The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1893-05-11

Ga1ghey was next called to the stand.
| Witness had known w. w. Williams
IA or Is months. Williams got per-
mission to work after Office hours in
copying the field notes in Hall county,
ana the Waterman was instructed to
let him remain. Williams was sworn
as clerk and had no access to the file
room. n. ). Smith also got similar
permission, because the lease books
were used by the clerks during
office hours. He was also under the
supervision of the Waterman, and no
papers were molested by either of
these men. AS to the Jasper
and Newton county lands witness
engaged Kellie ind KGpley the
county surveyors of Jasper and New
ton counties respectively AS Hall class
fled for those two counties when he
first went into Office, Kellie had sur
veyed these lands Tor the parties and
that was why he was paiu SIS per day
by the Beaumont Lumber company.
Witness reclassitied these lands be-
cause he thought it was legal and he
had Alright TO do. He thought it was
in the best interest of the state. He
never saw the false certificate that
was presented to Judge Bramlett.
Did not present it himself and would
not present false certificate under
any circumstances. He signed GER
titicate to the map which was correct
in every particular The dIaughts-
man, MIR. Presler, said the map was
correct. An actual settler who had
bought school land in Liberty county
had applied to the land Office for per-
mission 70 buy the land without set
Element, as the land was not fit for
habitation.gh Witness was informed
that the Harris county lands were
covered with water in some months
and he did not regard them as agri-
cultural lands. He came to this con-
clusion from frequent enquiry. He
did what he thought was to the best
interest OF the state He did not favor
any man in his official duties, but
treated all alike.
Witness asked Boaz about the Hsr-
ris county lands and found out that
iJ was hardly fit for habltati0n. Did
not conspire With DeCordova, Boaz
or anybody else, and did not
know that they had bought any
land. He put great confidence
in his clerks and felt like father to
them all The mining stock was given
Son John without his knowledge or
consent, aud he did not know whether
IL MAS worth anything or not. Wit
ness remem bered talking with Roche
. and Baylor about the Liberty county
sales. They said something about al,
investigation, and he replied that he.
: courted it. That he had done
: nothing that he was ashamed Of
, Harris asked witness if il were wrong
for his father in law to buy school
lands, and witness replied that there
was no law 70 prevent II. Witness
did not know Of the sale to Dutfield
!. until after they were made. These
purchasers got no favors over other
people 30 far as the land office Is con
; cerned
/ REORGANIZATION Only In rare
N cases are parties permitted to remain
!, in the office after office hours. Had
known Williams for some time and
% Smith brought letter of introduction
Q from Mr.. Dougherty, friend OF the
o witness. Kellie and Kotley applied
10 him for the position of classifiers
q Hhe reclassfication was made upoI
he statement of Kellie, not undeI
ohth INOlllo w NO pbl O'
to reclassify the lands 50 that they
# would sell, DIS tho worms had destroy
ed much of the timber. Didn't re
It member the reductions made on these
g lands. He revalued and sold these
II lands the same day. Did not give
q any opportunity for competition or
y these lands, because he was not re-
g quired to do SO.
r Witness had formerly held that the
d Harris county lands could be sold only
= to actual settlers, Didn't remember
d 20 have said that he did not know OF
Q the sales until three weeks after they
q were made. His son John and the
t clerks advised him not to put the
@ lands on sale Ee did remember that
a he said that il he had known that his
d clerks had dabbled in the public land
0 he would have cancelled the sales and
turned the clerks out. He did not
! now think that the clerks had done
Y anything wrong. He sold the Liberty
s county lands as detached sections.
j Here witness was shown a map OF
Liberty and Chambers counties and
o requested to count the sections of
1 school lands. At first he declined tn
t count them, but then assented and
t the question was not insisted upon.
/, Before the state had finished with the
3 crossexamlnation the court adjourned.