Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, D.T. [N.D.]) 1878-1884, 1879-03-15
TAPPING The DAKOTA TREASURY
HOW THE YANKTON RING COB
BLES THE SPOILS.
Led by the Press and Dakotaian the
Sweet Scented Circle Makes .
Jackpot Of the Funds---The Print
ing kwindle Showed Up by Petit
crews Report. GgSg tf
[vermillien Republican,
A. LUCRATIVE SCHEME.

[Vermillien Republican,
LUCRATIVE SCHEME. Nj.
After reading the report elsewhere, of
the Council Committee to investigate the
Auditors office and expenditures for pub
lie printing for the past two years, it may
we'll be asked, what protection have tax
PAYERS from those inside and outside of
office who conspire to rob the peoples
treasury? -s
The report seriously compromises the
names of our late governor and auditor
and present secretary, and by implication,
the leaders of the legislature for 1867,
and chief of all, the mouthpiece Of the
Yankton ring-the Press d Dakot0ia11.
For these two years everything was Sc
rene. Not voice was raised to question
any of the transactions of the parties
whose names figure SO consplcuously IN
this report Not newspaper in the ter
ritory broke the silence on the question Of
the honesty Of our territory officials, OF
even limited that there might be something
rotten about the TRANSACTIONS, of the Yank-
ton ring with the public treasury. The
Republican, at the opening Of our leglsla-
ture, inadesome damaging charges against
the Press ce Dakotaaun in the matter Of
public printing, which led to an investi-
cation by q Legislative committee. The
report Of this committee will startle the
public It shows an amount of corrup-
ton tluly amazing, and which most peo-
pie woald hesitate to believe, were not the
evidence conclusive. 5 IA ssr3 r5.sl.. p.
There is one feature about this rascality
which is worthy of note, andE that is, that
iDthe assumed representative republican
newspaper of Dakota was the head and
front of this illegal raid on the treasury,
and that behind it was thgxspublican
leaders Of Yankton county, as, Proven by
the legislature ignorantly voting Bowen
g. Kingsbury clear bonus OF 1900 from
the. peoples pockets. It seems that the
treasury was at the mercy OF this 1ank-
ton cabal and their contreres in other
parts Of the territory. f.,.. ...,aa
Could anything be any more high
handed, than after receiving $4,000 for
printing the code, which is proven, II the
whole number of copies had been printed,
was not worth $4,000, these men should
put in for $651 more? Could anything be
more corrupt than for the Auditory who,
after auditing $4,000, all the law allowed
him to audit for the code should IN the
face and eyes" Of the statute, audit $651
more? Could anything be more 9, ,conclu-
sive of the conscious guilt Of these para
a:4,, 4l,,,, +1,o ocDorinm hac1y into the
treasury of TIVE warrants for $3.50 last No
vember, and the balance in cash, $71, af-
ter the investi cation ordered by the Coun-
Gil. .s5e,s4t 2# asi
But what shall be said of ourlegislature
which voted Bowen & Klngsbuyy $4,000
for printing one thousand volumes OF the
new code, out of their constituents pock-
cts, which this report proves could have
been done for 100000, by responsible
parties? Did that body intend to give
Bowen & Kingsbury $2,990.00for services
rendered the Republican party OF this ter
ritory, or to strengthen the sinews of the
Yankton ring, that they might the better
control politics and territorial officials? {?
The only excuse for that body was that
the Press d Duk0tian representative said
it would cost 5000, and they believed it
would and voted it; and Bowen & Kings
bury were pleased, and the knowing ones
of the Yankton delegation were pleased,
and the legislature was pleased also. That
was time that tried mems souls, when
the leading Legislators expected lot in
prospective town in the Hills, which was
TO be obtained through the influence OF
the Yankton Ring, OF which the Press d
DakOtG5G71 was a prominent part, and so
the people suffered at their hands,
The Auditor figures conspicuously in
this report During the last two years he
audited and the treasurer paid the snug
sum of two thoueand one hundred and six
dollars and ninety six cents, without any
authority of law. This is indeed most
startling piece of information to grass
hopper.ridden Dakota But we will allow
the auditor his excuse for some of this
work-that he advised with the then Gov
ernor J. L. Pennington, and the Secretary,
Hon. Geo II. Hand. He advised with
these men, and they advised him about
these illegal raids, on the treasury, and
| hen went ahead and audited them! This
is another piece OF iDformatiOn! That
the two highest federal officials in Dakota
should give their countenance to such a
piece of rascality, is marvellous, but we
have the auditors word for it.
Hon. Geo. 81. Hand figures in this re
mort not at all ereditable to himself or to
the territory He was the custodian Of
the one thousand codes and was required
to dispose of them in accordance with
| certain provisions of the statutes. HE
report Of the disposition of these books is
very unsatisfactory He says he dlstrlbu tnL
ted Ito the several organized counties 495
1 comics There were at the time of his re-
port "a organized counties. To these
Counties he was instructed to furnish .
scrtain nutn ber on requisition from the