New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-06-09

John W 1. Lawrence ex. member ~ CongTese, feet1
nC at Flusbing valued the property iJrfoe .,ove.n
ment tbe.xhole fam A. sl0U. 600 which he thorgnt
tair price. he WAS authorized by Ai-tnsnn 70 ~
the property down to aud the let of Apfi TO- "
that pssce. OF this the War Department was d"
formed.
j. ID. Williamson &C New York Cftr, surveyor tn9
engineer, .yIveyed the farm in the Spring OF ioo ~.
wLs s1tbeBS.d TO cell the who're fern luz scresl Al
pts or lila sites for go 900 he 90 receive per sem
for such sac. II ne could sell II for over s'OoV"; ~
woe to receive not only his per cent CO ns,is1o ou
tsf Ct whaJ sa9 paid above ths' suG lie ad ~.
consider II worth $40 90. He offered % seh ~ "
tie War department IN 1876 for 81 edi, oa' reee'ea
No reply. ,c-r-t.
Henry +. Hover. r. siding A. FlQs6iDg and Collector
Of ,bst iowa ests G tsat the wbose property vas IS
eessed ut as Geo and considered worth 10 April
1885,. from 3 90 - "a for the Government.
Henry NJ. Weeks, residing 81 G@eu Cave, Long
Islan> real estate sgtioneer, doing tufness IN NeS
YORK CITY valued the property ~ 81 sO an ac'e ano
thoueh L would haze brought ass Gee, the amount o.
the mortgage The GO7ecnment assumed TO pay nad a.
been solo puder that uoitgsge on the 2od o. Apfh,
1871. Tis .be da.c Of the ceriee :e o; the i"hr
auttionee-s (ef which nTmber ne vas one, Vsldlng
the property a2 $50 IN acre aud allowing S2,1OO Tor
IMPROVEMENTS and old store making the value OF the
property purchased By the Government isey iio
acret) 500 800. This certificate sgned ct the
request OF Psospe- NJ. We.oore, he prouasinst to pay
these auc,iopeeit g fee toD,. heir signsrure-
Gustsvus Fringe a German real estate epecnsttor
testified that be csasideIed this property worth
an acre, although he vorli not have been willing to
have pGlO That for Il IN Aprx 1871.
Henry Grinnell sad that importance EEouc Be
attached TO his e'ldcace, but it ais meressina
thst the property could have keen sold nAprR, 1901
Cor from $500 to 81 900 81 acre.
John Cryder Of CYy2ar's Point, Long Island, test
led that he vas called upon in March or April, 1857,
by Collector Schell, on behalf OF the Government 10
inquire about the velue ST the ilklnss Point prsp
erty and that be informed him that 1t was worn for
tba Government 500 or $50 an acre.
William 5. Alley, % New-f0rk city, as apppears
by as affidavit had eontraet with %ssmaG 10 March
and kDri 1851 TO take his choice Of twenty sores OF
the popeity at $780, which contract he cancelled st
WissmGn's request wlls des-Sed 10 cell the whole
property TO the Government
Edward s. Lawrence Re siding near finishing, con-
idered VIII mss Point property Eorth or the Govern
,nent fro,n 81 500 10 So Geo az acre. H was
Der Of the New.York Legislature last " inter with
Richard 6chell and John {. Bsher, and the subject
of the property had been mentioned to him by one OF
them.
Prosper a. Wetmore valued the property at
Wknss Poa., 10 city lOts, q. $3.50 900 stated that
$50 COO Of thet amount should be expended for grad
ing and Streets leaving $4,000 as the value Of the
property.
rot know what it worth but from what he had
heard thought the property had been purchased sY
the Government for $50, 600 less than liz value.
Augustus Schell and Issac " Fowler certified, 10 a
letter to the Secretary of War that the property was
worth $200, COO.
II Will thus be observed that five gentlemen resid
ing 10 the neighborhOOe CT wilkins Point, 10 no way
with the spectators WHO sold it, owners OF real es-
tate 10 Queens County, and good Judges OF the value
of property there, testified that the property sold to
the Government was worth not over SoVO an acre
when the Secretary of War purchased it.
Nine gentlemen, equally oisinterested and capable
judges OF the value OF the property testified that 1t
was worth from $500 to 81 coo An acre.
Three of the most reliable and lsrlest real estate
auctoneers and brokers in New York and Brooklyn,
testified that the property not worth over sou an
acre at the time the government purchased 1t.
In pursuing their investigation the COMMITTEES had
TO coDtead with the difficulty which the Fort
Smelling Committee appear 10 have labored under,
viz: Weakness of memory OF important witnesses,
and their total oblviousness Of msteria facts. Inc
underegned quotes the following extract from the tes-
timony Of the Hon. Richard Schell, Senator from
the State Of NewYoIk, a. the only instance IN wnch
the Committee succeieul IN aiding one OF tne:e
witnessed to recollect fact. Inquiry as % certain
pawn hts made by Mr.. Schell AID he not being a0e
recoec ct them, the question asked, whether hs
check book r1nd NOT show the tine at which they
hen preceded:
Q. Have you your check books hersl A.. No, Sir.
q. You were subpenaed TO bring them ! a. Yes,
-;-.
o. Why did you not bring them A. / have not
got any these are sll the books have exhibiting
ome bank b00ksl.
Q. You have Just stated that your check books
would show the payments you made living ne
rad so ans~eTed before A. have not any cheek
books; when went to Albany made up my mind
hat j mad been doing large usurious business in
Wall street that had been making money by taking
ueuIy; after became Legislator l cane back and
.aid, " Good bye, JOHNNY will destroy everything;
- / do not want anything to do with these books
- hereafter
o. re vou mean to say that you have destroyed
your creek bioks for the months OF March, April,
May, June, July, August and September, 1881 a.
Since the let of January, 1896.
Q. Destroyed all of tieml A. Yes, Sir.
9. With what ba,ks did you keep your accounts
5u1r q those months A. Tie Marine Bank, Bank of
the Republic and Bank of New York. You can
readily see by these remaining books, that l have
here the amount Of money received and used
@. Would these check books have shown the
unts and to whom you had drawn the checks during
these nOnthsi A. Sometimes they would and some |
tin es they would not.
@. You have destroyed your check books for the
two yesrs Of 1856 and 1851 A. Yes Sir.
o. When were they destroyed A. j think 10 the |
month Of January or it may have been in the month
of February; my impressions are that 1t was IN the
month Of February.
O. Was it after this investigation WAS ordered by
the House of Represe mt stives
WiTHEss--I should think not. When was j. Or
GeTed
The CHAIRMAS-Early in February.
WITNESs-My impressions are that II was before.
O. Are you not certain that they were destroyed !
after Won had notice that there bad been an invesgs-
tion By the House in relstion TO this matter
WIiNrss-WeI, l am ready to answer that ques- /
ton; that is, is that a fair question 70 put
The CHAIRMAS-l ask you whether you are not GER /
,ar IL at the books destroyed after this invest
cation ordered
Mr.. FIoRENcr-I think it involves no question. | !
destroy my check books.
This CHiIRMAS-I ask Mr.. Sohell whether he did
not destroy the books ster be had heard that this in.
vestiga.on had been ordered
WIryEss-I think it was about tie Doth Of Feb |
ruary destroyed them
@. When you learned that this investigation lad
been ordered had any influence upon your mind in
il ducpg Won 70 destroy the books A. II msy hsve
had but do not think it had much, from simple
fact: FELT for William c. Wetuoie and says | to