Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-10-11
THE TREASURY MISMANAGEMENT.
Wolfe Striking Right and Lett.


In his speech at Titusville, Wolfe read
the publication Of monthly statements of
the condition of the treasury. what amount
Of money is on hand, where it is deposited,
in what amounts, and on what security.
He also read the act of 1874 passed to
carry the constitutional provision into
effect and requiring the statements to be
published in two newspapers at Harris
burg. He said up to the time Of NOyes'
administration these statements had
been regularly published. During
his administration they were pub
lished only part of the time and
since Noyes turned over the treasury to
Butler they have not been published at
all. Blake Walters, chief clerk for NOyes
organized gigantic scheme of speculation
with the money of the state. A part of it
was the purchase Of large quantities of
crude petroleum certificates which were
expected to increase in value but failed to
do SO, and then Walters and his cOnfeder-
ates attempted to lobby through the Leg
is!ature of 1879, tax on oil in the shape
of a license payable to the state for every
derrick erected to bore for oil. This failed,
as did also the proposed tax on crude Pc
troleum in bulk, and, the other speculat-
ing schemes Of the ring proving equally
disastrous, the treasury was depleted OF
cash and members had to take their war
rants and go home without getting them
cashed. Many were sold at discount, and
the public school warrants all over the
state were begging for purchasers at a
discount, 4 fact that was notorious every
where and caused our school boards i'm
mense embarrassment
This deficit continued, and when But
Ter came into Office the drafts on the peO-
pies cash made by the speculations of
Walters, the Democratic clerk, and his
Republican partners, Henry NJ. Hoyt and
Matt Quay, amounted to an enormous
sum. Butler hesitated to take the office
when cash was represented by compara-
lively worthless due bills, and there was
considerable delay in tho transfer. At
length Cameron came forward and guar
anteed the amount, and it is sup
posed Henry w. Oliver assumed part
OF the responsibility and subse-
quently demanded his reward. NOyes
sood dicd-it is supposed worried to death
over the irresularity and his losses. But
ler has hitherto disregartled the plain
mandate of the constitution, the law and
his official oath regarding these statements,
and it is fair to infer that he has some
strong reason for his SO doing. Wolfe said
h. made 10 charge against Buffers integ
rity, but could not understand why he did
not obey the law. That there are reasons
for his action may be inferred from the
fact that on August 1, 1881. the statement
filed in the auditor generals Office shows
that there were at that time deposited in
the Peoples bank, of Philadelphia, $780,
600. He read the list Of stockholders of
the Peoples bank.
On the same date the treasury had on
deposit with the Allegheny national baak
SlGO,000. The cashier is .McCandles,
Chris. Magee's right. hand man in Pitts
burgh. 1t looks rs if Chris. NIagce and
not Butler was treasurer when VIC know
that Chief Clerk Levisee. of the treasury,
was Damcd at Masce's dictatiop. The
statement which should have been filed in
the auditor generals Office September 1
was not filed up to the tenth or twelfth,
and these may be some of the reasons why
the statements are not and have not been
published in two Harrisburg papers, as
required by law. Tho Peoples bank, said
Wolfe, is properly called the Peoples
bank because the money Of the people of
Pennsylvania is deposited there and the
politicians grow rich off its dividends.