The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1873-02-20
Rankin Investigation
Report In Full OF the joint
Committee Of the legisia-
ture.
To the Senate aud House of Represent
tatiyes.

| The joint committee OF the Senat
and House OF Representatives, t
| which was referred the concurren
resolution relating to the allege'
mismauagemcnt Ct the State Fund
10y Samuel j. Rankin, late STAT,
Treasurer. and relating to bis alleg
rl defalcaton as Treasurer of tn,
Agricultural Cotipg" anl Farm, an.
Boafl of Trustees OF the College
would respectfully report
That. in sdance o said resolu
ton, they called before them, anf
examined rs with, SECS, in detail anC
nnder oath, Coy. G. G.. Carpenter
E< Gov Samuel Merrill Hon. 4. S
WEIGH, Ptot Geo w Jones, Cen
J l.. Geddis, Hon. Isaac Erandt
ilol. Jno. \ Il lott Capt. 4 Il
West, Ptof a L. Roberts, w .
Waldrnn E>q Ion. G. Close an
Hon. Geo ". BasSett. That, in al
,titiun II tha ABOVE named gett.c
me:l, they have partially examine
under oath, the Hon Samuel +. RAJ
KIN; anl that the tesiim my AMI cyl
lence given ay the witnesses aaov,
named catciaIly written down ut ih(
| time. ana is herewith submitted &
you for inspection and consideration
Thc commiitoe, for the purpose o
CARVING out tit. spirit, rs vel. Ms th'
letter Il yuol concurrent resolution
haze thea sht pr lpcr 20 embrace tn,
whole tiiae OF n sjor Rankin's ofiici
, al serA isc .lS Treasure, OF STATE ant
treasurer Of the Agricultural Col
legc, within the scope ot their IN
quries; anl in SO doing, many inter
rogatotlcs apparently irrelevant hav'
been asked, aud many immatrrial an
| swers have be. II itceis ed anl rec ,rd
ed, upon close aud careful cx
AMIN liun oi the whole. it will be ap
parcat ,h:t stch nierrogatorle
might l,avc elicitei answers having
direct bearing upon the subject mat
ter under investigation, and that M
investigation would be complct
without answers thereto.
The committee at the time Of en-
terins uron IT'S lntles had every rra
son 10 and did expect that Malo
Ranksn himself would .ena Il all til
assistance and give it all the lntoi
nation il his power i'll regard To tn
sn'ic,., matter of inquiry; an ] wit
the feeling that lie WAS more slime
az t.uS, i,in s;nnlay," it entered upo
It's duties. Iaahoring under this im
preston, he was called before th
comttee, and was sworn an} partia
Nv examined, when without justitic;
ion or excuse he peremptoilly re
fused To testify or give the publ
further inform tion This cont,
macy AMI contempt was prompt
reported 10 tho Senate and House {
Representatives, and the matter We
committed to the islom OF III
General Assembly. The committe
: does not deem Major Rankin's refu
al to testify further as unfortuna'
/, lOV lHt CaHSe u Y! uth. ~ - WI
! soon became apparent that all !!
; material portion Of the evidence !
did give, was untruthtu', and wit
out foundation. ard false in fact AT
reasoning from what testimony II
committee had received from him,
| came to the conclusion that the wi
g ness had not designed from the b
7, ginning, to tell the truth that h
: request at the commencement OF Il
session for full and thorough inve
,igation, was but consistent with tn
syst M OF deception he has pract'
Cd for yea 4. and that his proffers
assistance were tarce, and intend
i only to nlisleal the public mind.
4 The fruits of this tedious inves
f CATION may not assist materially
It making up any deficit or losses rest
J. ing to the Agricultural College ire
Major Rankin's detalcauon as
Treasurer, but may direct the att
ton o! the General Assembly a
the people OF the State. to the loo
manageln+ OF the finances OF
State and State institutions by swo
y officers, and tho opportunities q
~ ~ are afforded to necessltous or q
It honest public servants TO plume
ithc State or other public trcasur