Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-12-10
RING REINSTlTED.

February.
|
| RING REINSTATED.
Unprecedented Sequel Of a Singular De-
| falcation-A Popular Vote OF Confidence
| Justified.
was one of the most highly respected and q
popular Democrat of Scott county, and the
people Of that county have but recently
shown, in the face of serious official dis
credit, that they have not lost confidence in
him. At last he is enabled to
show that he is the honest man they took him
| for, and that they are not losers by their
accounts-a defaulter in fact-for four years
or more, and the fault has not been at any
time strictly concealed. The circumstances
| are as follows:
When Mr.. Ring went into the Office of
| treasurer of Scott county, the practice there
as in other counties did not bring the officer
to responsibility in detail. Until the laws
prescribed that the public funds should be
deposited to the credit of the Office, some
treasurers may have had the use of the funds
in their charge, and not few did gain
largely from having them placed to their
personal credit.
INSTANCES MIGHT BE CITED
of eminently successful business men of our
State-and, as matter of course, most of
them Republicans in good standing-whose
fortunes were built on q foundation of pub
lie funds of which they had control as coun-
ty treasurers. But Mr.. Ring did not specu-
late in county funds, or upon the credit he
| might have had from them. There was, and
perhaps is yet-in some oounties-another
evil practice, based upon personal friend
ship, political affiliation or other individual
claims upon the officer. Some supposed
good friend, some man of position and in
| f1uence, or some very clever or very poor
party would appeal to the treasurer for a
loan in the way of a receipt for his taxes
to save him from losing valuable property Of
from paying burdensome interest and penal
ties. The borrower would be in funds soon.
The debt would be one of honor, and it
! would be an insult to man pretending to
be decent to imagine that he would expose
his accommodating friend, tho treasurer, to
the danger Of defalcation.
Mr.. Ring was well-to-do in the world,
without extravagant habits, but of kindly,
liberal disposition. Unfortunately, further,
| relying too much upon himself and his
friends, he for some tine carried his private
funds and the public funds in his charge on
MIXED ACCOUNT.
He had accommodated number of friends
with small loans and tax receipts in advance
of payment, and only discovered his situa-
ton when he came to work up settlement
of his official accounts. He was deficient
about nine thousand dollars, an amount
more than enough to take up all his private
property and leave him still heavy defaulter.
He explained his situation to his bondsmen
and proposed to work out the deficiency if
they would help him. They had con-
fidence in the man, but confidence on
the part of ones hackers doesn't always
mean that they have ready money to invest
in him. They advised him to stick to the
Office and quietly save money from his SAL
ary to apply on the deficiency, agreeing on
their part to stand by him and to provide
for the shortage when it could not be car
ried. ....-s.
The situation became known through
limited cercle, including men of both parties,
but Mr.. Ring was reelected treasurer four
years ago and again two years ago, without
the matter being brought out against him
in the political field. Meantime he had
faithfully applied considerable
portion of his earnings to re-
duce the deficiency and had done
his best towards collecting, for the same use,
the amounts due him from the
PERSONS HE HAD ACCOMMODATED
with cash and tax receipt loans. When the
October settlement of this year was about to
be made he had reduced the apparent de-
fciency to about three Thousand dollars, but
the condition of his accounts, through the
examination and report of State Examiner
Knox, had become known to Gov. Pillsbury,
who on the 28th of October last suspended
him from his Office of county treasurer.
Mr.. Ring was at this time again candidate
for reelection, having the nomination of
his party. He frankly told the people the
whole story and referred them to
his bondsmen and others who knew
| the facts. The people believed
him, and that he would, if reelected, soon
wipe out the whole deficiency. He was re-
elected by handsome majority for q fourth
term of two years. .. -.
The county commissioners have since met
for their, annual settlement of county af-
fairs, and have gone through Mr.. Rings &C.
counts. Their settlement largely reduced the
apparent deficiency, and Mr.. Ring, from
what was due him on his salary and from
collections forced from his debtors, was then
able to fully balance his accounts. He was
at last square with the county.
MEANTIME THE COUNTY ATTORNEY,
Mr.. Il. J. Peck, in the manifest line of his
duty, was prepared to use the facts which
had come to his knowledge, and accordingly
presented the matter to the grand Jury.
The county commissioners reported their
action and finding to the jury. The jury
further made an independent examination,
which satisfied the jurors and Mr.. Peck that
the county treasurer should be entirely ex-
onerated and reinstated. The commission
ers, the jurors and the county attorney &C
cordingly reported the facts to the Governor
and requested that he should reinstate Mr..
Ring, who has been suspended since
October 28th until now. The last commu-
nication from them was by telegraph Mon
day night, from the foreman of the grand
jury, and the Governors answer, after full
review of the case yesterday, was telegraphed
to MIR. Ring and his friends at Shakopee yes
terday afternoon.
Treasurer Ring is Ieinstated and, after
four years of faithful effort to retrieve his
errors, has the great satisfaction of feeling
that he can start upon his fourth tenn clear
on the books and justifying the faith and
] friendship of his bondsmen and neiRhbors.