The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1872-09-25

done. / found authority under tn
United States Government, as an at
torney of the United States, to pro
cure the interference and assistance o
the secret service Of the United State
to ascertain the whereabouts o
Evans, and succeeded in finding hin
and procuring his arrest Applause.
He was brought back to the State o
Pennsylvania and disposed of, as yor
know, on hearing at Harrisburg
At that time was sick-lying in bed
and couldn't attend as their counsel
They were represented by Hon
Wayne MacVcagh, and the State by
Attorney General Brewster. To my
great surprise and amazement the
charge before Judge Pierson was en-
tirely different from that which | haG
advised and had intended to perform
He was discharged, but the civil sui
remained. Now mark, NV fellow
citizens, during all this time,
GENERAL HARTRANFT NEVER MANI
TESTED THE SLIGHTEST FEAR,
and recol!ect that he had it in bis
power to stop the proceedings at any
moment. If the Auditor-General and
the State Treasurer had differed the
State couldn't have proceeded to re.
cover the money; if they differ the
Governor is umpire, and his decision
is final. II General Hartranft had
desired to stop the proceedings, il
there had been anything in his trans
actions with G. o. Evans that impli-
Gated him in the embezzlement, all be
had TO do was to differ with State
Treasurer Mackey, and the whole
thing was squelched in an instant
But no, he was firm, vigorous, un-
yielding, persevering, pressing to the
last, demanding that the State should
have justice, and that the money .oi
the Commonwealth should be paid
over and placed in the vaults of the
treasury. Applause. One step
further. They charge that he bor-
rowed $1,000 from Evans. SO he did
and he paid it back and redeemed his
note like an honorable man, and
bear testimony here tonight to the
fact that though George o. Evans was
his creditor for $4,000, vet that didn't
deter him from bringing Geo. o.
Evans to justice Applause. He
paid him the note, and paid him the
interest, every penny of it, for every
hour that he had held it in. his pos
session And now can YOU secIany-
thing in all this that reflects discredit
upon General John F. Hartranft-
anything upon which these charges
can be based that are daily reiterated
in the Liberal and Democratic press
But shall have more to say about it
before | get through
THE MANAGEMENT OF THE STATE
TREASURY.
| pass now to the next charge, that
General Hartranft and Mr.. Mackey
and the Treasury Ring have been
speculating and using the public
money in the Treasury improperly
In the first place they allege that it
is entirely wrong that these moneys
should be distributed about the State,
deposited with various banks and
bankers throughout the Common
wealth. Well, it may be wrong-I
have nothing to say about that-but
our forefathers, as far back as 1911,
passed law which provided that all
persons who held money due TO the
Commonwealth should deposit in
such banks as might be designated by
the State Treasurer-as far back as
1911. And again, in 1855, the same
thing was re-enacted, and it was pro-
vided that the Auditor General
should, at stated times, examine the
accounts of the various banks and
bankers, to ascertain that the money
was duly placed to the credit of the
Commonwealth Again, in 1857, it
was reiterated At that time the bail
of the State. Treasurer was only
$4,000 Two years ago, at the in
stance of Mr.. X. W. Mackcy, the
present incumbent, it was increased to
$500, 900, and the matter was recon-
structed SO that monthly returns were
required to be made to show the state
of the funds deposited belonging to
the Commonwealth. Now, mark
you, there is not a single bank in this
Commonwealth that has to-day $780,
900, Or anything like it-not one. So
what security have you for the de-
posits made? Why, first, the bank
itself; second, the personal security of
the State Treasurer and, third, the
bail of half million of dollars. Is
your money safe? 1t is safer than
ever before in the history of the
State. Our forefathcrs were wise in
this provision relative to the
money being kept deposited in vari-
Gus banks of the Commonwealth
Would you have it put in the vaults
Of the Treasury at Harrisburg, sub
iect to loss by fire and burglary, or
would you have it disseminated among
the banks in the State, in use among
the people? But they say that too
arge an amount is kept on hand
Why, my fellow-citizens, the interest
has to be paid semi-annually, and the
State debt is being reduced at the rate
IF $4,000, 900 a year under the adj
Of John F. Hartranft,
owing to the manner in which the
axes are collected from the corpora
ions. Applause. But, they say,
That may all be true-that may
Ill be true-but look at this Yerkes
natter Look at that. There was
deposited with Yerkes slG5, 900 of the
public money, and Treasurer Mackey |
md Hartranft speculated i'll stocks
With the State money"
THE DEPOSITS WITH YERKEs.
ooh, what an outrage! Let us look |
It it. Irwin went ont of Office aud |
lad deposit with Charles Yerkes,
hen a broker in good standiug, Of
'250,000 Mr. Mackey had to take |
t just as he took the deposits with |
III the other banks and bankers |
throughout the State. But he thought |
he amount too large, and immediate
v commenced to draw it down. and
lrew it down, month after month, as
apidly as could be safely done, to
100000, and to $l65,0 Then