New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-01-13
Thirty THOUSAND ACRES.
JOHN =. RILEY SAYS THE STATE LOST
POSSESSION OF MORE THAN THAT
GOVERNOR FLOWER cot INTER- ALLEGATIONS
MADE AGAINST MIR. RILEY.

HE MPLIcATEs CONTROLLER WEMPLE AID
GOVERNOR FLOWER COUNTER ALLEGATIONS
MADE AGAINST MIR. RILEY
Albany Jan le.-"Thc Argus tomorrow will
print the following:
John b. Riley who was removed from the Office
Of civil Service Examiner 10y Governor Flower has
made public a letter. I'm which he brings vcry
serious charges in reference to the sale. redemption
and cancellation of tax sales Of the States hold
ngs OF lands In the Adirondack forests. Mr. Riley
says among other things: since Mr. Flowers cleo
ton Governor. the Controller cancelled the
States title to Township No. -. containing over
300" acres Of lani lying in the heart of the Adj
rondacks and including part OF Upper Saranac
Lake. The loss Of this land to the State the
most serious blow the Adirondack Park project
eyer received
The facts in this matter are that the cancella-
ton OF the States title in the tract known
Township No. =, was made before Governor Flower
was inauguratel The cancellation made by
Controller Wemple. after the usual processes. and
it, His term Of Office had not even BEGUN
uln connection with this canc'llation. D. ; T.
to do with this than you lie was not Governor at
The Upper Saranac Association owned the bottom
tite to this tract for eight or min" years Finally
Wempc for "A cancellation OF the tax sale It,
port In the matter was conceded and no valid OH
iectons to its claim could be- urged, Attorney-
association entitled to have the sale set aside.
and so the Controller gave back the title. The as
ISOLATION paid all the back taxes. with interest NJ
10 per cent so that the state was not defrauded of
Il penny
Mr. Riley said nothing in HIS letter Of the part
he has taken In the matter OF cancellation OF taN
sales state lands and In the REDEMPTION OF lands
sold for taxes. During the time that MI Riley vas
civil Service Examiner and was draN .ng "A salary
from the state he frequently appeared ~ counsel
for those who were seeking to get away the Nalua-
bic forest lands OF the state. and some OF the docu-
ments on file In the Controllers Office seem 10 snow
him principal In these cases. go
"The Argus" then quotes from the reports or the
Forest Commission. showing that canceilatlonS IN
vOlvlnc 6.l69 acres In the upper ana middle SaGaha
region. wer made In 1892. upon the appilcatioh OF
region made In 1882. upon the application %,
This land" says "The Argus "is now owned
one-haf by Smith NJ Weed onequartsr by John
Il. Riley and one-quarter by Martin Van Burrn
Turner. These men who purchass1 2 presumably d
worthless title from the original holder. ana theh
got the land back from the state by Tancenat n,
have not paid one cent Of back taxes Ihey hercB
alleged a flaw In the assessments. ana me taNcS
were asses 'ed back on the town of iiarrctstoWh
Franklin County. The same parties are nov" alter
about 15.WD acres In the same manner on low,
Saranac Lake. This Is all heavily timbered, ana
in the virgin forest and Is among the most valuable
of the States holdings .
"The Argus" also says that at other times MI
Riley has. In like manner. redeemed about 800
acres OF Adirondack lands