The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1860-09-11

ed checks with their endorsements that were
executed to this man Mirkel, for which
Swamp Lands were obtained, and which he
afterwards paid off, by issuing Swamp Land
certificates for ditching, when the ditching
never was done.
" INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. lst 1857.
Bank of Bloomin gton Pay Jacob Mir
KEEL, or order, FIVE thousand four hundred
sixty..four $500 dollars.
PHINEAs NJ. KENT.
GEO. w. SPTTLER.
NJ. G. BRIGHT.
ENDORSED
This check is not to be paid in money
until January lst, 1859, but at any time in
/ certificates for ditching issued by the Com
missioner of Swamp Lands, of Jasper coun-
ty, within that time. October LIST, 1857
INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 9th, 1851
| Bank of Bloomington.-Pay to Jacob
Mirkel, or order, fourteen thousand five hun
bred and forty-two 400 dollars.
| PHNEAs NJ. KENT
! (ENDoRsED.)
| "This check is not TO be paid in money
until January lst 1859, but at any time in
certificates for ditching issued by the Com
missioner of Swamp Lands, in Jasper coun-
| ty, within that time"
/
! their very face? Neither Kent, Splitter, nor
| Bright, ever had money deposited in the
q Bank of Bloomington" There is no such
Bank, but it is " Bloomington Bank" Meth
err did they ever have any in Bloomington
Bank, and at no time would their check
have been honored, which they well knew.
| They were gotten up for a fraudulent pur-
pose, by these parties, combining with this
Swamp Land Commissioner, TO cheat the
State out of these lands.
! venture the assertion, yOu can't find a
single county in the State, where there
were Swamp Lands, but what the manage
ment of them abounds with fraud even here
in my own county, where there was but lit
tie Swamp Land, the records show that
eleven hundred dollars have been paid out
for surveying and ditching, and yet there
never has been one foot of Swamp Land
ditch made in the county. How is it pos
sible that all these things can be done p
It is little remarkable that these Demo-
cratic Governors, who have watched over
the interests of the people of Indiana 50
nell, and whose sworn duty it was to see
the laws faithfully executed, could have
suffered the people to be so woluliy swindled
Have the people no remedy? The question
may be asked, why has not the Legislature
done something in this matter in ferreting
out these frauds and exposing the persons
connected with them? | answer because
the Democratic party is opposed to having
the investigation; and during the last Leg
islature, actually prevented it. Now for
the truth of my remarks, l appeal to the
record. During the last Legislature, the
joint Republican Committee on Swamp
Lands, Mr.. Hamilton, of Boone, ana Mr..
Greene, of Upton, as chairman, ferreted out
/ L..
time allotted to them, in which report they
exposed every person that they could find
connected with them, without distinction OF
party, and among the rest Messrs. Talbot
and Collins.
This report will be found in House Jour
nal 1859, commencing on page 1887. Sen
ate bill No. Is in reference to these Swamp
Lands, when it came to the House, was re-
! ferred to the Republican Committee on
Swamp Lands. This committee after thor
t oughIy examining the subject, reported
back the bill recommending the striking out
, of all said bill after the enacting clause and
inserting a substitute which they had pre-
pared, fully regulating and controlling these
Swamp Lands, which will be found in
House journal 1859, commencing on page
, S73, and among others, inserted provision
to burst up the whole of these frauds, and
, had been obtained from her 10y fraud and
? corruption. Sec. As of the bill provides
: ''The County Commissioners of each county
are hereby authorized and empowered in
r their discretion to bring suit, or cause suit
to be brought in the name Of the State oil
Indiana, upon their relation against dt'y Of
3 %cer, person or persons, corporation or com
I pany, for the recovery Of any lands or mon
f ey TighUUIty belonging TO the Scamp Lana
Fund, OF for the setting aside Of any .tTdadlt-
# lent title 10 any Scamp Land, OF for the en-
.foreement Of any contract for The ddchina
: and draining Of such lands" Now let us set
q now tie Democrats acted when put to The
|. test, and see whether they were in favor o
O having all these fraudulent conUeyanceS o
9 Swamp Lands Investigated and set aside
V and the persons connected with them ex
If posed, and the lands regained to the State
u Mr.. Turpie, the present Democratic candi
e date for Lieutenant Governor, and who wa
d the leader of his party in the House, move,
q to lag the bill and report on the table =; tn
j, dges and mays being demanded, the vot
: stood 46 for laying on the table and A
v against it every Democrat then in IA
i. House. but Mr.. Rowe, voted with the At
l. to lay the bill on the table, and every Re
d publican voted against it but Mr. Colgrove
ir (see House Journal, page S8l.)
MT. COlgrOVe Iucu uOFeU 10 FecOlSlue
ID the vote on laying the report on the table
% Mr.. Prosser, who was a Democrat, the
H. moved to lay the motion on the table TIL
d ayes and nays being demanded, the vot
IL stood AT in favor of laying Mr.. Colgrove
J. motion on the table, and A against it, ever
At Democrat then in the House voting with til
lie Al except Mr.. Rowe, and every Republica
$, but one, voted with the A (see House jour
E. nal, page 882-3.) So it will be seen that
ID was strictly a party vote, the Republican
t. all, with one exception, in favor of burstin
D. up the whole of the Swamp Land fraud
10 and exposing every body connected wit
IL them, while every Democrat but one oppose
it it, thereby saying to the world that the
1t were opposed to the exposure these frauds
and the men who were connected wit
ee them. The people will judge who weI
is their friends in this matter, and upon who
IS. party the responsibility of this great iniqu
L. Dr. = ill IL.