Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1880-03-18
pailp Aennebst 5ournaL
Augusta, Thursday Morning, March lS.
Garcelon's Financial IFregulari-
ties.

The confession Of ex-Gov. Garcelon in
relation to the manner in which he took
and used the funds Of the Treasury is
confession Of criminal conduct deserving
severe punishment Money was first
taken improperly by him from the treas
ury, expended for Illegal purposes as far
as It was expended. without proper vouch-
ers, and considerable sum was kept by
the Governor in his own possession after
he went out Of Office, some Of which he
has at this present time. BY his own
statement he drew from the Treasury
1900 in December, for which no bill or
claim had been presented against the
State, at the time at which il was drawn.
This irregular method Of doing business
he attempts to justify by stating that ii was
necessary ON account of the troubled CON
dition u the State. Having drawn the
money. the greater portion Of, it was used
in paying Captain Blacks poliee-a body
Of men raised without authority and some
Of them graduates Of the jails and state
prison. Instead Of leaving the money in the
Treasury and drawing in proper form
for II "a bills were presented, allowed and
ordered paid. he kept this large sum sub
ject to his personal order at various banks
and drew upon i, as though it were his
own individual deposit.
Bat this il not all of Garcelon's irregu-
lar conduct When his term OF
Office expired he still kept pos
session OF the unexpended balance
of this $1,000. He did not offer to
return it to the Treasury, but kept it in his
hands and used it n his own. paying -
late ~ Feb 20tb $500 into the hands of
DIR. Lancaster, the former Superintendent
Of the State House OF the sum of 5000
he has Adjutant General Leavitts receipt
for $1,000. and has vouchers for SJ,1li
more. still leaving the sum Of sZ2J6 not
accounted for. This he undertakes to ac-
count for by saying he paid 500 to a. J..
Gould, : 10 10 members of the Council
and other bills making the sum paid out
amount TO 1880. According 10 this
there is still so56 in his possession which
belongs to the State. This he confesses.
What claim or right has he to this mon
cy? What right had he after going out OF
office to keep money of the state in his
hands and pay it out TO DR.. Lancaster. or
a. +. Gould. or any of Blacks squad OF
Jail birds II these men had bills against
the State they should have been presented
10 the proper authorities at the state House
and would by them have been paid il they
were just and rightlu claims. If Garce-
lon had money in his hands belonging to
the State he should ut least have paid il
over to the Treasury at the expiration OF
his term of office lie had no right t.
hold dollar OF the States money in his
possession to pay A. L. Could or anybody
else.
II cx-Gov. Garcelons financial irregu-
iarities do not amount in the eye of the
law to larceny or emheZzlemeut then we
are very much mistaken. 1t is humii-
ating conclusion for the people OF Maine
TO come to that they have had Governor
guilty Of such offence. but they have the
facts as stated by Garcelon himself and
they cannot doubt them. In the at
tempt to steal the State Legislature and
the government from the men rightfully
elected by the people, We have traced the
conspirators through ialschood. forgery
usurpation. and all Scoundrelism that would
aid them in their conspiracy. and at last
we have Garcelon's scandalous confession
of his financial crime to give u darker
shade to the great villaiuy attempted I'M
der his administration,