Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-01-26
The Swamp Land DefalcatiOn.


ing show of egotism, is taking deal of
credit to itself for exposing what it, IL
pleased to call 1.-THE plumber of the
State Treasury" 1t says, 1.-THE Herald,
in looking after the interests of the tax
paying people of Iowa, discovered a sys-
exposure made by the Kerdid," and so
on. In another article it says, The
reports which have been given publici-
| ty in the Herald relative to the frauds,n
and all that. Another brilliant effort
starts Off with, Not for long
time has there been such commotion
among the abolition papers of the
State as has been raised by the exposi-
ton zoe have given of the corruption
and fraud that is practiced among some
Of the State officials at Des Moines. -
The Herald has two or three articles
daily on this subject, and in every one
the big We is prominent. ......#
Now the truth is that the very man
on whom the Herald is SO anxious to
saddle suspicious of corruption and
fraud is the very one who is entitled
to the credit of calling attention to the
defalcation, or whatever it Is proper to
call it. And that man is Governor
Stone. The misapplication of the funds
rests upon Mr.. Orwig, lately Secretary
to the Governor. Nobody honestly sus-
poets the Governor himself of partici-
patton in the crime. The Ker6tlRs cor
respondent at Des Moines received his
| first intimations of the fraud by reading
the following in the Governors Mes.
sage:
THE law provides that where lands,
afterwards proven to he swamp lands.
| have been sold by the Government
the purchase money shall be refunded to
the State, which goes to the benefit of
the proper county. a large nunSeer of
warrants for the indemnity money have
been issued by the United States Treas
ury, and forwarded to this office. Some
of these warrants, without coming into
my personal possession, have been i'm
properly and illegally applied by parties
through whose hands they have passed,
and the counties to which the warrants
belong, have, up to this time, failed to
iSNSisS tiiCii iHolIcS. HlS iIidLttT Is Vi
so grave character, that | deem it in
cumbent upon me to call the early atten-
ton of the General Assembly to it, and
/ therefore ask for the immediate ap-
pointment of joint committee to in
vestigate the facts" ........
Some further particulars were doubt
less obtained by inquiry, and a fright
full story, claiming originality, was con-
cocted for the public eye. The only
originality it possessed, however, was
contained i'm it's abominab!c falsehoods.
I The Herald denied. at first that the
fraud it referred to was the fraud the
Governor spoke of in his Message. But
it has now ceased TO contend that such
y is the case.
In accordance with the Governor S
suggestions an investigating committee
is now looking into the facts, and the
whole truth of the matter will soon be
brought out. The Her0kd knows very
well that it is engaged in very dispi-
cable piece of business that the crime
reflects nothing TO the discrcdit or dis
honor of Governor Stone, who regrets
the occurrence more than any other
man, and is using the greatest effort 10
adjust the matter without loss to the
! State.
! The true state Of the case is doubtless
represented in the following remarks
by the STATE Register:
We refrain making reference to the
matter Tor the reason that the facts will
soon be reported officially; but it may
be proper to say, meantime, that all the
parties supposed to be in possession of
| Il portion ofthe funds, have been garn
/ i-heed on suits against counties, and
the money cannot be paid for that reas-
on; and whatever may be the result OF
the investigation, We are assured that
there can be no loss Ia the State or coun-
ties. The parties who admit having
Il portion of the money, express their
Willingness and ability TO pay as soon
as 1t Is definitely determined to whom
the money ought properly to be paid,
and If this be done, there can be no de-
! falcation. and rumors Of defalcation do
gross injustice"
| The Herdkd should proceed a little
slower in looking after the interests OF
the tax-paying people of Iowa" 1t
should at least avoid an uncontrolled
indulgence of its morbid taste for SLAM
derou5 infections againstthe regulations
and characters of honest people.
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