PREFERRED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AGAINST HIM, FOR

CORRUPT CONDUCT IN OFFICE, CRIMES AND MISDEMEANORS.

LANSING: W. S. GEORGE & CO., STATE PRINTERS AND BINDERS.

1872.

G. F. HITCHCOCK AND

HENRY F. WALCH,

Official Reporters.

TESTIMONY OF S. C. ALDERMAN.

S.C. Alderman, a witness, produced, sworn, and examined on the part and behalf of the House of Representatives, testified as follows:

Examined by Mr. Manager Grosvenor:
Question. Where do you reside?
Answer. In the village of Ionia.
Q. How long have you resided there?
A. About twenty-five years.
Q. What is your principal business and occupation ?

A. Land surveyor, civil engineer, land selector, and dealer in lands.

Q. State whether you ever made an application for land on section 16,--school lands--town 24 north, range 3 west ?

A. Yes, sir.
Q. Two fractions, 5 and 6, lying upon the lake?
A. Yes, sir. I didn't make any written application.
Q. Did you apply for them?
A. Yes, sir
Q. When?
A. It was about the last of December, 1871.
Q. About the last ?
A. Yes, sir; near the last.

Q. State what you said and did at the office, with reference to purchasing those lands.

A. I asked Mr. Robinson if I could have those lands a quarter down? He said I could have them at a quarter down, if I would make an affidavit that they were not valuable for timber.

Q. Did he give you the form of an affidavit ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Have you that form with you?
A. I may have it with me.

Q. Just look and see whether you have it in your memorandum. [Witness produces an affidavit.]

Q. Was it a printed form ?
A. Yes, sir.
Q. Why didn't you make the affidavit?
A. I could not make it conscientiously.

Q. What was the character of that land ? Has it pine or valuable timber upon it?

A. Part of it is pine.

Q. Did you have any talk, at that time, with Mr. Barnard about it?

A. No, sir.
Q. This was with Mr. Robinson, was it?
A. Yes, sir.

Mr. Manager Grosvenor-We offer this affidavit to show the rule of the office,—this printed form with the instructions at the bottom.

The following is the printed affidavit referred to:

SS.

[EXHIBIT HH.] STATE OF MICHIGAN,

County of

and — of the township of - in said county, being duly sworn, depose and say, that they are well acquainted with the following described land, to wit: — in the county of

and State of Michigan, and know that the same is valuable mainly for agricultural purposes. And deponents further say that the timber standing and growing on said land is not pine, cedar, or hemlock, making said land valuable for lumber purposes, but that the timber growing thereon is principally

day of

Subscribed and sworn to before me, this A. D. 184,

NOTE.-This affidavit to be made by the supervisor of the township, or by two responsible persons, residents of the town in which the land is situated.

Q. What did you do then ?
A. I went to Saginaw.