Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-08-22

ofOver Two Thousand Dollars Discovered
The Official Suspended by the Governor.
The following report from Public Examin- |
or Knox, as to the affairs of the auditor of |
Renville county, Eric Erickson, has been
submitted to the Governor, who, in the order
appended, has suspended the official from
Office. This is the first suspensions under
the law passed last winter. Examiner Knox's |
report is as follows:
REPORT TO GOVERNOR.
STATE OF MINNEToTA,
OFFICE OF PUBLIC EXAMINER
ST. PAUL, Mimi, Aug 8, 1878.
Hon. John S. Pillsbury, Governor of Mime
sofa:
SIR: l would very respectfully report that
an examination of the books and accounts of
the auditor of Renville county discloses a state
of affairs that is disgraceful in the highest de-
gree. The public security undoubtedly de-
mands his prompt removal from Office. That
he should have been able to retain it at all
during ut least the year last past is severe re-
Election upon the board Of county commissions
ers who alone could have been fully aware of
che facts.
1t would be sufficient to show the necessity
of Immediate action to state summarily that
the whole business Of the Office has fallen into
dire if not inextricable confu-
sion. Dissipation and prohigacy of
life have worked not only entire
unftness for duty, but total neglect thereof,
and this has probably been supplemented by
grave if not criminal acts.
The records of the board of commissioners
were suspended fifteen months ago, the last
entry being that of the meeting held May 5,
1877, and the records for several years are not
signed by any member of the board, or attested
by the auditor as clerk, rendering them value
less as evidence in any court. Some minutes
and memoranda of the later proceedings were
found upon loose sheets of paper while others
could not be produced.
The ledger and journal accounts the only
check upon the cash accounts of the treasurer,
in similar or worse state of neglect
there being no ledger entry to any
account excepting salaries of county
pficers) since April, 1876. The records
of original entries from which the above
could be posted and brought together are also
wofully defective, and since May 49, 1877.
there are no entries of any description. The
several tax lists have been rescued and pre-
served from a similar fate by the faithfulness
of the county treasurer who has been compell-
cd IN many cases, to perform the duties of the
auditor we'll his own; but as these lists
have also been in the lawful custody of the
auditor and funds are frequently sent to him
for the payment of taxes it is believed that
they do not show all the payments that have
been made. 1t is not certain that proof can be
mad" nf this, but it seems probable that it can
be had.
AS seemed to me that the evidence of the
auditors untitness were abundant and
cumulative, and the necessity so pressing that
competent successor should at once be ap-
pointed i'll his place, some months of
whose time will be required in order
to restore the records. l could not feel
that my duties called for the time requisite for
a full investigation, running through series
of years. gave, however, sufficient time to
fully look into the disposition of funds sent to
Renville county for the purchase of seed grain
FOR the years 1877 and 1878, taking of the lat
ter year especially full schedules of the con-
tracts demanded under the seed grain act and
of all vouchers produced by the auditor or that
could be found in his Office. These schedu les
are now being copied and proven and will be
submitted to you at any time if so desired. I
give you briefly as possible the results only,
promising that everything has been done in
the most careless and slovenly manner, making
exact figures impossible. Hardly o provision
OF the act (chap. 81 of '78) has been complied
with, and even the sef-imposed forms adopted
are so imperfectly used us to afford us protec-
tIon as voucher for moneys received.
Here follows a tabulated statement, showing
the disposition of the seed grain fund, which
IS omitted as unintentional, being fully ex-
planned in the continuation of Mr.. Knox's re-
port, as follows:
Solving the problem in a strictly business
way, only the vouchers of classes and would
sse misunderstanding q deficit of 49, 169.49. AL
lowing the part vouchers of classes and l.
q. e., unreceipted bills for which there are no
contracts signed, and receipted bills for which
there are no contracts) and there is a deficit of
3l,266.14. The board of commissioners figured
FOR some days on this basis and found deficit
OF Sl, lOO IN round numbers, counting the orig
mai fund furnished by the State as 81 200. /
have also noted under classes 5, and respect
lively, the amount of deficit were each of these
to be allowed, and to these several deficits the
sum of 1888 is to be added if the auditor is to
be held for the face of his receipt to the State
The seed fund of 1877 was manag ed in much
the same way; and of course with unsatisfac-
tory results. l enclose a report Cd Of the com.
nittee of the board as to the distribution which
have had carefully checked up, compared
with the vouchers and footed amounting
texclusive OF peas to the sum of $6984. Ad.
ding to this the extraordinary expenses (no
check upon those appearing in the ~ law,
named in the report exclusive of freight or
peas} VIZ: 21.2O, we have an expenditure or
the per cent, of seed grain of $7,405.20. The
amount of money furnished Renville county il
1877, as per State auditors report (page 81
was S7,629.16 instead of ST. 429 as printed il
the committees report, showing deficit, TAX
ing the figures IS they stand, of $223.95. But
of the vouchers furnished, there are unsigned
contracts amounting to 1915 and unsigned
tickets amounting to $543. The same genera
for 1873
L should. perhaps say that the auditor de
cared that he could furnish vouchers for NOR
money than was furnished him, and earnestl,
invited him to do SO, as L wished to give hin
Full advantage of every doubt but with seyera
days opportunity to do so, he has failed.
The air of Renville county is full of charge
against the auditor of much more serious ma
ture than these defaults in the seed-grail
funds, and l think that criminal prosecution
you'd be sustained on the evidence of A. II
Reed of Glencoe, Henry Poeher of Henderson
b. j. Hodgson of ST. Paul, and Messrs. Donahu
Paine of Beaver Falls, formerly of Hen
derson,) and Mr. Hans Gronnerud, the count
treasurer. l enclose letter (E) from MI
Reed, just received. MIR. Gronnerud has NJ
doubt tie endorsement on the check mentione
by Mr. Il. is forgery. 1 believe he also would
testify to other matters of the same kind
Mr. Paine informed me, on my way bac
to Redwood Falls, that his firm had
c c with forged endorsement and l thin]
that 1t can be proven that Ericsson, under tn
compulslon OF fear OF prosecution, returned t.
dlferent persons Cor furnished tax receipts
Tor considerable amounts of money to which b
had no right.
The only point upon which the auditor ha
shown any commendabe promptness has bee,
mat OF drawing orders for his salary. His pa,
tor the year commencing March L 1875
amounts to the sum of 8920.16. He has re
corded himself as having drawn orders on Thu
account up to July 20, amounting to 1851, Of
which, however, | do not find that there haC
yet been paid more than 1928 There is ais,
some reason to think that a blank stub in hi.
order book represents an order for $500 in hi
own favor. l have instructed the treasure
not TO pay orders FOR more than his monthly
allowance, but he has doubts whether he car
refuse an order properly drawn coming to him
as 1t is likely to do, through a third person
Under q recent opinion of the attorney genera
as to the construction of sec. 123 ar s of tn.
REVISED Statutes of 1866, it is decided thai
these articles must be signed by the chairman
of the board of commissioners. and j have Son,