New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-12-05
LOCAL MISCELLANY.
THE CORNELL INQUIRY.
WILLIAM WOODWARD AND EZRA CORNELL GIVE TIES

yesterday morning e1Gov. Seymour and Congressman
Wheeler the other members being absent Mr.. Cornell
and his counsel, Judge Parker and associate counsel
r. Finch and Assemblyman Mcclure, rs friend OF
the Court, were present. william A. Woodward, who
was Mr.. Corners agent for locating the West
ern lands, testified that he had personal knowl-
edge OF this four contracts that have been made.
There smaller contracts which had been made
through him as the agent He had been familiar with
Western lands for Is years in Wisconsin chiefly, ana
conversan with the character OF the Cornell lands
in that State through the reports of agents whom ne had
employed to locate them, and partly through personal
examination OF the lands himself
Judge Parker here objected that the reports OF sub
agents would be hearsay evidence, and not admissible.
Col Van Buren, decided that there no other means
OF obtaining full report of the character OF the lands
and admitted the evidence
Mr. Woodward then testified that they had located
lands Wisconsin which had pine and hard WOOD on
them lands which had iron ore on them, ana some
marsh lands which were considered very valuable
Four or thousand feet OF lumber TO the acre was
fair average OF timber lands and out OF the 100000 acres
located he Thought there were $4,000 Of mbered
lands The wholesale value of timbered lands IN that
State at the time these contracts were making was
from s. Sc acre. and some were sold as high az so
There was about per cent difference between the whole
sale and retail prices Other lands untmbered, sold
also AT wholesale at about the same price,
their value was rapidly increasing. The value OF the
100 600 acres taken with the selection which Mr. Cornell
gave TO Messrs Sage and McGraw, would be about $40
an acre. value Of the lands made under the second
contract TO McGraw and Dwight, with privilege OF
selection after the first contract has been located, would
be worth the same. The value OF the third contract in
which Sage and McGraw given the privilege OF
selection after the other contracts had been located was
equally as high the three contracts could be selected
each from very excellent pine lands about as good
as another. The fourth contract, which was subs
tute for Sage and McGraw contracts, and which
gave additional privileges III selection, he thought
would be worth Sl2 50 per acre.
O Do YOU know OF any transaction OF Mr.. cornell IN
this business in which he sought 10 make profit for
himself instead of the University NO 40 not.
o. Have yOu a claim against Mr. CORNELL A. Yes
Sir; for services rendered in connection with these
lands claim as due me about 10000
O. DO YOU consider sale OF timbered lands AZ in this
case ten years credit customary method OF dong
businessi A. never heard OF any but this one
O Have you heard OF instances OF nne pieces OF
land beng aside for Mr.. Cornelps personal friends
after selections, not entered and then turned over 70
the friendsl A. No SIR; never heard OF any such
transactions
The witness further testified he had paid s5945 O5
on Of taxes the lands in Wisconsin up TO 1870
Mr.. Cornell then said that broad charges had been
made he had been in the habit of buying mp certh
Gates OF tax the dollar and charging
the fund for the full amount. II would like TO have
that subject inquired into
Mr. Woodward said: The taxes were not paid for The
years OF entry oG 1867 aud 1865 and In the mean
time the lands had been sold for taxes and certificates
issued at IS per in 1869. went 10 Wisconsin TO
adjust the matter carrying from Mr. Cornell letter OF
credit; at Chippewa county, fouud ale amount que
on his lands Si2l53 % negotiated TO settle the
matter by BARGAINING with the Board OF super
vsors that they should dispose OF all the
tax certificates at 50 cents On the dollar
from the year 1876 TO 1aGs u wrote at once TO Mr. Cor
nell about IT, and proposed II Inexperienced TO take mat
matter upon myself and he consented saying that he
would settle hs taxes on the same basis Under that
arrangement Mr. Cornell paid s55!6 10 Tor TINS 263 ~
of taxes Of the certificates were worthless, and
are our hands yet the certificates entitled the
holder deed OF the land after three years and my
purpose to have them redeemed or succeed TO lien
the land In this way Mr. CornePs taxes were set
tied and his certificates were Cancelled
Judge Parker the witness and brought
forth the information that Mr.. Woodward had lawsuit
pending against Mr. Cornell for services rendered
in connection with the sale Of the lands The whole
amount received for his services in attending
the University business s97,O)o He claimed
that there $4,000 more due him; he engaged
in the business from 1871. about month
wear and transacted little Of his business during
his visits West.
O. Do YOU think 25OOo) acres these $4,000 tim
befed land are worth $40 an acre A. Yes.
c. Did you get for single lots much $40 acre,
although you gave purchasers the privilege Of selection
o. By Judge Parker-Did you ever advise Mr.. Cornell
TO sell 1000 OF this land at 3 an acre A Yes
O. Did you ever assist forming a company TO pur
chase lands at IS an acre A Yes subscribed, and
MIR Cornell subscribed $4,000. and Mr. Cornell says
others subscribed the company not organized
IL broke through because Of lack OF subscriptions
.
troieri A. Mr. Cornell did for he first three years.
Q How much did he report 20 the Controller he mad
paid A. S2l53 %, when only S2j575 10 had actually
@ Was not the report made out by youi A; I sent
The original draft of the amounts paid to Mr.. Cornell,
but il was altered and sent TO the Controller.
I'm reply 10 questions by Mr. Mcclure the witness said
that the proposed company also intended TO purchase
the Brunette Falls, where there to be village in
corporatsd called Cornell; the amount of stock
100000 with privilege OF organizing when 100000
paid ill., but Mr. Cornell said he could set the stock
and the company was not organized.
Mr. Mcclure then offered in evidence correspondence
which he alleged passed between Mr.. Cornell and Mr..
Woodward during their business relations and which
had been presented in the suit now pending in Orange
County. Among these he said was report OF Mr.
woodward 10 Mr.. Cornell, showing that the amount OF
the Chippewa County paid by him for 1866, 1861
and 1865 was S5525 ana the report of Mr. Cornell
the Controller. for 1862 showing the amount charged
by Mr. Cornell for taxes paid in Chippewa County bo
s42l53 %.
Mr. Cornell became somewhat excited at this iuncture
and declared that there not word OF truth in
any such statement and that MI Mcclure had uttered
what he knew 10 be false III order TO maintain the
charges he made IN the Legislature, last Winter,
Through the efforts of Col Van Buren, and Judge
Parker the anger of Mr. Cornell and Mr. Mcclure was
allayed and quiet was restored. A large amount of
documentary evidence then offered by Mr. Mcclure
and Mr. Cornell was recalled and examined by Judge
Parker
O. Mr. Cornell. please explain about this alleged dis
crepancy S200O0 between the amounts actually maid
by YOU and the reported 60 the ConIrollert A.
The reports the Controller Intended to represent
the amounts OF taxes that had been assessed and "A fur
ther that all the taxes had been paid t the
same time that the money paid by on account of
taxes; the amount actually paid charged on nv
first ~ port the Controller. such IA report was fur
nished him. showing the amount paid; 1t was never
intended TO the idea tnat the mentioned A.
having been assessed paid entire, because there
have been all the through there has been
no wear we not saved money by buying county or
ders and getting abatement OF taxes some wgy or
other; al the same time reports TO the COutroer-
Judge Parker dnterrupting)-Dd you ever at any
time Mr.. Cornell charge the State with money that You
had not actually paid A. No, Sir 10 the fund
O BY Mr. McGuire-Did yOu make any other state.