577 



he testified to several things, some of them of nqfc great importance, 

 and one or- two of them of considerable importance, and the first was 

 in regard to trespasses settled by one Van Buren Miller, whether- 

 before the time' of the forest commission or afterwards, the atten- 

 tion of the committee was brought to the settlements and saw after-, 

 wards how that was, and Grarmon told him that some of the moneys 

 received by Van Buren Miller had never found their way into the 

 State treasury. He testified that trespasses had been settled at a very 

 low rate. Fine timber !had been settled at fifteen cents a. standard by 

 the Hartwells. He testified that the Hartwells had not long ago com- 

 mitted large trespasses up in that country, and that he had called the 

 attention of Grarmon to it, and also reported these trespasses to the 

 office of the commission. 



He also testified that one Albert Turner, at some time, had pro- 

 cured a survey for his own benefit, of a line- between State lands 

 and lands which he had sold, which cost the State some two thousand 

 dollars, and that Albert Turner and Miller had been in the employ of 

 the State under the forest commission after the warden looked after 

 these things, and I suppose was aware of those matters about which 

 he testified, showing they were incompetent and particularly bad 

 people to be in the employ of the State to preserve the forests. 

 Then he testified about two or three propositions for a deal with him. 

 Turner owned a tract in the southeast quarter, of the twenty? 

 fourth township, 7,500 acres, and that a suit had been brought 

 against him by the State to try his title, the State claiming 

 it. He testifies that in the spring of 1888 Grarmon went with 

 him up by Loon lake into the woods along in February; they 

 went in a cutter, and that on that journey or ride, Grarmon proposed 

 to him to settle his suit; to value the . land $15,000, to pay the taxes in 

 the Comptroller's office, that were against it, and that he and Bas- 

 selin would use their influence at the Comptroller's office to have the 

 State deed set aside, and the difference between the taxes and the 

 value of the land, some $4,000, should be divided between them. In 

 other words, Garmon wanted to make $2,000 by this transaction. He 

 also suggested that the northeast quarter of township No. 4 consist- 

 ing of 8,500 acres, that Turner should go down the river below 

 Albany and find the parties— it turned out to be the Cochranes— alid 

 buy the old title, could be got for a small sum, and then to set aside 

 the tax deed, have it vacated or cancelled on the ground of occu- 

 pancy; then to pay up the taxes, at the Comptroller's office, taking out 

 the expenses and taxes, and divide it. The expenses would be about 

 $1,000 and taxes about $9,000, leaving the sum of $20,000 to be divided, 

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