, 1859-06-24
THE CASE OF EX-GOVERNOR
MATTESQN.


tie completely Of Ex-Governor Joel A. Matte
: u in the Canal Check Fraud By which the
s;:,le llas lost S223. 3.o0D. The full and concise
'.;'"r> -! our Springfield correspondent printed
!a~t ~i'lter when the fraud was first brought
i" ':c1,t cuvrc every material fact in tic testi-
l:'"y before us. Tie Minority Report from
IL" Investigating Committee presented to tho
se..a:e by Mr.. Marshall Of Coles, published nj
'e::s1:i in Oil! columns soon after it was read
"a '::, Legislature. added pothing to what our
correspondent laid before tile rublic: b,1t it
ei':::.-nl"d his correctness in every, even the
H.; sn'Es,:e, particular. This testimony is
80" another confirmation, aud We give it ta
":- Tc;,iers because Of its legal character and
;:''tr"sta it c::cles Ill tina! has hpe1l said be-
~. Blu! the public have not needed this last
:-'. IF t!e correctness Of their suspicious
t.: sa';r., points il. the line Of facts were
W.. understood mouths aco They learned
::,':l GET ample columns and through our en-
:v::'v.sc, Tia. the Canal checks So frequently
r,:s-.ed 10, We're issued Ill May aad August =
ls.i: tia; they were paid ut the Chicago
H.a;.sh q: the State Dauk; that those uf the
tis:.o:n:ua,irns ii $50 and 800 were not cali
ct'.:e":. III! were put aside and counted as cash:
Tia: When they accumulated III large sums at
;!:e Blnii, they were delivered TO some auts
i;:ci officer Of the Canal Board, wiz ,,ror o,,,
i::-a check for the amount ,,,,ro,dorad. ,,,.,
,'> ',''>~,'' 4us $3lj-aI paid and
~ '''o lanai Office that. ty order
'' l.. they were there accurately
by General Fry and Mr. Manning
~'' Al, Inventory Of them was taken and pre-
served; i.,;1. they were securely packed in Il
So: wooden h,x, which was nailed IN. cnvel-
e'i's] with t.!r. aud sealed with WAX and III"
c:li":a seal Of the Board /: that the box WAS
sr:t back 10 the Bauk as i special deposit:
ta:.: remained III the keeping Of the Bank I'LL
Ii sent for l.y Col. Oakley, Canal Trustee, in
lsis "r 1919: thnt i, was conveyed 10 the ca
,::.l u!'icr 'l'cn III Chicago: that it remained
TIRE Until / s53, when Josiah McRoberts Was
"..no:u:cl State Trustee ly Gov. Matteson:
Sat- ,v tac order Of .he Governor. all the in
'!.:I,:eincss il the Office was packed for trans
:...ss:oa ,ti4v Stale Department: thai at tho
,::ilc this packing was done by Mclsobcrts aud
k.>:."e. tic bax spoken Of was thc.c
viii. It's seals nl,roken; that it WIS
',t","i and is contents. uucancc!lcd: werc.
W., u:ne- evidences Of Indebtedness, r.
I'i.n-i in 4 trunk and Il sloe-bnx: thai they
Nar:~Ss'.l: >pri,ys.ll." and hy McRov'.,~
;.;:s.E !. were delivered 10 said Mattcso,i
i: April. ISIS; that in January, 1857.
Nn:,'~'':s ln- tl:cl1 III office. $4,000 Of tle$c
c;r'':.: were funded in Ills office 'y Ills clerk:
e.. G,ver,4or w.'s e-edi:io Fund Commissioner
t.ai on tue 9Th u February to 18th Of Marci!
Thereafter enough additional checks 10 swell
;'.r total amount to 100000 were funded c.r
N ,!:"<.:l y the SAME clerk tlIen retained h.
G,v. n:s:!. WHO is.l neau,inle 1,ceu it.:4tl.s,-
-''"l: That l1ail: f,,r the various SUMS pre-
.:'.s ware ;ssll,.d in the names Of certain ILL.,
X: W.. aaI i.i't!ical pcrsuu:.gcs: though Wien
G--ici were delivered t. Coy. Hltteson him
sci; ti.al 5:'t,01 oF tic 1,onds were in tn.
i.a'.is ii til Auditor :s security fer the iss>
q. IL: Sat" Baak ot Illinois 1T Sllawncctuwn.
,'w:;sl y: Nar,r-on. They also learned 1f,
81 oi!l"7 ~ day cAtcas were presented a'i
i..:.ir'I ii;,, sla o1lcr were k,,uw;1 by any IF
,!l. witnesses to he in circulation: that ali ;.r
q. Inc S1ate employed il! lS4s to lunt nut aud
Ley II; SAT" Indebtedness never saw one since
l-i9: tia: aa4,nE the checks funded we:..
1:.:r'; having spccia! Endorsements to ". II
Gr.'wn. Cashier. cn their lacks wllicl. had mt
''ra rae:idor!d Dy lin; that there l05 Others
Ics:':.:iy signed but un1rimlncd and unfillc.l
VIII: lle 1.Anlc IF the l'aye"-
I!r. testimony of witic|, the ab:rc is i sun-
ria~,:, need n'a hare been printed al length To
,n"vilce any i:lir-mindpd n.an that the case:
aga:!~. Ma,tesnn was iarlr made OH, and that
upn.l :m rested tl;'. task II exculpatini, if l1c
Lad rstr:sc or explanation toof1rr. We do net
HOW present it 10 deepen the feeling agarls:
:.!Ea. That is unnecessary. His silence, un-
der 1!!t itstraiots which have hccn cast upon
lin; Ia. lame and imp,tcnt attempts Of his
flead> 10 find excuse tnr him. the invilablr
II. an,.,,>s o! tho cudcAvnr to fasten the crm,
npon - lead n.,,l: thn doubling AMI hc$it:-
t:ol w:.its lily bccone iuuotv'lcc; the fact tht;
no ,.hrsr ::sn could l,c l;,rlud wlo lad ever
purchased any of these checks: that portion
q them inrc special Endorsement, and thu
another PARTON we're untrimmed. not filled W
witt the 'aa:r 'l the paycc. and had never
;'e*a lat i'll .;;T"slation-rapcr which M hus:
EcSs u,'n wu'1:d lave ever thought q! rurslEls
lnc--:ll ,hss,: have fixed upou lin tie n.c,>-
IT. f,r IN explanation which In. has Hot yet
'l';-.aci tn give. We pass Ma,tcson ty. Hi
cas- i 'l-ca';r decided. We ,urn to the l'r'~
s'tsi:s':s o t:ar i':.nd Jury which Oh the 1cs
':"1,y presented refused to indi,t
We d,;:',: # ,l:t annals Of jarispr,.dcue.
tonta:n ;T parallel 10 tic action Of this Gr:.,ld
Jury as disclosed hy i1s own official version q.
lts proceedings. III tile .u5tsct, the vacancies
IN :he jury we:.' filled hv the Cour, from the
C"a-;- as requested by the .Ttry; Which ae-
1:l'l # the Court has peculiar significance.
wA':n taken il, connection with tn fact that
"E the seven added iurors six voted steadily
a.::tI,4s; an Indictment. Willie thc seventh
c;.1t-.c: Is ,n;o ,,n the second formal 1allot.
IL isc nc::, Place wc tis.d tile lawyers Of Gu,,
Aa:s9s II, Trough the Prosecuting Attorney.
attempting +" Interfere with the action of tlu.
Ia!v, and that too. without rcblkc from tbc
C".:r. cit!lcs 1T the tmc or after tic fact lad
h. come notorious. What shall I've said If these
.:.Es? Are orr courts of justice 10 he
~haiuc!ess,y suby,rtcd from iii .;r original in.
zen: n l"o mrls' the Safeguard and protector
II men implicated III high Grim and mistlc-
::'cano:s? Arc these unusual COURSES and un.
war5aut,hle influences evidence Of innocence.
OF a7e IL y not strongly corroboratiyc Of the
presumption of guilt?
BIZ. pvrhaps the most astounding fact brought
+c EsAi by the Official proceedings Of the
Grand Jury, is to he found in the various l,al.
lp.ings recns!sid"rations Of tia, bcdy on
e. L.