Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-04-01
Vol. XVI. Whole Nc. 1914. No. II.


wise, received pay. One instance will be
sufficient In the early part of his admins
tration members of his council received
double mileage. This as . matter of form
they paid back-or what they claimed to be
the same thing-did not take their mileage
for the next session. The matter rested until
the close or nearly the close of the admins
tration of Gov. Garcelon, when the council
lors applied to him for repayment and he
complied with their request and paid them.
The amount of the sum so paid, including
the double mileage and some other bills, was
Si65. On January 10th, eight days after
Governor Garcelon's term of Office expired,
he paid Mr.. G. w. French 800 for staff
duty. Another sum of 1929 is charged for
sundry bills. For all these payments there
are no vouchers, and no man can say that
they are correctly made. Nor is the account
of DIR. Lancaster without its peculiarities
He admits that he has sold one carpet be
longing to the State, for which he has not as
yet accounted, and your committee have
taken testimony showing that he procured
carpet for the library, and purchased too
much by about thirty three yards for the
purpose. This surplus he cut off and sold,
and has not yet rendered an account for the
amount received. No mention is found of
the fact OF such sale in any public record
connected with any department of State.
DIR. Lancaster says he has not settled his
| account with the State, and intends to ac-
count for the money received by him. But
the transaction is one which should not be
sanctioned. Great abuse Is liable to creep
IN. II the superintendent can buy new carpets
and sell the surplus without any official
action authorizing him to do so, and without
making an account for the money he receives.
Dr. Lancaster also admits that he paid some
/ of the so-called police five dollars for twenty
1 four hours service. This seems to YOUR
/ committee to be rather extravagant, con-
sidering the character of the men employed,
| especially when the laws restricts watchmen
I IN his department to two persons and defines
/ their compensation.
1t is clear to the committee that the
/ public funds to very large amount have
/ been unlawflly drawn from the State
/ treasury, and have been misapplied. 4
/ considerable sum of the money is still re-
i tanned, in open violation of the statutes Of
/ this State. II any official, upon leaving of
I fee, and after the expiration of his term can,
upon any pretext whatever, take from the
+ treasury funds belonging to the State and dis
bursc them at pleasure to parties claiming
To have demands against the State, there is
no longer any safety for the public moneys,
/ but they can be plundered and squandered
without any limit, and We may we'll be filled
with appreheusons, when We see transac-
tons like this where, if there was no actual
criminal intent, there is such reckless
disregard of consequence and Of law as to
amount to crime against the people whose
trust and confidence have been violated and
abused. 1t is difficult to believe that Gov
Garcelon did not know the danger and
"lckcdneSS of such a proceeding. He and
his council must have known that such acts
were IN violation Of law and in contravention
OF common prudence and honesty, and the
desperation with which this scheme to per
pelua'e thclr own power has been pursued,
may arse from the vain hope that they
might be able to hide from the ewes of the
people, THESE irregularities which only re-
qure to be exposed in order to be condemned.
-FOUR committee recommend that the atten-
ton of the Attorney General be called to the
large amounts now IN the hands of either
Governor Garcelon or DIR. Lancaster. and to
amounts drawn by T.. +. Pillsbury & CO.,
for which there appear to be no vouchers
and that such proceedings be instituted as
will protect the interests of the State and
vindicate the demands of public justice.
TIE POSITION N THE INVESTIGATION OF
TIE GOVERNOR AND COUNCIL
On March I, 1850 the clerk Of the com
mittee, George u. Bisbec, Esq, who has
been most faithful and efficient in the dis
charge Of his duties, acting under the
unanimous vote of the committee, addressed
the following letter of notification to Gov
ernor Garceon and each member of his
council with the exception of Moody, who
had already appeared and testified before
the committee, and Mr. Parker of Aroos-
took county to whom telegraphic notice to
the same effect was sent.
AUGUSTA, March ith, 1880.
Sir:-I am directed by unanimous vote of
the committee on investigation into election
returns and expenditure and appropriation
of the public money to inform YOU that the
committee has Investigated into and taken
testimony upon the subject matter COM
mitted to it by the Legislature, including
the acts of the Governor and Council upon
sa.. election returns and the appropriation of
rPtIc moneys under their control, and that an
,portunity will be offered for YOU to appear
before said committee on Monday the eight
day of March, at the Capitol in Augusta to
testify and make explanation upon the mat
ter before sad committee Parties appear
ing before the committee will he allowed the
usual fees for travel and attendance.
Very Respectfully Yours,
GEORGE ID. BIsBEE,
Clerk of Committee.
No one "a. the eX-memhers of the council
so notified mas seen fit to appear before YOUR
committee in response TO such notice Mr..
Foster, no Is absent in distant State, has
responded N a courteous letter, regretting
his inability to be present, as he is so far
away. Mr.. FoCg has replied in long let
ter which goes INTO the testimony. and which
has already been published in some of the
State newspapers. Governor Garcelon has
appeared and given extended testimony
which is herewith submitted.
The weight of all the testimony rests so
heavily upon these members of Gov. Garce
Ions council who have refused to come for
ward, they have had ample opportunity of
doing, to explain or deny the acts which the
testimony leaves at their doors, that YOUR
committee bearing in mind the well known
rule that no witness, if forced to appear, can
be compelled to testify to facts involving him
in crime, have concluded to leave these
men where the testimony leaves them, exer-
cising the privilege, invoked by criminals
for ages past, of not testifying against them
selves. Their names and residences are as
follows: Charles H. Chase, Portland; Frank
NJ, Fogg, Auburn Simon s. Brown, Fair
field; Halsey H. Monroe, Thomaston; Fred,
erick q. Parker, Presque Isle.
GOV. GARCELON.
Hon. Alonzo Garcelon whose term of of
tce as Governor was made notorious by the
events into which your committee have been
examining, came forward when called and
his testimony which We submit is long and
cannot fail to be read with interest. 1t is
but just to say that, while before your COM
miitee. Governor Garcelon ALWAYS declared
himself willing to disclose everything that be
knew relating to the investigation. His
memory at times was nfirm, and when he
was confronted with acts on his part for
which he had no warrant of law he repeat
edly failed to give any satisfactory reason
for his course He is shown clearly to have
become committed to course beset with in
fractions and bold violations of the law and
to have shrunk at nothing in pursuing that
course, and he had at many times the op~