New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-04-28

the property was.
ou.stiou $50 Was 1t on the Let or I'd dsy Of July
Last that Won called at the War Office In regard 70 the
ga Answer. called on both Of tho.e days.
Que, on 55i. What was your psrtculAr converse
ton on both Ct those occasions on that subject
Artwer. ! csnrot ray whether say the clerk ON
the frat the nd Of July. But the day on which
Old zee him told nim that wanted to learn 10 70
gard 10 the sale Of Fort Smelling. The clerk told me
enpbaiicslly that ii had been cold. argued the
point with him sOme tine, and told him thought be
must esn the reserve at Prairie do Chen. He s.d,
thiLLipg be was mistaken. ! wrote letter 70 the
Seer taIy On tue second, AID / remained In the city
some days expecting reply to my letter, but did not
getit.
on the second day of July, at what hour o. the day
va. il ind in that CONVEX aion wa any mention
made to you that the War Department had confirmed
the ssle upon that very dsyl
Arswer On the fret day went there at 2 o'clock.
was then too late For that reason called the next
coy earler-between ii aud o'clock l suppose II
was before II o'clock, but l viii net state posi-
lively. There was noihipg said about confirmation
OF the sae. The reuark Of the clerk was that the
ssle had been made.
Question $50. You may state if you are known to
the chief cleIk
Apswer. did net perhaps, introduce myself to
him. but | SUP pose be knew ne because alluded to
ny letter 10 the Department. Nothing said that
led ne 10 doubt that he knew me.
Que e'lOB JJl. Frequent hIlutlOL mas Deen nhOe W
cnbr atiobs Of purchasers to prevent fair public
s,le Taking into de alton ell the circumstances
TIE population and riches OF the towns surrounding
Fo,t Smelling, the number of specul4tors and other
purchasers Of land in that part Of the Territory, and
the kind Of property TO be sold do you believe that
gccessful combination Of that KIDD was possible 80
as 20 prevent foil competD n. aud the realizing OF a
fair price IL not tie theory Of successful c0mblna
ton against the Government at land sale that il en-
braces 30 many parties 10 leave out all competition
Could cOmbI alton be made better for success than
where the sale lie concealed from al except psrticu
lar set Of bidders, thus leaving them TO make their
own terms
Answer. There would be no difficulty in making a
sale in sucb Manner as 10 prevent auy combination
To Tie pTtipCce of the interetts OF the Government
CombiIations frequently ade at lard sales by &C
usl settlers to shut out specuatoIs That 10 Gene Dy
poverty organization that obtains 10 contlder-
able extent at the West, but they grow out OF CIR
CUE star entirely different from the sale OF reserv-
alton In this particular care i have no idea that
combirati could have been made to prevent the
property brr gpg fair price. AtordinsIy land sales
where pbTties have gone in and settled the country
trey frequently make combinations 70 prevent specu.
lstcrs comif In and taking their claims from them.
To the last question should say that would prevent
coH petition entirely.
Question 55S What il your opinion OF the value OF
Fcit SIelirg now as a town cite
Answer. i think it Is valuable prospectivey. If
you to sell it now, in the present state OF the
country, there is telling what IT would bring. The
beauty Of the rite makes 1t valuable and desirable.
Examination by Mr.. Morrill,.
Creation $50. From all you know in regard to the
sale do you know Of anything tina. locks like fraud
upon the part of the seller or purchaser
Answer. do not, myself, know anything OF fraud
con mitted by any body
Question $50. If the SALE in your judgment, is not
VOID for fraud, do you think il voidable 2
AIswer. think it is vodable.
Question sol. What are your reasons for that opin
ionl
Answer. That the agents transcended the powers
given them and acted in violation of the publ, inter-
ate. hiatt heyd q
should have taken to ascertain whether the property
was Logger wanted by the Government MAJOR East
man being military man, and he having been sta
tened at tina. point, the Secretary of War might cup
pose that he competent to Judge whether the fort
wss longer wanted.
Now let US hear one of the high contracting par
ties-our Senator from the Sixth-who would seem
from his testimony to be doing so large stroke of
business as broker and general Wall street specu
latOr tina. the circumstances attending purchase of
eight or ten thousand acres of land for $50, 600
make no sort of impression on his memory, though
they sll occurred within the past year. His testi
moDy is mainly remarkable for the extent and varie-
ty of the ignorance it develops. Hear. Hear
RICHARD ScHELL, srOrn;
Question 766, (by the Chsirman) Have you any
knowledge of the facts and circumstances attending
the recent sae of the military reservation at Fort
Answer Mr.. franklin Stsee, Mr.. and Mos Richard
Schen myself and wiie) Mr.. Mather and Dr. Graham
were the purchasers OF tina, property. understand
and believe Il at they paid goo 900 for it. That was
the understanding Of DIR. Graham.
Examination by Mr.. Faulkner.
Question 167 State whether the persons named by
you are the only persons Who at this time and from
the tine of the sale, have been Interested IN that
property
Question 76s. Do you know of any promise or as
given TO any ether person persons OF an In
terest in that property
est and he declined doing 20 because he was Gov
Ell ment officer.
Question 7C9. State from whence you first derived
the information that the Fort Smelling property was 10
Answer. I do not distinctly recolect no l came in
possession of the facts. think saw in spaper, dur
pg Pierces administration, that the fort was to be
sold
Question 40. Had you any conversation with the
present Secretary Of upon the subject Of the sale
Of that property, did you, directly or indirectly,
derive from him any information in reepect to the sale
Answer / never had any conversation with him on
the subject.
Examination Iy Mr. Petta
Question III. Where at the time Of the sale, were
you living
Answer. In the city and county Of New York.
Que stion 20. Had you ever lived in Minnesota
Apswer. have never lived there and have never
been there.
Question 10 What was the induoement to this
purchase on your part
Answer | am regular Spectator and stock broker
in Wall street and ready to 60 into any speculation
which think will pay. would buy this building
tomorrow if thought could make money out of it.
Question IA. In what manner your attention
directed to the purchase of the Fort Smelling
tCn
Answer do not remember.
Question 775. Was it suggested TO you, or did you
sut geft il to Others
Aysw.r cannot so1 f,on the aim nle fact hat nv