New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-07-17
TRIAL OF AUDITOR CLINTON
SUPERIOR CRIMINAL COURT

SUPERIOR CRIMINAL COURT
Third Day.
The heat kept many spectators from the
court, but there were enough to make the
quarters uncomfortably close in some
places.
Colonel Field asked for James..B. Wands
The sheriff reported hearing he bad bSev
eeen, but he had not been found. The At
torney General then asked for some of the
Auditors funding entries, and Mr.. Voorhiel
said there was no need of an order; the
Auditor would furnish anything asked for
The receipt of w. C. Sanford, dated August
-, 1874 for eighty-three consolidated bonds
was introduced.
Hon. P. G. Deslohde, Secretary Of State
was sworn-Was present at the meetings Of
the funding board when the Sanford claim
was discussed; several days were occupied
with it; had no opinion in regard to it. ox
sept was opposed at fret to funding; d
not know who presented it; it was not pre-
sented by him; did not think the Treasure,
did; Colonel LoWll might. but can moi
swear to it; Benham and Sanford were not
present; the Assistant Attorney General
gave verbal opinion, and afterward q writ.
ten one; desired the opinion OF Attorney
General Field; did not get it till too late;
think some of the vouchers, a sample. may
have been before the board; knows Mr..
Sanford; can not remember that there were
no envelopes or packages of his application;
some Of the warrants had not been signed;
can not say whether Sanford brought up the
warrants; the first meeting Of sthe board
was in April; no warrants were funded till
August
To Mr.. SemfneA on cross -examinat alton
Tho opiniob of the Assistant Attorney Gen
eral was asked on the legality of the fund
ing. not on tho validity Of the vouchers:
have been secretary and had custody Of the
minutes Of the. funding until they were
taken away March 8. 1875: the Attorney
General said sheswsrrants we're not fund.
able; it was resolved to burn the eertificstes
funded in 1875.
A. eAssAA e*oAA AOSOcc "UU u0hCus 0us4 ~ Su0
conclusion Mr.. Deslopde produced all the
papers he had.
Hon. Antoine DubucIet, State Treasurer,
sworn-Am member of the funding board;
can not say that was present at every
meeting; remember the Sanford application,
and that the warrants we're brought up by
one of the Auditors clerks; Assistant At
torney General Dibble was called upon for
All opinion; there were warrants in favor Of
several parties they were there several
times; don't recolleet that there was much
discussion; can not say who made the pre-
sentatieh; feuf members Of the beard were
present: Judge Dibble was there: do not
know where the warrants gre; funded oh,
legations arc usually destroyed; warrants
have been burned three times; only know
Sanford by sight; was served with the in
junction on the appropriation bill.
Colonel Charles w. Lowell svofn-Was
Speaker of the House of Representatives
in 1874 and member of the funding board.
I Looking as receipt for Rarrants. signed
&c. w. Lowell, by George w. Benham."]
Never saw this till Il was shown in the Su-
perior District Court the other day; never
knew G.was extapt; never applied to tho
Auditor FOE warrants; never gave any one
authority to apply for them; had no conver.
sation with the Auditor about them. The
rule Of the funding board was to refer sp-
plicsnts TO the fiscal agent and let Che
application come through the bank. On
the fwenty-eighth of August Mr.. Baldwin
was absent and Mr.. Pike, the cashier. acted;
suppose the Sanford application came that
way; Sanford asked to have them funded:
10 did Renham; he was before the board; q
ample of the paper was brought there; the |
question propounded was, if the Auditor |
will sign will the board fund these war
ants; Assistant Attorney General Dibble
Fa4 sent for, for his opinion; can only give
he explanation of receiving these wsrrahte
IS told by Benham; know they were dis
ributed to himself, Deweess Wands and !
'thers because they claimed . share in !
hem; claim share now; have got nothing |
# the $4,000; Mr.. Benham was q member |
f the Legislature of 1873 and 1874: the |
Wa6 dUSout IIOW euo HoOeAu6s "oo l
Informed he was sick; don't know NJ hero
vands is; am not his keeper; saw him three
lays ago on Carondelet street; he said he
vas not coming to court, because he had no
usiness there; he had not received sub
ena; do not know Who asked the Auditor
0 issue warrants.
To Mr.. Semmee-The warrants are not
,dorsed by me; Mr.. Oglesby' is perhaps by
i'm; Messrs Wands and Matthews were
OF in town; this was an arrangement be-
ween Benham and me; he told me there
,as chance of speculation in the class OF
aper called Pinckney Smith paper; that it
,me could be procured, reasonable
mount, they csuld be paid; Mr.. David F. |
over said 60; procured $4,000 of them
nd received his check ON the Louisiana
ational Bank for them for $500, and
,rneo them over; the basis was twenty-five
Or cent; only know from hea-say who held
" others; was told it was the receiver OF
10 Crescent City Bank; got receipt; Tread
10 receipt for vouchers, all for mileage
I'd per diem. signed by David F. RewerI;
, and others were pressing me al! the time.
fund them; there were samples of the
.per before the board; the whole matter
as discussed; the entire statement Of the
se was made. Z
To Colonel Field-Bought the vouchers
make money; would make the same
i