 



