Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-04-18
THE ALLEGATIONS IN DETAIL.
The Names Of Purchasers Are All Given
and the Dates.
A New Feature in one OF the Articles
Charging that the Commissioners
Made False Entry on one
of the Papers In His

WAEp u H~ elchment IN the case OF
Lano %, Toner McGaughey were
lfid be, Ae House today by the spe
cial comb ,ttee appointed for that pur
pose.
With appropriate solenintY the Senate
was this morning sworn in as court
of impeachment to try the case OF
the commissioner. impeached by the
House Of crimes and misdemeanors In
office and for violation Of the consttu.
ton aud laws Of the state Of Texas and
of the duties Of his Office.
The articles Of impeachment are TWEEN.
ty-fye in number.
Article one sets forth that w. L. Nc
Gaughey, commissioner Of the general
land Office of the State Of Texas, I'M
mindful Of the duties Of his office and in
violation Of his oath Of Office did, on the
14th day Of October, A. ID. 1892, and on
divers days thereafter up to and includ
ing the 18th day of December, A. d.
1892, In the county of Travis, State of
Texas, as commissioner of the general
land office, unlawfully, knowingly and
in violation OF the laws of the State
regulating the sale Of public free school
lands offer for sale and sell to tho
persons who were not then and there
actual settlers on such lands, thirty-oue
sections Of block Of the Houston and
Texas Central railroad location, which
sections were not then aud there under
the law subject TO sale to others than
TO actual settlers as said w. l.. Nc
Gaughey well knew, and the said w. l..
McGabghey was then and there, as afore-
said, guilty Of gross misconduct in office
and of willful and palpable violation
Of the laws.
Article two sets forth the fact that
the commissioner put the lands In ques-
ton on the market as detached and
isolated" when in fact they were not.
Article names the purchasers of these
lands: @. ID. Dillon, f. NJ. Beatty, H. r.
Mclean, w. Thompson, II. p. McLaugh-
lin, $. D. DcCordoya, L. Q. Stafford,
David Boaz, r. f. Taylor +. NJ. Quincy
Article 4 states that the commissioner
unlawfully and knowingly made similar
sales on other occasions 30 the same
parties quoted above.
Article states that these lands were
sold at 81 per acre, price much below
their value which is quoted at 80 per
acre.
Article 6 sets forth the fact that the
land in question were sold without first
giving the county clerk of Harris county
written notice of the valuation fixed upon
each section of land.
Article sets up that he did unlawfully
and corruptly collude with David Boaz,
10. II. Mclean, II. M. Beatty, $. ID.
DeCordova. II, Il. Taylor and others
Dec. rs, '92, for the unlawful purpose
of enabling them to purchase the said
sections Of public free school lands in
Harris county, described in the forego-
ing articles in violation of the spirit and
the intent Of the law and at greatly
less than their value and TO give them
an unfeir advantage over the other citi-
Gems Of the state and especially over
citizens residing in the vicinity of said
lands.
Article s states that the commissioner
obstinately. wilfully and Illegally refused
TO call upon the Encouragement for adj
vice as to whether or not the lands in
question were subject 60 sale TO others
than actual settlers. and did wilfully and
grossly misconstrue the law on the sub
ject.
Article cites similar wilful and
Illegal disposition Of fifteen sections Of
similar land in liberty county.
Article 10 quotes the violation Of law
as In the former case.
Article IL names the purchasers of the
Liberty county lands: ID. Boaz, 10. Frieden
haus. d. Adriance. w, Il. simmons b.
M. Carroll, j. Il. Collett, A. Schwartz,
ID. ]. Lawless, ]. Nj. Carter.
Article II shows the error of the COM
missioner in putting on the market and
selling the Liberty county lands as $50
lated and detached from other public
lands, when in fact they were not, a
fact, the article states, then and there
well known to him"
Article 10 shows that these lands worth
So per acre We're sold for So
Article il shows the violation Of law
IN selling the Liberty county lands "a
others than actual settlers.
Article Is sets up the fact that the
commissioner was in unlawful and cor
rupt collusion with David Boaz, %
Frledenhaus and others in these pur
ohases," charging that he made the
offer Of the lands at he low prices h
did without first giving the notice %
the county clerk Of Liberty as required
by law, that citizens residing IN th'
vicinity of the land might have a chance
to buy II, and having offered It, sold 4
Immediately TO the parties above quoted
Article 10 cites the wilful illegal an'
obstinate refusal Of the commissioner (
get the advice Of the Attorney-Genera
as 70 the law regarding the Lbert
county lands, the date Of said retusa
being given as Jan. 0, 1893, and th'
law misconstrued by him being sector
90 ohoreap 90 acts of the Twentieth