583 



stood his moral character, and came here and told the truth, they 

 would all say he was a man of bad character and not worthy of belief. 

 I asked him, "Do you think it comports with the dignity of this 

 State that its officers should practice deceit upon people against 

 whom the State has claims?" Not simply Mr. Samuel Garmon, but 

 he is a representative of the State, holds a high position, and is bound 

 to honor and honesty and fair dealing. His answer is, " It does 

 when they are deceiving you; he was deceiving me as to the lines.'' 1 

 Forgotten that he had just testified, when he went there he didn't 

 know anything about this land or lot; that somebody had told him 

 about the lines, and he was going up to see and find out what he could 

 about it. Why should he impute that Benton Turner, who had invited 

 him to go up there, was a liar like himself ? Are decent men to be 

 whistled down by such statements and such imputations. He has 

 shown no reason, no excuse whatever, for saying that Benton Turner 

 was a liar, and was trying to deceive him on that occasion. He testi- 

 fied further, "I had no reason to suppose the State had any claim 

 on the land from which three-fifths of the logs came; all the logs 

 received in replevin, and Turner had to give $10,000 to get 

 any of his logs.' ; "Q. Did you suppose it was right and just 

 on the part of the State to take property upon which it had no claim, 

 although it via§ mixed with property upon which you supposed it did 

 have a claim? A. Yes." What kind of a State is that? "Q. Did 

 you think this was an honest way for the State to do business, or its 

 agent to conduct the business of the State ? A. How could you do it 

 any other way; you couldn't pick out the logs. Q. To your moral 

 sense, do you think it is honest and honorable dealing on the part of 

 the State ? A. I don't catch on to just your point. Q. Do you think 

 that method of business, grabbing all the property, three-fifths of 

 which the State had no interest in whatever, is an honest and proper 

 ' way for the State to transact its business, and comports with 

 the business of the State? A. Yes; I think it is, under the cir- 

 cumstances; I think I was representing the State on that occa- 

 sion according to the line of my duty." How much blacker could 

 all the neighbors of Garmon have made him appear to honest and 

 honorable men than he has made himself appear by this testimony 

 and this bravado, and this utter disregard of moral sense and 

 integrity, where he glories and boasts in having practiced oppression 

 upon an unoffending citizen, taking his property in this way, and then 

 accusing him of being deceitful and a liar. 



Now, Turner testified that the ride to Loon lake was after this 

 replevin suit was commenced, and it was about February, and it was 



