National Republican., 1879-06-27
AN EX-GOvERNOR'S RECORD
fC0nlfnucd from FYrsl Page.l


this fund was squandcrcd, If done in good faith,
would show gross Incompetence, but the fact that
these transactions were concealed from the public
BY falling to report the same to the Legislature and
that even such statements aswerc made were inlse,
indicates conscious Culpability on the part OF the
board, and Is as much a crime nS though they had
appropriated the money to Their own uses sam
pies of these accounts paid will be found IN the ap'
pendix hereto.
Numerous contests were had before the board be.
tween q. A. Brooks and settlers regarding lands
filed on by Brooks, and the board Invariably de-
The total disregard of duty and of the law upon
we consider that Mr.. Cam, who received aud dis
bursed such large sums had no lawful authority
TO receive or retain the custody of public funds,
much less to act as disbursing officer. His posi-
ton was that of a clerk; no law provided for his
appointment; no bond was given or required it
was not necessary that he be commissioned: his
relation TO the State was in nowise different from
that of the janitor or other employee,
In speaking of "tho educational funds" the
committee say:
A large number of loans have been made upon
tercst Is from TO four years in arrears This Is
notably the case III Marion and Jackson Counties
Tho Losses in these two counties will not fall far
short of 10 pOr cent Of tho principal Loans made
by the board are in equally bad condition.
In 1875 Mr, Grover organized a corporation
known as the West Portland Homestead AssoCia
tion," in which ho was the principal sockhoder
He conveyed to this corporation tract ofland
near Portland, valued at this time by good Judges
now than IN 1870 Mr. Gilfry testincS he took four
shares Of Governor Grover, for which he paid moth
ing, and that the understanding ho wns not to
be responsible for anything that ho gave Mr.. Gro
yer his proxy and took no further interest In the
matter. The only business transacted by this cor
pOration after the election of its officers was to ac
ccpt this conveyance from Mr.. Grover. and to bor-
row $4,000 from the educational funds secured by
morgage on this land, conveyed to Il by Grover a
| tained Oh such security hom any private indi-
vdual.
It appears from the statement Of Mr.. oatman the
secretary, that effort has been made 10 divide
this land into tracts and sell the same dispose of
1t in any way, or indeed, to carry on any business
whatever.
4. IT, Cam tcstlncs that about the time this cor.
poraion was organized he gave Grover $1,000 for a
block Of this tract; that he considered 1t worth
about 5000, and only bought it to help Grover.
There could have been but two purposes In all this
| indirection. One was to avoid the odium of loan
| ing money to himself upon insufficient security,
aud the other to avoid personal responsibility for
| any balance in case the morlgaged property ined
to pay the debt The disrcputablc character of this
| scheme cannot he too severely ccnsurcd, since to
| the sin of obtaining money dishonesty Is added
that of violating ascliish purpose an oathbound
| irust-that of guarding fund sacred in the eyes
| oil every friend of his country and his kind.
| We leave the people OF oregon. whose
confidence has been thus basely abused and their
money donated TO individuals, to make their own
The board, in 1872, loaned from the University
fund, TO j. b. McClanc. first $3.50 and then S2425
| making total of sSTOj. Loss than one years
interest has been paid Oh the first and nothing on
the last ] hrcc thousand dollars of this loan went
| to Mr.. Grover on note given to j. $. Smith The
property OH which mortgage was given 10 secure
these notes, according 10 the opinion of competent
judges, does not exceed in value $1,000, The mort
gage has been iOrcCloSed at heavy expense to the
school fund. The debt now amounts to Ovel
Sl3,lOO at least $4,000 OF which is clean loss, as
MeClanc is bankrupt.
Oh November II, of the same year, 5000 more wa'
loaned. Myers is a bankrupt, and the
state loses at least So 900 The money loaned MyGT
nlrplnspl
Manufacturing Company In which Governor
Grover held a large interest. These heavy, losse'
from loans In which part, or all, either directly
or indirectly, went to Governor Grover constitute
n blot upon his official record that no possible ex
planation can eiace.
Excessive amounts were frequently paid for at
torneys fees in forcclosing mortgages where no dc
fense was made II. II. Gilfry was paid 81 0O3.2
for expenses to Washington from the school fund
of which at least One.half was i'll excess OF h
reasonable outlay for the trip.
In another part of the report the committee
furnish the items of this pleasure trip to Wash
ington-"Fare from Salem to Washington, in
Guiding sleepng.cars, S26175; incidental eS
penses in travelling from Salem to Washington
$9105; incidental expenses at Washington
where II few days were spent in Sightseeing
'S3l0.39 fare from Washington to Salem, in
Guiding sleepng-cars, $25025; incidental ex
penscs from Washington to Salem, SSS.S3
total, 81 003.2O."
And 1t Is ordered that the said bill ofexpenscs-t
,
this board out of any funds In his hands arising OH
OF the sale of school and university lands. .
| l.. +. GROVER,
!, President OF the Board
Attest T. H. CANN, Clerk
In commenting on this subject tho commit
tee say:
That this magnificent educational fund has beef
+ depleted about one-half by criminal carclessncs
and willhl neglect of duty within the past eigh
years Is beyond question. While the members o
the board may not be subject to criminal prosccu
ton yet in righteous indignation an outraged peo
pie should remember II against them, not only as
punishment for their dishonesty IN dealing with
sacred fund, donated by the General Government t
: the children Of Oregon in such munifceaGc for cd
ucational purposes but as warning to Wlcrs Wit
may be hOnorcd and trusted as these men wh
, have 50 cruelty betrayed their trust
In view Of tho foregoing facts the committee can
not but regard as intentional irony the following
, extracts from Governor Growers message of 1872
"Thc clerical force allowed the several department
greatly dSproportion0tc to the work required TO b
done" And aitcrreciting the extraordinary labors
private secretary, Colonel Cam and Flcischmar
he continues: THE services of these gentlemen
, have been unrcmitting, and their work Is well eX
: hibitcd in the permanent records OF the state"
N