448 



Mr. Fiero. — An official document passing between two bureaus. It 

 is a public record. 



The Witness. — I will show he is a perjurer; perjurer and thief. 



Q. That is your explanation; we will take his explanation just as he 

 gives it ? 



A. I will prove it, too. 



Q. Tou will have to prove it by your testimony because you 



couldn't find anybody else ? 



A. No, sir. 



Albany, April 7, 1886. 



William F. Fox, Secretary Forestry Commission, Albany, N. Y. : 



Sib: — The following is an extract from a letter recently received 

 from Van Buren Miller, Saranac lake, N. Y , agent for State lands in 

 Franklin county : 



" Turner's jobbers have cut most of the timber on lot 147, township 

 9, Old Military .tract, and claims the lot as I have previously written. 

 Fart of the logs are on the skids on said lot and the balance on the 

 north branch of Saranac river with other logs. I have taken the best 

 means of ascertaining the quantity of timber cut therefrom. I have it 

 variously estimated from 1,000 to 2,000 standards, I think not less 

 than 1,500. Turner told me two weeks ago that he claimed said lot, 

 and has sold it to the Chateaugay Ore and Iron Co., but had not cut 

 any logs or timber on said lot. The facts are, he had a large gang of 

 men at work cutting thereon at the time, with instructions to cut it 

 all off as soon as possible. 



Said Turner is the most irresponsible, unscrupulous, defiant man I 

 ever knew. The timber cut from 219, township 10, Old Military tract, 

 by said Turner, is on the outlet of Loon lake, with a large quantity of 

 logs belonging to said Turner and D. H. and W. Parsons. I don't 

 know how to seize said logs as I can not identify them.- I have not 

 seen Turner since I found the timber was cut. I attempted to sell 

 the logs to Parsons, but they did not wish to buy them without seeing 

 said Turner, as the logs have Turner's mark upon them and caji not be 

 identified. I have just received a telegram from Turner asking me to 

 come to Loon lake." 



We have notified Mr. Miller that the matter therein referred to had 

 been placed in the hands of the forestry commission. 



Benton Turner has been the most troublesome and unscrupulous 

 depredator of State lands in the northern Adirondacks. 



Respectfully yours, 



THOMAS E. BENEDICT, 



Deputy Comptroller. 



