St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1915-07-24

ELEEH~=
(Q) "A. It is a fact that
Thomas J. Duggan or William
J.. Hennessey were informed of
various steps taken by you as
Register, to have the Sabine
Island lands approved to the
State thus acquainting them
with facts which would assist
them in prosecuting their eff
forts to get possession of the
Sabine Islands?. / am perfect
" sure that [ did not keep
Duggan or Hennessey inform
ed of the steps that / was taxi
ing with reference to having
the Sabine Islands approved
to the State of Louisiana, and
I am perfectly sure that lie
DugganWhit or anyone else
asked me as to what progress
was being made, that ! gave
them the exact status Of At
fairs as they existed; and I
desire to state too. in This con-
necton, that since T have been
Register Of the Land Office
there have been no secrets with
references To the entries of
lands the applications to entar
the same or the applications to
have same approved To the State
The Records of the Land Office
have been open to the public
and no one can say that lie las
been refused any and all IN
formation In my possession
with reference to any lands
where inquiry was made.
(Q) %. It is d fact as al
legged Oh information and be-
lief before this Commission,
that following d conference.-the
tween you and Thomas j. Dug
gan and William i. Hennassey,
or one of them at which was
discussed the fact chat news
paper representatives were IN
curing into the Sabine Island
land matter, you Immediately
took steps, about June S or 6
1915 to have Governor Hall
rush theState claim to these
lands through To- patenta
ca 25. IT is not.
lQ) 26. IS it a fact, IS
alleged on information and be-
lief before this Commission.
that you, onor about June
1915, beingfearful that Cover
nor Hall might delay filling
q formal application with tl1e
interior Department at Wash
lngton for patents to these
lands, yourself directed such
an application To the interior
Department
ca rs. Il was not fear
ful that Governor Hall might
delay filing q formal appIi
cation; & stated, but I did
think that owing to the rush
of work at the close Of fha
extra session of the LegisIa
ture, he might be too busy to
give the matter any attention.
st IS entirely proper for my or
flce to file applications direct
with the Department of the In
terror and my application for
patents to the Sabine Islands
and other lands submitted Cd
the Governors private Sec
etary with the suggestion that
letter from the Governor
along similar lines follows.
(Q) ~. Is il q fact, a
alleged on information and
belief before this Commission.
that on the morning of June
l3, 1915, same being Sunday
in the State Land Office at
Baton Rouge, you had q secret
conference with r.. Nc. White
OF New Orleans and Thomas
4. Duggan Or one of them re-
speeding the investigation
which was being made con
corning the Sabine Islands and
the passage Of Act 283 Of 1911
under which both Duggar and
White are beneficiariss
al 27. # IS not.
(Ql %. Who, besides Il.
White, was present at that
conference, Il such conference
was held on on that date
(A) %. As stated there
was no such conference be-
r. ia. White and myself.
such as is minated III the
questions proponded. MI.
White did call at the Land Of
flee and my talk with him was
ID the presence Of Mr.. r. Il.
a clerk in the Land
Office, who teIephoned me that
Mr.. White was at theoffice and
wanted to see me. Mr.. While
called at my office frequently
and there was nothing unusual
in his calling there on Sunday,
/ did not know that he was
coming and was not expecting
him.
(Q) 20. AT that alleged
conference on June 13 or at