The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1874-09-03
WIN. sEEGER.

lned at considerable length by the com
mittee l.: order to ascertain the nature of
Mr.. Mcllrath' S transactions with the State
Treasurer. Mr.. Seeger testified very I'M
willingly and his examination was pro-
longed by the efforts to secure direct an
swers. He claimed that he had turned
over to his successor all the official books
and papers Of the Office but admitted that
he kept private ledger which contained
accounts with great many persons in
Guiding all the State officers. This book
and numerous private papers he testified
that he had destroyed. In this connection
the following questions and answers are Of
interest:
Q. Did You not take that book away
with you when you left the Treasurer's
office. A. did.
is destroyed.
@. How much of it has been destroy
ed? A. As stated before. all memoir
andums, sheets and books which I had,
which related to that business. hare al
together destroyed; all which did not have
direct reference to State matters.
G. Were there entered in that book
any of the transactions between you and
MIR. McIlrath? A. 1t may be that it has
contained some notes of transactions be-
tween him and me and v it'll great many
others.
@. Mr.. Seeger, when was the book des-
troyed. A. l cannot state the date but
have destroyed them altogether, after
had turned over my Office to my successor
and received full acquittal, having turned
over to the State everything that belonged
to the State. 1t was done Immediately at
ter quit and turned over the Office to my
successor.
Q. How did you destroy this book !?
A. burned them.
Q. Together with the other papers re-
lating to private transactions, between you
and other parties A. All together,
everything which related to private trans
actions have entirely destroyed.
@. Then if they were not, what was
the necessity of destroying themf A. As
stated before, wished to avoid-to have
them never 10 come to my mind. and new
er have occasion to return to it. l wished
to wipe it out, if possible, entirely from
my memory, because it came near driving
me to insanity at that time
The examination of Mr.. Seeger further
developed that he was in the habit of ad-
vancing money to the State officers on
their salaries or other claims and allowed
them to overdraw the amount due them
from the State and then they would, at
intervals, square up. Mr.. McIlrath: ap
peared by Mr.. Seeger's testimony, to have
tree access to the Treasury, taking out and
paying in money, which Mr.. Seeger swears
he does not know whether it was for pub
lie or private use. McIlrath went out of
Office in January 1878, but the examina-
ton of Mr.. Seeger showed that on the LIST
of Feb. 1873, he paid into the Treasury
$4,000, on the 18th of Feb, $4,000; OH
the 10th of March, s336.41; and ON the
18th of March, 81 ,49l 81, Mr.. Seeger is
entirely oblivious as to whether these pay
ments were on his public or private &C.
count. Til. following passage from the
testimony will show how the State BUSH
ness was conducted at that time.
Mr.. Seeger-You see that we done busi-
ness in such way that the whole State
Treasury was kept as bank.
O.. 1t was regular brokers' shop? A.
1t was so. have furnished them some
times drafts on New York, and even
drafts on the old country. 1 did quite a
banking business there.
Mr.. Seeger also testified that Mr.. Nell.
rath brought s100, 900 in bonds for the
State from New York and received el37 so
for the service because the express COM
pany would have charged that amount il
it had done the service. Mcllrath collect
ed all stumpase dues and the Treasurer
knew nothing as to what the private par
ties paid except from McIlrath's returns