The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-10-15
HOW MUCH THE STATE HAS
LOST By MIR. NIcILRATH-NOT
LESS THAN HALF A MILLION.

LOST BX Mkks M1C1LRATHe.NO1
LESS THAN HALF A MILLION.
There is a popular misapprehension
Of the extent Of the loss which the
State has sustained through Charles
McIlrath. It is generally supposed that
about 100000 is the extent of the
damage revealed by the Committee Of
Investigation. This is grave error.
For instance, take the testimony Of
David Cover. lumbermen, of Baytown,
near Saltwater. He testified that he
paid large sums as ''hush money to
Butler Comstock, McIlrath's agent.
He testified:
@. How much did you and those parties
with whom you were in partnership pay
per thousand for those logs you cut as
trespass?
A. Well, there was 81, 1926 paid to Nc
Ilratb, and 81, $50 to Comstock.
Q. Was this all paid at the same time or
thereabouts
A. think Comstock got his pay first.
@. For what purpose was this money
paid to Comstock?
A. suppose it was paid for stumpage.
@. When was this money paid to him.
A. There was $500 paid him in June, and
l cannot give you the date that he was paid
the $3.50. | have got that down. think it
was before that that the $3.50 was paid.
c. Was this money paid before or after
the money was paid Mr.. Mcllrath 7
Paid before.
G. Did you take any receipt for this mon
ey from Mr.. Comstock
| No cir. think NOT
@. You say you did not; why not?
A. Well, guess did not want any, or
the parties
@. How?
A. say guess the parties did not want
any receipt from him.
q. Well, why didn't they want any receipt
from him?
A. The reason was that the parties COM
promised with Comstock, and he was to re-
port about half Of it to the State, and the BAL
ance HE WAS TO HAVE FOR "HUsH MONEY"
Again he says:
@. How many feet of logs were in re atty
cut by Mr. Carmichael and Cover, on Grind
stone creek?
A. Well, think there was in the neigh
borhood of 800, 900 to 900 feet-that is
cut on State lands.
@. But were those paid for!
A. Well, there aUas 81 600 returned to the
State, paid for at So per 900; then there
was $500 PAID TO MR.. CoMsToCK AND S273 TO
THE STATE.
Here in this one transaction there
were over $1,000 of the property of the
State taken, stolen by trespassers from
the school lands, and of this the State
received 1913; McIlrath and Butler
Comstock received $500; while the
lumbermen took about $3.50 for their
share.
Again Cover testihes as follows:
@. How long was Mr.. Batler Comstock
acting between Mr.. Mcllrath and the lumber
men!
A. could not tell you exaetly-some
three or four years perhaps; Low long
could not say; long enough to make consid-
cradle money out of it, | guess. suppose
paid him eight or ten thousand dollars
myself for other parties in all.
o You mean to say that this eight Or ter
thousand dollars was money not to go to the
Stateg
A. That is the ,cay understood it. Yes
sir.
Now it is generally supposed, thai
when we say that the State lost 500,
900 by Mcllrath that we mean this ano
other moneys so paid to Butler Com
stock or retained by the lumbermsen.
But this is not the case.
THE 100000 OR THEREABoUTs L
MONEY ACTUALLY PAID INTO THE HANDS OF
| u
OVER TO THE STATE BUT STOLEN.
This then was the modus operaadi
| the lumbermen committed trespass OF
+, he lands and cut the logs; they be
con- e thereby liable to indictment ant
;,nri, comment McIlrath does not pros
ecute y. en-; he winks at their tres
pass. and he sends Butler Comstock tt
settle with them. Cover testifes:
@. Was it not generally understood b,
the lumiermen tn. II they cotld go and Gu
stnmnaps on the sch DOL or University land.
and satf7s a 18th Mr.. C.,mstock without any
I trouble
A Well. that was the general under
| standing with n arties that had anything t.
| do with. 80,
@ And narties. if they wanted to cut any
logs mr. lnmber CONF idered that all they haG
to do was to go and c. 1t with IMMUNITY upo1
the State landss
A Yes
@. Do you in all your experience and ac'
ouaintance in these matte. 5 know OF any
case where party WAS prose- uteo LOT .res
pass for cutting this timber upon otate
School or University lands?
a. No, sir. Do NOT KNOW pr ANY.
NEVER HEARD OF ANY.
Then the lumbermen paid over ABOUT
one-half or three-fourths of what was
really due to the State, and of til.
Butler Comstock and McIlrath take
two-thirds, and the balance Of one-thnd
goes into the hands of McIlrath for the
State, and Of this last sum. the insa-
TABLE McIlrdth STEALS ANOTHER SLICE.
And it is these latter slices, taken
out of moneys actually traced home to
McIlrath's hands, that make up the
gross sum OF nearly 100000 reported
by the Committee. In their report
they Sav