The New York herald., 1873-12-06
TEE CORNELL INVESTIGATION.
Examination Of Or. Samuel J. Parker, Professor
McCandless and T. G. Putman-Mr Cor
nell and Mr.. Woodward Recalled
Important Testimony.

TO near testimony Az St. NlCuOds uoIci ycbteI-
day morning, Colonel Van Buren being the only
member present. Judge Parker as usual appeared
in behalf OF Mr.. Cornell remaining during the
entire session, but Assemblyman Mcclure, the
public prosecutor, did not put in an appearance
until some time after proceedings had commenced.
DR.. Samuel ]. Parker, OF Ithaca, was called, but
found unable to give any information OF interest
concerning the administration OF affairs at Cornell
University, except that he did pot like its religious
tone; yet he knew OF special act OF hostility to
any creed, nor any act favoring any particular
sect.
Henry McCandless had been Professor OF Agri-
culture for two years in the University. He tes-
titled that agriculture was not prominent branch
OF the course at the time that he was engaged
there; the farm was not cultivated as thoroughly
as 1t should have been, and agricultural students
were kept too exclusively at theoretical studies;
practical agriculture was, in fact, left In the
background; ne had severed his cOnnec-
ton with the University because they would
not pay him yearly salary OF $2,250;
there was resolution of the trustees
requiring every student to attend the lectures on
agriculture and 1t had been observ ed; but the
lectures were too general to convey much knOwl-
edge OF practical farming; he did not know how
THE WISCONSIN LAND BUSINESS
was conducted. and his belief with regard to the
charges against Mr.. Cornell Was that they were
without any foundation.
Upon crosse Examination by Judge Parker it was
shown that the witness had received 81, 500 year,
but was promised more, and, not receiving the IN
crease and getting better position elsewhere, he
had lett. resolution was on the books OF the
Institution to Increase his salary along with the
rest OF the professors, but he did not wait for IT.
number OF Tits between himself and Judge Parker,
the former refusing to be 'badgered,n as he called
II, by counsel. AT last the witnessed in his excite
menI INDUCED in personalities which the Commis-
sion at once stopped.
Mr.. u. G. Putnam, next examined. had been
atnrlr To nafr andD N 10 ofnT han
the business manager OF the University. He said
reports had been made from time to time at his
thing the land hunters brought in was rejected
unless 1t contained certain amount OF timber
locating the whole 100 would be located; he
was engaged age about year IN TINS s
m anS with N he
Mr.. Cornels object in going there was to
push forward the locating OF land; about 5oo,ooe
acres had been selected, OF which loo, 600 acres
were timoer lands, the remainder farming lands;
he could give no reliable idea OF how many feet
was not further interested in 1t than being en-
ployed IN the buslness there were about twenty
i've firms at the same time engaged in locating
land; it was after this that he went to Cornell
University; he had heard the Sage and McGraw con.
tees . and had several Conversations with President
White on the subject OF these lands, the latter hav-
ing frequently expressed himself as anxious that the
saleshould be made; at one meeting OF the Board
OF Trustees the President was quite indignant thas
the sale had not been made ne spoke also 81 the IN
ne ss Sa's' Sesun he '?a
July. 1871; the sage building had not
been commenced at that time; the witness thought
proper price for lands selected In so acre lots,
with the privilege OF rejecting all containing less
than 1000 feet to the acre, would be about $25 per
5 ne had great u dea M o n IN hese these
Others would the price ought to be about the
same for 100 600 acres with similar rules Of selec-
being sold he had himself offered selected lots OF
his own in the same county as the Cornell lands In
Wisconsin, Tor ss and $40 an acre, yet had not
been able to sell them.
Mr.. CORNELL THE SAGE AND M'GRAw CONTRACT.
Mr.. cornell, being recalled and examined by Mr.
Mcclure. said that under the two contracts with
sage and McGraw but $4,000 OF the principal had
been paid; the remainder paid was interest; he
had returned to them $el 900 when the contracts
were cancelled, but he had not the data to show
taxes and the Of agents. Il was
sldered to be to the interest OF the University that
bonus for the surrender OF the contracts, and the
cancellation OF the contracts had no reference to
the legislation sought last winter the contract OF
sage and McGraw Is now simply Tor SO, 900 acres,
and gives them the same right OF selection as they
had under former contractsi there is one other
contract for 900 acres with Dwight and McGraw.
During the examination the witness said that he
wished 70 make q remark regarding the question
OF the payment OF taxes discussed the evening
previous. The phrase used by him In his report TO
the comptroller does not indicate anything but
osr Knew as Witness hm At sis the
tnat ne got very large discount on the payment
Of those taxes The Comptroller understood at
the time that the full amount stated as assessed
in the report was not paid. Previous to that re-
port the Comptroller had expressed some anxiety
on learning that the land had been sold for taxes,
and Mr.. Cornell explained the circumstances and
reasons under which they were allowed to bo
sOld:-
assisted In making efforts and various inquiries
We s sssa * e NO s
TO tax these lands while the title remained in the gov
Court eect had been rendered and M we
20 sSPya
st pr p. ,., na Of &
when we ness taxes we should make Re
& as% s sy
led by the report Al least
:. Mr. Cornell did not recolect any correspondence
between Judge Allen and himself in which the
matter; he did not. know il patents had been
snas and ds not nk shas in 'tn ne rs
between himself and woodward noticed
over the patents; he had understood. how
ever, that the government had made such patenta
for all the lands in his name; the certincates OF
location are returned to the General land once
on the issue OF the patent
!, A technical discussion here ensued between
colonel Van Buren, and Judge Parker as to whether
these patents are now beyond recall by the govern
ment, Mr.. Cornell having denied that the patents
ar naa Deen issued TO him. yet admitting that they
Mr.. Woodward was then recalled and examined
THE ISSUE OF THE PATENTS
before ne proceeded, Mr. Mcclure read consider.
abe testimony upon this subject, taken before the
referee in the case OF Woodward against Cornell 40
Newburg. Mr. Woodward then said that these
paients were issued and were at his house, and he
had obtained them from the district land agents
10 enter them In the books of the University; NO
Kept these books from Nj. Cornell; they were
written mp at the house OF witness; during tho
trial the counsel OF Mr.. Cornell demanded tho
surrender OF these p0tents but he refused To
give them up unless the duplicates were surren-
dered or the Comptroller would give his consent;
session.
Judge Parker, in ross-examining Mr.. Woodward,
deduced the fact that the patents were entrusted
TO him, and that he never delivered anv according
to a promise made to the government or Its agents.
The Comptroller also wanted him to hold them
And witness also said that II Mr.. Cornell
had paid MIN the amount OF his claim thar