Testimony taken by the Committee on Indian Affairs

Testimony taken by the Committee on Indian Affairs - 1885

Testimony taken by the Committee on Indian Affairs 1885
M. M. PARKER. Washington, D. C., January 24, 1885. M. M. PARKER sworn and examined. By the Chairman : Question. What is your full name, Mr. Parker?—Answer. M. M. Parker. Q. Where do you reside?—A. I reside in Washington City. Q. How long have you resided here—A. For twenty-one years. Q. What business have you been engaged in?—A. A portion of the time I have been in the Government service. Q. What are you engaged in at present?—A. I am at present engaged in the real estate business; I am a real estate broker. Q. In what branch of the Government service were you?—A. I was in the War Department for fifteen years, and also have been assistant post master. Q. Do you mean of this city?—A. Yes, sir. Q. Is that the only Government service you have been in?—A. Yes, sir; since the war. Q. Are you a partner of Mr. Townsend, who testified yesterday?—A. Yes, sir; I am his partner in the real estate business here in this city. Q. Are you interested in his lease of the Iowa lands in the Indian Territory?—A. Not directly, sir. Q. Do you consider yourself as a partner in that business?—A. No, sir. Q. Who else is interested in it, that you know of, beside Mr. Townsend?—A. Well, sir, a gentleman in Colorado, one in Kansas, and one in this city, are interested with him. Q. Give their names, please.—A. Well, there is Mr. Hadley. By Mr. Harrison: Q. Is he from Colorado?—A. No, sir. Q. Where does he live?—A. He is cashier of the National Bank of Lawrence, Kans. Then there is Henry W. Lake. By the Chairman : Q. Where does he live?—A. He lives at Leadville, Colo. Q. Who is the gentleman in this city?—A. James A. Bates. Q. Is there any one else you know of?—A. No, sir. By Mr. Harrison : Q. Who is Mr. Bares?—A. He is on the retired list of the Army. Q. When did your business connection with Mr. Townsend commence in this city?—A. In April, 1883. Q. You have no direct interest in this lease?—A. No, sir. Q. Did you have at the time it was made ?—A. No, sir. Q. When was it made?—A. In 1884—some time in the summer of 1884. Q. Did you in June, 1883, receive any telegram from Mr. Townsend?—A. I think I received a telegram at that time. Q. Have you any memory as to its contents?—A. I remember I received one from him asking me to see the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in relation to signing a lease, then in contemplation, with the Sac and Fox Indians. Q. About what time was that?—A. Well, I could not remember the exact time, but it was in 1883. Q. It was in 1883, was it?—A. Yes, sir; I think it was in 1883. By the Chairman : Q. What part of the year?—A. In the early summer; but I could not really recollect the date, but some time in the summer. I have not thought of it since. [Chairman hands him telegram of June 27, 1883.] The Witness. Yes; I received the telegram of which this purports to be a copy, and about the time it bears date, I should think. Q What did you do when you received it?—A. I went to the Commissioner of Indian affairs. Q. The same day?—A. Yes, sir; I should say the very same day. Q. What did you say to the Commissioner?—A. I handed him the telegram of Mr. Townsend. Q. This telegram you hold in your handl—A. A telegram of which this purports to be a copy. Q. Did you say anything else to him in reference to it?—A. I just told him I had received that telegram. Q. And what-reply did he make?—A. He read it and handed it back, with the words, I think, that he had no objection. Q. Was anything else said?—A. Very little else was said. Q. Did you have any interviews with him after that?—A. I do not remember that I did. Q. Have you any reason to think that you did have any?—A. No, sir. Q. That is the extent of your conversation with the Commissioner on the subject?—A. Yes, sir. Return To Testimony Index.
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Testimony taken by the Committee on Indian Affairs
1885

M. M. PARKER.

Washington, D. C., January 24, 1885.

M. M. PARKER sworn and examined.
By the Chairman :
Question. What is your full name, Mr. Parker?—Answer. M. M. Parker.
Q. Where do you reside?—A. I reside in Washington City.
Q. How long have you resided here—A. For twenty-one years.
Q. What business have you been engaged in?—A. A portion of the time I have been in the Government service.
Q. What are you engaged in at present?—A. I am at present engaged in the real estate business; I am a real estate broker.
Q. In what branch of the Government service were you?—A. I was in the War Department for fifteen years, and also have been assistant post master.
Q. Do you mean of this city?—A. Yes, sir.
Q. Is that the only Government service you have been in?—A. Yes, sir; since the war.
Q. Are you a partner of Mr. Townsend, who testified yesterday?—A. Yes, sir; I am his partner in the real estate business here in this city.
Q. Are you interested in his lease of the Iowa lands in the Indian Territory?—A. Not directly, sir.
Q. Do you consider yourself as a partner in that business?—A. No, sir.
Q. Who else is interested in it, that you know of, beside Mr. Townsend?—A. Well, sir, a gentleman in Colorado, one in Kansas, and one in this city, are interested with him.
Q. Give their names, please.—A. Well, there is Mr. Hadley.

By Mr. Harrison:

Q. Is he from Colorado?—A. No, sir.
Q. Where does he live?—A. He is cashier of the National Bank of Lawrence, Kans. Then there is Henry W. Lake.
By the Chairman :
Q. Where does he live?—A. He lives at Leadville, Colo.
Q. Who is the gentleman in this city?—A. James A. Bates.
Q. Is there any one else you know of?—A. No, sir.

By Mr. Harrison :

Q. Who is Mr. Bares?—A. He is on the retired list of the Army.
Q. When did your business connection with Mr. Townsend commence in this city?—A. In April, 1883.
Q. You have no direct interest in this lease?—A. No, sir.
Q. Did you have at the time it was made ?—A. No, sir.
Q. When was it made?—A. In 1884—some time in the summer of 1884.
Q. Did you in June, 1883, receive any telegram from Mr. Townsend?—A. I think I received a telegram at that time.
Q. Have you any memory as to its contents?—A. I remember I received one from him asking me to see the Commissioner of Indian Affairs in relation to signing a lease, then in contemplation, with the Sac and Fox Indians.
Q. About what time was that?—A. Well, I could not remember the exact time, but it was in 1883.
Q. It was in 1883, was it?—A. Yes, sir; I think it was in 1883.

By the Chairman :

Q. What part of the year?—A. In the early summer; but I could not really recollect the date, but some time in the summer. I have not thought of it since. [Chairman hands him telegram of June 27, 1883.]
The Witness. Yes; I received the telegram of which this purports to be a copy, and about the time it bears date, I should think.
Q What did you do when you received it?—A. I went to the Commissioner of Indian affairs.
Q. The same day?—A. Yes, sir; I should say the very same day.
Q. What did you say to the Commissioner?—A. I handed him the telegram of Mr. Townsend.
Q. This telegram you hold in your handl—A. A telegram of which this purports to be a copy.
Q. Did you say anything else to him in reference to it?—A. I just told him I had received that telegram.
Q. And what-reply did he make?—A. He read it and handed it back, with the words, I think, that he had no objection.
Q. Was anything else said?—A. Very little else was said.
Q. Did you have any interviews with him after that?—A. I do not remember that I did.
Q. Have you any reason to think that you did have any?—A. No, sir.
Q. That is the extent of your conversation with the Commissioner on the subject?—A. Yes, sir.

Return To Testimony Index.

This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated without consent.
All rights reserved. Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited.
The copyright (s) on this page must appear on all copied and/or printed material.
© 2024 by C.S.L.S.A. Site Coordinator