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understand that they have no witnesses. I will, therefore, call Mr. 

 Cox, as there are some things which he knows which it would be 

 proper that the committee should understand. 



Mr. Anibal. — Mr. Chairman, in order that there may be no misun- 

 derstanding from what the counsel has said, I would say that he 

 spoke to me between five and six o'clock, and asked if we had any wit- 

 nesses 'for to-night. I told him it was very doubtful ; that I didn't 

 think we had, as we had labored under the impression last night, and 

 so understood him, that it would take this evening to put in what 

 evidence he had, and we have thought it would require but a short 

 time to put in what evidence we have in a consecutive order. 



Chairman Ryan. — We understand that Mr. Cox will be sworn. 



Townsend Cox, being duly sworn, testified : 

 By Mr. Adams: 



Q. Mr. Cox are you one of the forest commission ? 



A. Tes, sir. 



Q. You have been since that commission was organized ? 



A. Since September, 1885 ; we were organized, I think, just after 

 that. 



Q. Have you attended the meetings of the commission ? 



A. Nearly all, sir. 



Q. Where have those meetings been held mainly? , 



A. In New York city and in Albany. 



Q. The commission has appointed a warden, an assistant warden, a 

 clerk, and forester; how many of those have you nominated? 



A. One forester, I think, sir; I did nominate another, one who was 

 very soon dismissed; that is' two that I remember of. 



Q. You have had charge mainly of what is known as the Catskill 

 park? 



A. Yes, sir; the Catskill region more than the park, in the four 

 counties constituting the Catskill region, belonging to the forest 

 preserve. 



Q. On the 17th of July, 1890, as appears by the minutes of the 

 commission, at page 107, there was a meeting of the commission held 

 at New York at which you were present, at which meeting the warden 

 was directed to make investigation and report at the next meeting in 

 reference to the exchange of lands in Franklin county for the lands 

 in the south end of the Adirondack preserve region— 13,000 acres for 

 26,000 acres — and the record shows that the next meeting was held 

 on the thirty-first of July, that you were present and that a report 

 was made, discussion had and some action taken; state to the commis- 



