Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-04-07

Austin, Tex. April (Speclal.)-Fol-
lowing Is the report of the house com
mittee received, recommending impeach-
ment proceedings against the state land
commissioner:
Committee Room, Austin, Tex,
April 6, 1893
To Hon. Jno. II. Cochran, Speaker OF
the House Of Representatives:
Sir-Your special committee, TO whom
WIS referred the report of the joint com
mittee Of tbs, senate and house, con-
corning certain charges against w. l..
McGaughey, the commissioner of the gen
eral land office with instructions TO exc
anime into the matters therein mentioned
aud TO make report to the house CON
corning said charges, and TO make re
Communications as to whether said w. l..
McGaughey should be impeached, etc,
beg to submit the following report;
We have carefully examined into said
matters and we find the charges In said
report TO be fully sustained by the evil
dence. and we adopt the same as n part
of this report. with the exception OF that
part of the report relating to two Ming
clerks. which is subject TO the following
modification, rs shown, by evidence not
before said committee.
The Twenty-second legislature made
an appropriation in bulk of $3.50 for two
filing clerks and Mr.. Gather lone of
said clerks) notified the commissioner
that If he construed said appropriation
to mean that the same should be equally
divided between the two clerks, allowing
SLIPS TO each, that he would resign
The commissioner and his chiei clerk
VIM. Branlette, thereupm made the
following arrangement and construction
concerning said appropriation, to Wit;
One of said clerks was to be transferred
for n period Of three and one-half months
% the school land department and rem
der services therein, aud was paid out Oh
the appropriation FOR clerk hire in that de-
partment for that time, aud In the mean
time Mr.. Gather was continued as clerk
In the filing department on his former
salary of Sl4OO per annum, which was
mid out of said $3.50, and az the ex-
nirntiou of three aud one-hnll mohths
me other clerk was re-transIerreu 70 wy
filing department and his salary NJ tne
rate of SilOO per unnum lot us ~
nlainder Of the year was pald ous u salu
5000. u,. "a divsr.
sion of the appropriation from one Iuh1
to nuother, yet by trick OF oinvih
ieger5emain the implied purpose OF INC
legislature In making the aplFolfNu1r
of $3.50 for the salaries oil wv hhhs
clerks was thwarted' ana unuer Olg ~,
a
Ton and we deem the structures OF me
ioint committee merited even under TINS
modification OF the facts - s...
We 6nd the following matters OF tacb
pertnining To the administrator oI ne
general land Office by w. - NJ
Gaughey commissioners llNViNlnb Iso
othcial misconduct and violations OF the
clrstitutiou and statutes Of the state
an tbe mart Of said officer, to-wit'
Tbat IN December, 1892, In gross vlo'
lotion of section - of chapter ) nt the
ncts of 1897, page 80, the SAID W. i.
| McGaughey, as commissioner OF NC kth'
eral land office, fwilfully aud enron aously
cIassi6ed a large number of sections of
public free school lands, to-Wit thirty
one sections situated In block In Ear'
ris county as detached and isolated from
other public lands and sold The same
TO others than actual settlers when 10y
the terms Of said act said lands were
rot so detached and isolated and were
reserved for sale TO actual settlers only.
SecOnd-That ia January, 1898, in gross
violation Of section % Of chapter
Of The act of 1897 page 90. the faid w.
l.. McGaughey, as commissioner of the
general land Office, wilfully aud CHROME.
onsly classified q large number Of sec
tions Of public Free school lands, to-wit:
Twcuty-six sections situated IN a block
ia Liberty county, as detached and iso-
lated from other public lands, sold the
same 20 others than actual settlers, when
by the terms Of the same act said lands
were not SO detached aud isolated and
/ only
Third said lands so sold in Har-
is and Liberty counties were worth
from $3.50 TO $500 per acre, all Of which
said w. 4. McGaughey knew or might
have known BY the use Of ordinary dill