Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1907-03-20
Statement by the Man Who Made the Deal for the Pu
ChaSeS as Read Before House InquStOriaI Committee
Which Vainy Sought to Connect Governor Hagerman With
Some Detail Of the ConSlma Which Has Sought to Conn
SHOWS HOW REMOTE WAS
HAGERMANS CONNECTION
Albuquerque Man Makes Clear Statement Of the Case From
Start to Finish, Throwing Some Interesting Light on
Spishod Methods Of Bygone Days in the Administration
of Public Lands Granted to New Mexico Institutions

and prior to 1904 are in our eastern
office, and the same cannot be verl-
fed here.l
On March 2Sth. 1905. We renewed
the last mentioned note by new note
dated March 2Sth, 1905. $4,000. and
paid the interest thereon for four
months at per cent, 5000.
On May Sth, 1905. deeds were eXc-
cuted to the remaining twenty-thrcc
applicants for a total Of 3.637.36 acres
Of the said lands. and the said lands
were retained by the commissioner to
be delivered upon the payment of the
balance of the purchase price due to
the territory.
On July 81, 1905, another renewal
note for $4,000, dated July 3lst 1905,
four months. at 6 per cent interest.
was given TO the commissioner, to re-
new the $4,000 note dated March
2Sth, and at the same time paid the
interest on the new note. S2O0.
ON December I'd. 1905, another re-
neWal note for $4,000 was given to
the commissioner to renew the note
dated July 3lst, ana the interest on
the same was paid January 18th 1906
$500. to April I'd 1906.
on January l6th. 1906. a draft was
SANtil lli' commissioner lOi ANbEslOs
This draft was not presented for paw
ment, and was afterwards included IN
the final settlement, which was made
| on August 9th. 1905, by the paymeut
! dT $til4S.T4, HGiG1iiig 52fGGG intCf.
eat ON The $4,000 note from April "a
to August 27th.
The total payment made 10 the tcr-
ritory of New Mexico on account ot
the purchase price of the said lands
L19I3G acres at So per acre. was
$23,392,0S, the amount OF interest paid
on the deferred payment was SEAL
Sc; or total OF $25.S23.74.
When the last note referred TO
above became due on April I'd. 1906
the commissioner of public lands de-
Clned to accept a renewal note, and
stated that the board of public lands
desired the transaction closed at the
earliest possible date.
About the latter part of July | ad-
Vised Mr. Keen, the commissioner.
that ! was prepared to pay the balance
due on the said lands and secure the
deeds. He stated that | would have to
see the governor and attorney general
about the matter, as there had been
some Investigations made previous To
that time by special agent of the
department of the interior from
Washington. l replied that this was
satisfactory, and that ! would return
in a few days.
| again met Mr.. Keen during the
| early part of August in Albuquerque,
n. NJ, and again informed him that !
was prepared to pay the balance due the
territory. He stated that the governor
was absent from Santa Fe. and thar
| ! would have to wait until he re-
turned, and that he did not want to
close the matter up during the gov
ernOr's absence. as the matter would
have to have his sanction and appro-
val before doing so. After this time
was absent from the territory for a
short time. Upon my return, August
! 27th. 1906, 1 went to the commissioner
office, and Mr.. Keen being absent, took
the matter up with Mr. Sharon, the
| clerk in charge of the office, and Of
fered to pay the balance due the ter
rltory and secure the deeds. Mr. Sha-
/ ron stated that | would have to see
the governor. | then went to the gov
ernor and advised him that / was
! ready to pay the balance due on the
| timber lands and wanted the deeds
that had been left with the commits
sioner of public lands as collateral Sc
curity for the balance due the terri
tory on the purchase price of the said
lands. The governor called in the at
| torney general to consult him about
the matter. He also sent for Mr.. Sha-
ron the commissioner clerk, and
asked him the amount of principal
and interest due, and II the deeds
We're ready for delivery MIR Sharon
stated that the deeds had all been eX-
ecuted and were ready for delivery,
excepting portion of them, II ap-
pearing that in the case of the deeds
dated and executed on the Sth day
Of May, 1905. by the governor of New
Mexico and president of the board OF
public lands thereof and attcsted by
the commissioner of public lands,
did not boar the seal of tho
board Of public lands. The gov
ernor then instructed Mr.. sharon
To bring in the deeds and the seal. ana
2 he attached the seal to the deeds
) which did not contain the same Tho
commissioner Of public lands being
I absent, | asked TO whom | should nay
the balance. and the governor stated
that he would receive the payment on
account Of the territory | then gave
my personal checks, one for $1,000
and another for S1S3.74. In favor OF
) II. J. HagNman, governor of New
Mexico, in payment Of said balance:
and asked him To call IN the Bank
OF Commerce at Albuquerque. n. NJ.
by telephone, and ask them to certify
my checks. which he did The deeds
were then delivered TO me. and ! re-
, turned them to Mr. sharon 10 see Il
they had all been copied IN the record
J book kept In the office of the commits
r sioner of public lands.
Not being able to remain In Santp
{ Fe longer at that time. | gave a writ
r ten order for the said deeds to be DC
: livered, after they had been copied