Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1856-10-11
Investigation of State Affairs.
REPORT,

Powers, Gen. VIM. r. Smith and Mr.
Kuehn, that illusions are made to GER
tain letter written by some one in New
York to Mr.. Besley in relation to School
Land Certificates. This letter was found
in a desk in the School Land Office, and
was placed in the possession of Mr. Pow
ers, for the use of Committee, by Gen.
Smith, as will be seen by his testimony
But Mr.. Powers, unfortunately, permitted
Mr.. Besley to take the letter after it was
deposited with him. Mr. Kuehn thought
that Mr.. Jansen took copy of it, but Mr..
Jansen says it was another letter which
he copied.
The Committee could not, therefore a.
vail mselyes of the information which
this letter would have afforded them in re-
lation to the illegal issue of certificates, ex-
cept as they could gather its contents from
those who bad read it. 1t seems from the
testimony of Den. VIM. r. Smith that the
letter was addressed to Mr. Besley from
some one in New York upon the subject
of School Land Certificates. That the
general purport of the letter was that
there was some organized club or company
for the purpose of entering school lands or
purchasing certificates, in order to sell the
same again in New York, or elsewhere,
and that the writer was an operator for the.
company or club, and that some person
under distinguished name in the letter
was II New York, and that another person
under distinguished name was either in
Madison, Or was expected to come from
Madison to New York. An indication
was also given that certificates should be
sent on, as it was good time to operate.
If the testimony of Mr.. Jansen that the
money due on great deal of land was
never paid-which is also found to be the
fact by an investigation Of the books of the
Treasurer, and that the other Commission
ers. a1d the Clerks in the School Land Of
hce zee interested in the purchasing of
these lands, and the testimony of Mr.. Frary
that Chas. ]. Kane & Co., of New York,
were agents for the sale of school and uni
yersity land certificates, and that certif
icates was sent to them for sa.e and also
the testimony Of Mr.. Seaver that many
certificates, after being signed by the Com
missioner, and filed out by the clerks,
were put into market and "sold like any
other property" and some Of them sent to
New York, be considered in connection
with this letter, and with the fact that ey-
cry facility was offered by the Commission
ers to clerks and others to enter land, fill
out the certificates and take them from
the Office without payment, and that Bes-
ley was frequently absent in New York, it
does not leave room to doubt that an ex-
tensive business has been carried on, under
the eyes of the Commissioners, between
the school land offie and some well organ
lied association outside, in disposing of
school land certificates, resulting in the loss
of the school fund Of this State of large
amount of money.
It but Justice to Mr.. Jansen to say
that according to the evidence of Mr.. Hab-
ich, who was clerk in the Treasurer's Of
fee, during Mr.. Janssen's incumbency, he
was absen; from Madison for a long time,
called; called home and detained there by severe
and prolonged sickness In bis family, leav-
ing the business of the treasury In charge
of Mr.. Daniel Seaver, the assistant in the
office. And it appears, moreover, that
when Mr.. Jansen was at Madison, he was
seldom or never consulted by the other
two commissioners, Messrs. Smith and
GRAY. in relation to the affairs of the school
land office; but the latter consulted to-
gether. and took the sole management of
matters upon themselves. 1t is true that
this does not relieve Mr.. Jansen of his le-
gal responsibility, or excuse him for not
asserting the prerogatives of his Office, the
proper and legitimate exercise Of which
might have proved barrier TO these enor-
nous frauds, or for the want of that care,
prudence and discretion which the respon-
sibility of bis Office imposed upon him
The fact alone, that he permitted Mr.. Sea-
yer to take charge Of the business Of the
treasury department, without giving any
bond for the faithful discharge Of the du-
ties of bis Office, is a proof Of gross and IN
excusable negligence. This however
affords no excuse to the other commission
ers for taking advantage Of Mr.. Janssens
misplaced confidence in Mr. Seayer.
Mr.. Jansen says that he was absent
when the Attorney General and Secretary
Of State made the arrangement to have
Mr.. Besley draw money from the treasury
for the payment Of the clerks, and that the
arrangement was made with Mr.. Seaver.
Tbe commissioners had no more right to
make such an arrangement than any other
individual would have had. No appropri-
ations had been made by the Legislature
for the paw of the clerks, and if the COM
-nissioners could draw without authority,
eiobt thousand dollars from the treasury
for one purpose, they could in the same
way draw one hundred thousand for an
other. For this amount Mr.. Jansen Is IL
able. and it will be for the Legislature to
saw what course shall be pursued IN rela-
ton to it. This amount is eight thousand
six hundred and twenty-eight and 7o-loo
dollars.
Mr.. Frary in his examination, admitted
that while !: clerk in the office, he entered
large quantity of school land with the
nerrnissi6n of the Commissioners, and says
Messrs. Besley and Byrne did the same.
He saws, moreover, Lat the Commission
ers knew that he was doing 50 from the