The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1860-08-23
Richmond, Wayne County, Indiana,

lation. (See letter OF the Auditor, and tn
letter of A. B. Condit on file. This. D,
doubt. was the commencement Of q system
I Of frauds, unheard of before. 4 spirit f
specializing in these lands was enge ndered
and in . short time there were formed fou
separate companies who selected. rs they
termed it. and actually obtained by the com
plicity of the Swamp Land Commissioner
deeds for sboui one hnr dred and twenty
four thousand acres Of the bss. of the lands
vacant in the county. For the names oI
parties in this scheme we refer you to the
evidence herewith fled The deeds to
these lands wsre procured without the shad-
ow Of law from lhe officers of State.
The Swamp Land act. approved March
S. 1857. required shas these fraudulent con-
veyances should hs returned aud cancelled
when the work was no. completed. but pro-
. vided that the loose contracts upon which
they had been obtained might be ratified
and confirmed by the Swamp Land COM
missioner, and provided that the contractors
might Tile with the county auditor lists of
the lands selected by them to be taken in
payment for dtching, and the sale Of these
selected lands was than prohibited by the
county officers till the completion or perfec-
ting OF the contract for the pay ment OF which
they were fled, and that seventy five Der
cent. upon the estimates Of the work doue
should be issued to the contractor until al
was done. when certificates for the whole
should be issued. and provided further that
the contractor might At any time, by depos-
iting 81 IS per acre with the county Treas
urer Tor the whols or any part of the lands
in his list, take out certificates and procure
patents for the same, and that the money
20 paid into the county treasury should be
then retained, to be repaid to the cont, actor
at the rate of seventy five per cent. upon es-
timates of work done. until the contract was
when all should be repaid. Un-
der this law the Swamp Land commission
er of Jasper county confirmed all the old
at 20 cts. per cubic yard which
had been originally let At from twelve to
eighteen cents per cubic yard. and the con.
tractors were permitted to file lists of lands
to any amount they desired, aud the amounts
Of their respective contracts were swelled up
to cover the amounts fled for, and in a short
time after the taking effect Of this law, all
he unsold swamp lands in Jasper county.
to about one hundred and seven
y five thousand acres, were then absorbed.
without paying any money into the county
reasury. by private arrangement with Jacob
AaTkle. the then treasurer of Jasper county,
obtained from him certificates Of purchase
md upon these obtained the greater part of
heir patents for these lands. In few in
tances the contracts have been in whole or
n part completed. From .tha-AAi;---4rs=-o1r
h. cxp1rayfon Of the term of said Markle's
srm Of Office. he should have paid over to
is successor in Office at least one hundred
housand dolls. in money, deposited with him
y contractors for lands obtained by them,
ut not one cent was so paid over by him.
'he lands being gone and there being no
noneys foc tie same on deposit in the coun-
y treasury. and consequently no incentive
0 the complexion Of the contracts, and there
eing no law to enforce their completion.
our committee would recommend that some
aw De passed to remedy tins detect.
There is evidence before the committee
howing that Markle. without the shadow
4 authority Of law. issaed TO p. NJ. Kent, in
he name of his brother an! others, certii-
ates of purchase for large amount Of
hese lands previously filed for by contractors
nd that upon these fraudulent cert 6cates
Kent obtained patents; and that the con-
ractor, whose lands he had thus stolen. in
rider 70 avoid troublesome and expensive
i,igation. compromised with him. permitted
lin to retain three thousand FIVE hundred
.cres of the lands thus obtained, of which
darkle got portion.
From the evidence in the possession of
your Committee. :hey cannot but express
heir surprise that Governor Willard should
,ave appointed Jacob Markle to the respon-
ible position Of Swamp Land Commission
n of Jasper county, soon after the expira-
ion Of his term of Office ~ treasurer of said
,ounty, notwithstanding it was known to
His Excellency that said Markle hsd been
ued on his official bond. as defHulter nf the
) wamp Land Fund. in 1855, which suit he
by giving his note with surety
or the sum of 423. 46O 80, thus acknowl
,dging his dafalcation. and that the greater
part Of those notes. though due, were still
outstanding and unpaid; and notwithstand-
ug il was known to His Excellency that
aid Markle had again been sued in 1856.
,pon his official bond as Swamp Land Treas
,rer for further defalcation o. Sl4.O .OOO to
he Swamp Land Fund. rs certified by the
auditor of State; and that in 1857, ia lgment
vas obtained against him in another sui,
apon his official bond as County Treasurer
20 the amount Of 81 900 for state revenue,
md that was then, and still is pending
against him upon his official bond for defal-
cation Of county revenue. and had not at
The date of his appointment, as said commits
sioner, and still has not, settled with the
Auditor aud Treasurer of State, or County
Commissioners, for either State. Swamp
Land. or county revenues aud notwith-
standing it was known to his Excellency.
that by section 90. article g, of the Consli-
tu.ion of Indiana. said Markle Was wholly
ineligible to any office of trust or profit"
and that BY an &C. Of the Legislature. ap.
proved March LIST, 1855. fsee Acts 1855.
Rage s5, be was guilty Of felony-s,iTl with
full knowledge of all these disquali6casions
and disabilities. he (Markle) vas appointed
and Invested by His EKcsllency with the
duties of this important and responsible Of
Gee. for the performance of which he is
not required to give any bond. Ia view Of
all these facts your committee would recon-
mend that His Exceilency be respectfully
to remove MIR. Markle from said
Office.
II that - l.. .-x-