278 



his brother-in-law up there as factotum of this commission and under 

 you? 



A. Yes, sir; I have; I w ( ill say I believe he has got to pay for that 

 trespass. 



Q. If you are satisfied with the explanation I am. 



A. It is fair to say you can't put many trees in a complaint at 

 twenty-five dollars a tree, and get a jury to give you a verdict; I have 

 had some experience that way. 



Mr. Adams. — That is what I thought. 



By Mr. Camebon: ' x 



Q. You say that Mr. Powers is to take charge of **the sale- up there ? 



A. Yes, sir. 



Q. In case he was not there, who else was to take charge of i£? 



A. There would be no sale. 



Q. Do you know whether there has been any sale or not ? 



A. No, sir. 



Q. What is your impression ? 



A. My impression is that there has; it is only -a question whether 

 anybody was there to commence bidding to carry them above sixty 

 cents. 



Gross-examination : 

 By Mr. Fiebo: 



Q. When was that sale to be held ? 



A. Saturday or Monday. 



Q. Not to-day? 



A No, sir. 



Chairman Rian.— Yesterday, you said befdre. 



Q. Will you state what condition of affairs you found in reference 

 to trespasses when the forest commission took charge of the forest, 

 and what policy was adopted in disposing of them, and what the 

 present condition is in reference to trespasses ? 



A. In 1886, when the forest commission began to take charge of the 

 forests, they only took charge of them as an agent went on or myself, 

 in a general way, and relieved the Comptroller's office of the care 

 and custody of the lands; in Essex county it is fair to say that there 

 was about, I don't think it would vary materially, some 30,000 logs 

 cut in the town of Minerva in the main; those logs had been cut that 

 season, or commencing the season before, in the summer, and the 

 logs skidded in 1885 to be moved in the winter of 1886; the forest 

 commission knew nothing of that condition of affairs there until 

 about spring. 



