428 



Chairman Ryan. — Instead of asking him questions in that way, of 

 rather stating the question in that way, you should ask him what he 

 said. Let him state it in his own way. 



The Witness.^- After this deal was- made with Mr. Garmon and 

 myself. 



Q. State what the deal was ? 



A. That piece of land was to be treated the same as the southeast 

 quarter of the 24th township, on the basis of $30,000. 



Q. Where is that piece of land ? 



A. Eight north of Loon lake four or five miles. 



Q. What county? 



A. Franklin county. 



Q. How many acres did it contain ? 



A. Eight thousand two hundred acres. 



Q. The estimated value was to be what ? 



A. Thirty thousand dollars; I went down and saw these parties. 



By Chairman Ryan : 



Q. They lived down on the West Shore road ? 



A. On a branch about seventy or eighty miles ; they run a summer 

 hotel there; I made arrangements with one of them to acquire the 

 title, came back 'here to Albany, went io looking it up to see the 

 amount of taxes and the condition it was in on the Comptroller's 

 books; I found the quarter had been subdivided into lots, allotted on 

 a map 328 acre lots, and in order to redeem it we would have to show 

 occupancy to each lot; that we couldn't do; we had to abandon that. 



Q. What did Garmon say on the subject of aiding you in your 

 efforts at the Comptroller's office? 



A. I was to procure affidavits showing occupancy and that he 

 would advise Basselin to recommend the redemption. 



Q. When did he say that, before or after you went down to 

 Cochrane's and made arrangements for the title 1 



A. Before. 



Q. How many times did you talk with him on the subject of the 

 practice in the Comptroller's office ? 



A. Several times; had telegraph messages from him and letters. 



Q. Ho\fc long before you went to see the Cochrane's was the first 

 conversation you had with Garmon on this subject ? 



A. Within a very few days. 



Q. The first conversation ? 



A. Yes , after the deal was consumated. 



Q. Where was this arrangement or deal, as you call it, made with 

 Garmon ? • 



