, 1859-02-11
0CR SPRINGFIELD CORRESPONDENCE.

oER sPRiNGF1ELD CORRESPONDENCE.
Further about tho the Great Fraud
change In the school LaW-Gbs L. 4.
VIII t10lu In tho e8ou>e-.ApPr1RrtAs
t1ona for the Insane Asylum and Fen"
1tent1Asy.
Correspondence Of the Prem and Tdhu-e1
es11sa11rln. Feb. 9. 1s5e.
The Committee Of Investigation rnet last even.
ing to hear further testimony in relation to the
Great Fraud. But few new facts, however,
we're disclosed.
Gen. ". F. TuoRsrox, President OF the Canal
Board from 1886 to l84l, said that be had the
general supervision Of canal affairs that be was
familiar with the details Of his du-
lies; that his whols time wsa devoted to them
that he took care 70 verify the reports Of the
the other and subordinate othcers; that ths
checks before him ware once paid By the Bank;
that they were sent back from the Canal office
to tho Bank tor safe keeping; that he did not
remember how or in what they were packed.
L. J. GALLOWAY, Of Chicago. Clerk Of the
State Trustee from ~ to Isl, testified that,
while in the office, there were there two boxes
sealed with Wax and red tape; there were also
two bundles tied with tape; the latter we're in
the safe; he understood at the time that the
boxes contained redeemed canal Indebtedness;
did not know what the bundles contained; had
never seen the boxes since he left.
JOEL MAxx1Sa, Auditor Of Canal Accounts,
recalled and submitted statement Of the issue
and redemption OF The checks Of May and Au-
gust Of 1889. by which the official reports here
totore alluded to were verified; IS, 600 of checks,
in sheets authorized by the Board, were never
issued, but we're burned, without having been
in circulation.
DAVID STUART, Esq, attorney for Matteson,
here complained of statement in the newspa-
pess that Mr. McRoRERrs had gone away. He
Wished it understood that he had gone BY no
agency Of theirs; that they des1ed his pres
ence, and that they could not continue the ID
yeshgation without him, AZ be MAS an important
wituess to fill link in the chain of testimony.
Gen. FRx said that when he went to Joliet and
Chicago for the purposes OF summoning wit
nesses and examining the State Trustees books,
be did not zee Ar. NcRobests. Expected to see
him at Joliet On his return from Chicago; but
when there On his wsy back, was informed that
be had left for Washington.
. This briefly rented, Was all the testimony
elected during the sitting of the Committee
What there may be behind, do not know hut
it ia understood that the Committee will proceed
with their work, and soon make q report to the
Senate Of all the facts developed.
OF ono thing, i need, in justice to Gov. Matte
son, to speak. The fact that the bonds Issued
for the stolen checks were made out in the names
OF unknown and uuheasd of parties, while they
we're the property Of Matteson, at first glance
would seen to be IN item Of evidence under
which guilt is concealed. 1t is shown that the
Governor has never had any indebtedness Of
has chosen to conduct his operations under m
al;a* il not explained; but it is probably frenk
for which he could not himself account. Auoth-
er fact Of great Significance inst been brought
to light In the testimony Of III. Manning, hs
spoke of come checks that were signed in blank,
hut never Issued; theae we're Of the August is
sue Of 1888; not the May issue referred to above
in the abstract Of his evidence, of which 81, 900
vera burned mart of the Au1ust check.
have turned IN in one of the bundles funded ::
these are signed by the Commissioners and
Treasurer, but not EUfd up Nth tie name of tie
oayer. not trimmed at khs ends q, ali the oth.r.
nr-. Int t,i1dt and nso n,,p6<a fy6t fro,a }be
press. They are Numbered consfcutipely from,
,ou Am IN so1-ora hundred a,d ora .s..t. -
%1no ss,h or &,o Inn ~ Al, T,av h.r. ~.
na;d tor ;n+arsat fron, Aror.+ 1ea. odaad ~
so,3 s,d 1,t;n,;. .an+, -,;uh h.t.,.
than oold. The,a ara a mart of tba naoo,;,h1.
nsnar n,rcba,ed bv tho axGovo-no-. +har ~,
be mt in the same Category with tbe tbirtv
check. hearing snec;a, enhancement :, w. :,
Brown. Thin fact has mt vet heen deve,oned
in evidence before the committee: but having
seen md counted the checks. thera is M reason
why it should not be stated.
The House was in session last erenino thu
School Law being under discussion. .eri.s
of amendments tn the exl,t;oo law had hsa,
prepared by Mr. Bnteman. the Eunerio.endent
Of Public Instruction, IN copianctlou with the
Committee On Education: and they wera pener.
ally adopted, The most IMPORTANT of tbeee waa
one changing the basis of The distribution of the
school fund, and another limiting the amount o.
taxation imposed BY local ciIicers for schoo,
purposes. As you will, uudou5t lind them
in your more minute report Of Legislative pro.
ceedings, omit details which might not be cor.
rect as have not the amendments before me.
This action Of the House settles its policy in
regard to education. The friends Of the Free
Schools may be insured that the system which
they have elaborated with 80 much labor
and care, and which has been put into operation
in the face Of such violent and protracted oppo.
sition, will not be materially weakened at anv
rate. during this session.
During thig forenoon the Laavit4 claim, b.,
been under discussion. or rather the reao,r.
tiona amended to the renort Of the conni,tes
that has had the claim in their tesnino Tho
object Of the first resolution was to exnre,, tbs
dissent Of the Hou,a from III, on;n;or ,f ~.
State Trustee. and to cen,pre hi. ,ct;on a, M.
-i,.. md tha otharzo, ~ ,;ra x;,;,n ra-..,-
En- oftb;, c;+v a Ion INV ao;no :. u.....sss
.a,t. ., ,-,,a,,.. ~. a.n;.-. II. ,~:.s
latter is the objec. of the vhols proceeding
animated. but oood humored. Mr. Rav ro,
.of..,L-, -.
s0As1'1''5 aAe AMY oe'eaaea W h'e 't'eoo' On
,