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office. When there were other applications made at the Comptroller's 

 office and at the commission office, they were referred to this resolu- 

 tion as the policy of this commission, and it stood until September, 

 1890. Now, Commissioner Basselin, when he was on the stand, 

 undertook to explain and to extricate himself from this difficulty I 

 am about to mention, on the ground that the resolution refusing to 

 exchange meant to apply to Hurd only, and it was meant to apply to 

 Hurd because on investigating his affairs they thought he was 

 mortgaged, and he was an uncomfortable man to deal with, didn't 

 know as the State would have any security if they did make a trade 

 with him. An after-thought came to his mind to get himself 

 out of this trouble. This resolution was a broad one, that they would 

 not exchange lands under this act, notified everybody during these 

 three years. So that continued as the policy of the State until 

 the spring or summer of 1890, and Mr. Patton who was connected 

 with the Everton Lumber Company, its president, made informal 

 applications to the commission for the exchange of lands, no papers, 

 were filed until August, and along through the summer, early, it was 

 talked back and forth. Basselin says so, Mr. Cox says so, Mr. Knevals 

 says so, this matter was in there talked about; and Basselin in 

 his testimony— see how well these commissioners agree — Basselin 

 says that Garmon was sent up in the summer time after this informal 

 application was made to examine the lands, and what he says about 

 it is at pages 31 and 32 of the stenographer's notes. He was sent up 

 to examine the lands as to the propriety of negotiating with 

 Mr. Patton on behalf of the Everton company. He was sent. Basse- 

 lin says he went and afterwards reported in favor of the exchange. 

 Commissioner Cox when he gave his testimony upon this subject, says 

 that Garmon reported in favor of the exchange, and as he understood 

 it, said he had examined the lands, or conveyed that impression to his 

 mind. When he made his report he believed Garmon had actually 

 examined these lands, and his report was based on such examination. 

 Commissioner Knevals says Garmon reported at this meeting and both 

 Cox and Knevals "testify that the report of Garmon recommending this 

 exchange under these circumstances, influenced their vote in recom- 

 mending the exchange of the lands as well as the rescission of the Hurd 

 resolution, as it was called, and when Garmon comes on the stand, he 

 swears that he never went to look at these lands in the summer of 

 1890. He made his report on what he had casually seen of these 

 lands three or four years before, and called to mind how much he had 

 been on them, and how much this casual examination was. It was 

 such as no fair, decent or prudent man would base an opinion upon 

 or make a recommendation upon. 



