The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1866-02-10

Inv the Federal Government for disbursement in
this Territory, often qualified bv the statement
that there must be further action either ny Con-
gress or the Departments, upon the claims, before
be would be authorized to pay them, and the tes-
tinony of the Hon. II. G. Riggs, of Boise City,
that he (Secretary Snth) could not pay the ex-
penses of the second session OF the Legislative
Assembly until he made requisition for the
money, or received authority from the Department
at Washington City to pay the same.
We would report that from the testimony of Fl
Kenyon, formerly OF Lewiston, BOW resident of
Boise City, who accompanied Secretary Smith to
Lewiston upon his first visit and returned with
him to Walla Walla, Washington Territory, WEI
derive the following That Secretary Smith, in
the presence of Mr.. ellison and himself, at, tho~
office of Wells, Fargo Co.'s Express, in Walla>
Walla drew from the office a package.Of money,
out of which he took the sum of eight thousand
dollars (S9 OOO) to convey to Lewiston for dis.
bursement, and that the package returned to the
safe of Wells, Fargo Co. was larger than the
one taken to Lewiston. That all the bills were Of
large denominations, none of less than one hum
dred dollars g lO0) Mr.. Gibson also testified to,
the same facts, with the exception that the bills
were tens, twenties' and upwards. Mr. Kenyon
further states that Secretary Smith after return
ing from Lewiston to Walla Walla, en- route to
Boise City, drew his package of funds from Wells,
Fargo 4 Co.'S safe in presence OF Mr., ellison and
himself, and took theTefr0m a legal tender note,
for one thousand dollars ($l000) to get changed
for smaller notes.. Ihe COMMITTEE are 1ully sat~
lad a large amount Of public funds which he re-
moved to Boise City. We are also led to the con-
cusion by the testimony OF the Hon. EphralmA
Smith, w. II. Field and others, and are fully con-
| WINGED that the funds were first deposited with
DuReu & Co.. and from there removed to the
custody of Crawford, Slocum i Co. and that but
few hundred dollars were disbursed by Secretary
Smith at Boise City.
Mr.. Field testifies as follows " bought ABOUT
one hundred dollars of him at eighty-hVe cents.
went to DuRel'S at one time to buy large amount
of greenbacks, and Mr.. Allen, their clerk, told me
they had not the greenbacks, but that Governor
Smith Secretary Smith) had and they were de-
posted in DaReLs safe l then went to him
| (Smith) to buy large amount and he told me he
had but very little money except public fundae
which he would not SELL" The foregoing testi"
mony not only proves that the money was at Boise
City, but is another evidence OF the scrupulOus
exactness with which he protected the public
funds.
From the testimony of Mr. Hewlett, it appears
that Secretary Smith, during his first visit to Lew
iston, redeemed some vouchers which the Secretary
Uniformed him ne pa d. out of his private funds,
stating at the time that the public funds were az 4
Walla Walla and that the package had never been
opened, which declaration is sustained by the tes-
timohy of Frank Kenyon that at the time OF the
procuring from the package at Walla Walla the
funds required by Secretary Smith at Lewiston
amounting to eight Thousand dollars ($8,000), tho
package left III the Uffco Of Wells Fargo Co. ;
at Walla Walia, by him was larger than the pack
age taken LnefGifOm ana convey Gu 10 LeWlSG9u
and after their return from Lewiston, note or
bill for one thousand dollars taken from the
package which remained ut Walla Walla for the
purpose of getting the same changed for smaller
bills or bills Of a smaller denomination.
In the eIpIrte statement placed IN the hands or
the Committee from the Hon. Milton Kelly, ina
which laboreG effort is made to sustain the hy-
potaasis that Secretary Smith may have used the
public funds TO the amount of tile deficiency for
his private expenses, the Judge calls in question
I'm ity nf "a r. ISL 1nnOlnt
Committee and confer upon them the power TO
make this investigations We quote from his lstss
ter or statement as follows: dent understand
that the Committee are making the Investigation
by the authority OF the Government. his father or
bondsmen but lnasmuch they h4Ue assumed the
Investigation" &c, &c.
We Will state that the Legislative Assembly in
ordering this investigation, felt that II was OF vital
interest to the Territory that the funds appr9pn'
ated by Congress 10 carry on our Territorial GVV'
lernment should be received at the proper time and
honestly d;sbur-ed, and that they would be un-
faithful. public wants if they did not do all In
their power to protect the interests OF the people,
rhe people of our Territory freely and willingly
pay the excise aud internal revenue taxes Imposed
! upon them by tie Federal Government, and pay
annually to the General Cover nnent much more
than the amount Of thu appropriations made by
} Congress for our benefit; and that Of the sixty
tlree thousand dollars ($63 ,000) Which Congress
D has appropriated for Legislative and Incidental
s expenses III our Territory, but the patry sum Of
q nne thousand nile hundred and thirty eight dol
lars has ever been dsbursed within the Territory
during the three years Of territorial existence
1t is felt that gross injustice has been inflicted
7 upon the people of our Territory and the Federal
4 Government by the delays in receiving and the
Y misapplcation of funds appropriated by Congress
+ for the use of the Territory that the funds sent
to be disbursed for our benefit have been pIIndered
: and this Committee feel that it was their duty to
u make as thorough an investigation as the means
lat their command would permit, and discover, If
y possible, who were the ph,nderers
I The Committee would further state that from
the testimony Of Judge Kelly as also from his
j letter. and the testimony of A. q. Cook, ESQ.,, we
= have every reason to believe that the removal Of
/ the effects Of Secretary Smith, deceased, from the
o possession of Crawford. Slocum L Co., and their
: examination at the Seeretarys office by Mr.. Gil
t son Judge Kelly and j. s. Reynolds :. was some
# time prior to the I'D day Of September 1885, and
prior to the conversation of Mr. j. H. AlYord with
= Secretary Gibson.
II lii conclusion, the Committee would state that
IS the evidence before us is very yolurnnons and we
have embodied i'll report and referred to herein
n only such portions Of the testimony were neces-
n sary to show the reasons for the conclusions to
!. which the Committee have unanimously arrived.
" That we regret exceedingly that we could not
u place ourselves in communication with the De-
d partments ct Washington City, and tile United
It States Depository at Oregon City, owing to the
j. great distance and the clement season of the
e year, rendering communication very slow and
. tedious. as with official information that could
:, have been thus obtained from such quarters, our
Il the result much more positive and satisfactory.
And yn bt1tr hot