New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-02-21
THE GREAT FRAUD IN ILLINOIS.
RESUME OF THE FACTS DEVELOPED Be
FORE THE SENATE COMMITTEE.
c Of The Chicago Press and Tribune
SppTxgrIrI Kan |

SPRISGFIELD, Feb. 10, 1859.
My last letter was closed yesterday, Mr.. Manning
beng the witness on the stand When the Committee
reassembled, the examination was resumed. Nov,
without attempting TO give the evidence OF each wit
ness content myself with resume Of the case IS 1t
now stands at the risk OF repeating what mas oeen
heretofore stated.
It's in proof that the canal checks 30 frequently
ferred to in the examination that your correspondent
has followed, issued in May and August oi lo59;
that they were paid at the Chicago Branch of the
State Bank; that those of the denominations OF $JO
and sl00 we've not Cancelled, but were put aside and
counted as CASH that when they accumulated IN large
sums al the Bank they were delivered to some anthor
ICED officer OF the Canal Board, who drew one large
che OK tI the amount surrendered; that the checks
were minus 1915, all paid and conveyed to the canal
office; thst by order of the Board they we're there
accurately counted by Gen. Fry and Mr.. Manning,
ard an inventory of them was taken and preservei;
that n securely packed in stout wooden box,
which was nailed up enveloped with tape, aud sealed
with wax end the official seal OF the Board; that the
box was sent back TO the Bank a special deposit
that remained in the keeping OF the Bank until sent
for by Col. Oakley, Canal Trustee, in 1913 OF 1873;
that it was conveyed TO the canal office, then Ia
Chicago; that il remained there until 1893,
cher Josiah McRoberts was appointed State
Trustee by Governor MattesOn; that, by the
order Of tue Governor, all the indebtedness IN
the Office was packed for transmission to the
State Department. that at the time this package
done by McRoberts and kehoe, the box spoken OF was
there with ts seals unbroken that it opened and
of Indebtedness repacksd in trunk and sboe-bOx;
that these sealed marked to the address Joel
A. Mateson, Springfield" and by McRoberts himself,
delivered 10 said Matteson At LtSae, 10 April,
1855 that in January, 1857, Mateson being tnen in
Office $3 600 of these checks funded in his office
by his clerk the Governor Is &c obicl0 Fdnd Commits
sOner that the 9th of February and 18th OF March
thereafter, enough additional checks 10 swell the
total amount 10 $l07 900 funded for MatesOn by
the same clerk, then retained by Gov. Bissell, VINO
had meantime been naugurated; that bonds for the
various sums presented were issued IN the names Of
certain unknown and mythical Percentages, though
when ssusd delivered 20 Gov. Matteson himself;
that 500 900 of the bonds in the hands Of the Audit
tor security for the issues OF the State Bank Of Hi
nois at SnawneetowD, owned by Mateson. IL is also
in proof that no other ninety cay checks have been
presented and iuuded that other are known by any
of the witnesses to have been in cifculatiOD that
agent of the State employed in 1913 10 hunt out and
buy up State indebtedness had never seen one since
1870 that among the checks funded are thirty having
special Endorsements b w. II. Brown, Cashier, on
their backs, which have not been reinforced by nim
that there one hundred and five others properly
signed, but nntIiumed and untitled with the OF
the payse. And it is further proved that the whole
amount Of bonds and money-principal and interest
obtained from the State by this transaction is not far
from SOB coo.
This is the case as presented to the Committee by
witnesses called by the stOrnes for the State. think
state it fairly. certainly without disposition to ex
AgeeTate color lite leading features. The witnesses
by which lie established gentlemen Of undoubted
credibity some of them have long been recognized
among the first citizcLs Of the State.
The a.torpies employed by the Ex-Governor, have
not in the mean time been idle Taeir theory il that
the checks were stolen by some party unknown, and
Mat they weres few at first subsequently, and
finally sll-presented TO the Governor, who bought
tnem without suspicion Of their true character anu
the parties selling preserved 30 strict ncognito that
they cannot here be found ont. In support of this
theory they have introduced the following witnesses
viz l. p. Sanger, A. II. Moore Col. William Smith
Gen. |. b. CurraD X. +. GOodel, together with
letter from his Excellency, Gov W. II. Bisse. They
prove that, daring the Winter Of 1861, Mstte5on
negotiated large suns Of money in St. Louis and ct
the Farmers and Traders Bank, Joliet, az the wit
nesses understood, for purchasing Safe indebted
ness; that he did purchase largely; tina.
Strangers have frequently been seen TO have transac
tors with him, for the ssle Of indebtedness at his
rooms at the ST. Nicholas, in this city, and else-
where; that, in their opinion, they have seen him
buying "nnetyday canal checks" in various sums
from 500 70 IS 600 s. 900. Some Of them handled
these checks, and confident that they were of the
denomination of 300, and that they were Canal
checks Of le39. Evidence in relation 10 the profta-
beness of the exGovsnor's barking operations was
introduced and his sonin-law Mr.. GoodeI, esti-
mated bis income from this source al 406 600 ia Gin
gle year. Gov. Bissell wrote the Committee saying
that during the eery part Of his official career be was
seyers tines applied TO, by parties who had State in
cebtedress TO sel for inform alton in regard to the
Vsue Of and market for the same and that he had in
yaIisbly referred them 20 exGov. Matteeon.
After the conclusion Of the testimony MsttesOns
counsel addressed the Committee in short speech, in
which the proof was hurredly passed in review and
bis theory elaborated and insisted upon. IL was his
opinion that the robbery OF the checks took place while
they in possession Of the Canal Commissioners,
and anterior TO their alleged depos, for cafe keeping
in the State Bank. Mr. Browning, on the part Of the
State, rejored insisting upon the unbroken chain of
evidence presented and the entire credbty Of his wit
Iesses sufficient refutaton Of the theory sdvsnc-
Cd. His remarks were pertinent and well put. With
Mr.. Brovrng's speech and the presentation Of re-
quest from Astteson that the examination might be
continued until further facts brought to gnt the
Committee rose.