The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-07-17
THE LAND OFFICE.
HUGH D. EAMPRELL AND JOHN RAY
ON THE STAND.

How the Peoples Money Went and who
Used Ht-Nexti
| Tho Land Office Committee met on Monday
morning. Present Senator Robertson and Rep
| resentatives Peralta and Drury Hugh J. Camp
bell resumed the stand.
To Senator Robertson--Twe OF the
tract books were purchased and two and half
filed up II took two years to do the wo 4, the
clerks working at night. Rsmick, Reed and
Campbell did the work. At the same time Rernek
did this work, for which he drew pay, was also
chief clerk OF the Lsnd Office, drawing salary,
The clerical work on the books cost s4G00.
| To Mr. Drury- Tho preparatory work WAS
much more really than the vi rk on fhs books.
| To Senator Robertson 81 ,4G5 drawn By
me was drawn in cash. and was kept to my own
credit.
Prior to the report Of March o, 1874, [ made d
previous report, but that
WAS NEVER PUBLISHED.
The f5l7S was given TO Mr.. Ray in two or ,hree
amounts. Ono amount, $1,000 think, was in u
warrant for surveying. Paid him ths greater
portion Of the entire amount iu cash. One re.
port made TO the Governor | requested that
might turn over my salary warrants as cash,
4 whicb, bslieve, was done. Think | paid hay
| $1,000 In cash and the balance s317B in warrants,
| pledged. 9
When drew The fit, 900 opened no regular
uDDHB III tn5 6HlgH, k8pk memorandum.
| which is the only one that shows any record OF
the expenditures OF the Office. That retained
possession Of during the struggle OF 1874. My
object in drawing the $4,000 and s25, 600 before
there was sny expenditures was that was un-
der the impression that there was money in the
treasury.
/ knew must have cash TO run the Office,
make surveys, etc., and | knew or thought IL
did not draw H., then 10 would not be in the
treasury at times when / wanted it. and for Chat
reason drew IL. When drew the money, de-
posted 1t 10 my own order and checked on it as
such.
Senator Robertsop-The expert reports that he
finds no account Of fees, receipts or expsndi-
tures. Did you keep such accounts2
phe Witness-We kept book in which ac-
curate accounts we're kept. The legislative Jour-
nal will chow all OF the accounts OF expenditures,
and the book kept which now hsye, win show
the expenses. There was nothing charged for
fees outside Of The regular way.
Went ont Of Office in March, 1873; settled with
John Ray March 0, 1874, one ysar afterward.
Don't know how much Of the $317S was paid in
money; think some was, however. lid not settle
with Hay sooner, because at the time WAS an ad-
herent Of the McEnery goyernment. You will
remember that government did not go down all
at once, and smother reason WAS that wanted TO
get as much OF my salary ~ possible. The war
rants turned over we're turned over by Coy. Kel-
logg's permission.
70 Mr.. Drury-The preparatory work on the
books was three timss as great as the copying.
no UIiCsY WuSB u bOH WAS III b V6Ty uI1apl-
dated condition. An attempt had been made TO
destroy the Office.
To Mr.. Robertson My salary was $4,000. Rem
ick Was twenty. one months in making up the
tract books, for which he got t2300 extra.
The Cha'rman-The receipts Of Mr.. Remick
show that the money was ali drawn during six
months.
Witness-Am sure that Ia mistake. see
examining the origiDas) that the receipts
ars dated 1871 except one which is not dated.
When the Office knruGd nVnY all the bo0ks
except the one / have, was turned over. Have
not been able to find the report OF 1873.
The account and blank receipt, unsigned, on
page four ID not incorporated In my account, and
should be stricken ont,
JOHN RAY, ESQ,
was the next Witness Was appointed State
Rsgister in March, 1873, and held it until MIR.
Graham was appointed.
The Chairman--1be expert finds entries of
OF 46,es5 acres Of swamp lands, for which re-
way Of fees he finds total OF 1897 rs, on which
there is deficit Of 1903 rs.
Wtness-I paid that deficit In as soon as the
expert informed me that he discovered IT, When
Mr. Campbell made tho settlement with me he
paid me $1,000 In money and the balance at an
other time In warrants. There may have been
other amounts In money. directed my clerk to
keep record OF accounts, and suppose he did,
ditor's office. Have separate vouchers ror the
money paid by Mr.. Campbell. Major Richardson,
my chief clerk, was an old land officer, and for
that reason ! employed him. He has perhaps
the books in bis possession now.
Or the balance Of $23,15 OF the appropriation
whom took charge think it was all drawn; don't
know what disposition was made Of IL. Drew
nothing in anticipation OF accounts.
Don't know that any report was made TO the
Legislature. The warrants received from Cen
Campbell was cod ON the market snd cash reai-
lied. l signed patents and such other docu-
meDts as were necessary, and the other work was
done by Major Richardson. paid Mr.. Richard
son; as clerk he received $3.50 per month from
the State. and paid him besides that for extra
labor. 1t other times had two OF nv sons and
two Of my nephews employed In the Office.
Was not interested with DIR. smythe in the
entering OF lands in Orleans parish. When left
in blank, which Mr.. Richardson used. Have no
interest in lands In the southeastern district.
Never entered or bought an acre OF land in my
fe
Never made any report as 10 the disposition OF
the 82300. IL was all expended.
The expert reports $1,000 acres Of land enter
ed under MIR. Rays administration at IN cents
per acre, and only 1890 acres st 81 Is per aere.1
DR. .. M'cUI10H, EXPERT,
was called. Have examined all the books and
records in the Land Office. There was balance
Of 1893 IS due the State for fees during Mr..
PAID IN LAST SATURDAY.
Find 40 vouchers for the S23, 900 drawn by Mr.,
Ray; he stated TO me that he had the vouchers for
the amount.
IL was drawn in different amounts for Mr. Bay,
but for ths benefit OF other parties. There are
no records showing what fees have been received.
arrived at it by going over the stub books of
lands entered.
Dnrfng Mr. CampbelI's time the books show
omissions and numerous errors
The two tract books and the half would cost
sG0. The clerical work on the tract books should
l. raI ~ ffA 1s.k1< ~
and not extra work.
All the records chow Mr.. Remick's hand
writing, and the records do not show any other
handwriting, either that Of Reeds Or Camp
beIPs.
Had an expert been employed 20 fix the tract
books $1,000 would have been sufficient compen-
sation for the labor. The books in some instances
show omissions OF entire townships and sections.
The tract book showing the land lying between
the city and Lake Pon.chartrain was thsn pro-
duced and numbers Of sections were shown by
the map to have been entirely omitted, the wit
ness stating that this was the clerical work for
which Eamr,hatI had rai1 ne ire