339 



A. Yes, sir; unless something unforeseen occurred; for instance, 

 Mr. Basselin would sometimes send word that he couldn't come. 



Q. Then the disposition was to call meetings in Albany; but when 

 you came here the other commissioners were not here ? 



A. That was only two or three times, and I think that was an 

 accident; I don't think it was anything intentional; but it was queer, 

 funny. 



Q. Didn't the same thing occur in New York? 



A. Not in that way; but there were a great many meetings that I 

 received no notice of. 



Q. How long have you been chairman of the commission? 



A. Ever since we started. 



Q. Pardon me; you have not exercised the prerogative of chairman? 



A. I think not. 



Q. You were chairman, and you were responsible to the State, and 

 if you permitted those two commissioners to run the commission you 

 certainly (and I say it with due respect) violated the duties of your 

 office; because they were subordinate to you, so far as calling 

 meetings were concerned ? 



A. Yes, sir. 



Q. Unless they elected some one else in your place, you should 

 have exercised the powers with which the State clothed you ? 



A. I didn't have much to do though; I thought one couldn't handle 

 two. 



Q. Did you find the duties of the commission were talked of at the 

 meeting and those rumors and reports up through the Adirondacks 

 that came from various sources, and an indisposition of the committee 

 to carry out the purposes of the law in preserving the State land 

 and in using the $25,000 — did the commission at the meetings ever 

 talk about where and how land could be purchased and for how much 

 per acre ? ( . 



A Yes, we talked about that $25,000 a great deal; I will say this: 

 I was talking to Mr. Garmon about that, say along in September, some- 

 where along there, and I was asking him why we couldn't get hold of 

 anything that was worth buying, and he said there wasn't any land 

 that had been offered to us at that time that was worth buying for the 

 State. 



Q. Did you know, from information and believe, that Garmon was 

 informing you correctly; did you take his word or did you have infor- 

 mation yourself to warrant you in' believing that he was mistaken ? 



A. No, sir; I believed what he said. 



