The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-07-31

| us Idr as IL did. Au]utant General Elliott,
who was enthusiastically in favor of COB
bling the money, in some manner which ]
do not know, gathered together lot of
vouchers amounting to nearly sixty
thousand dollars, and turned them over to
the governor for his approval The gov
ernor, unsuspicious or guilty soul, you can
take your choice think the latter
announced that they were all right, and
he would see that they were paid, or
words to that effect-and proceeded forth
with to approve them preparatory to
turning them over to the auditor 10 have
warrants drawn for the amounts they
called for. There was pile of them, of
course.
SIXTY THOUSAND DOLLARS
is a big sum of money The auditor got
wind Of them, and as it was big job and
only six days left, his chief clerk, Mr..
Henkle thought he had better go to the
governors Office and examine them, or
commence to examine them, while they
were in process of approval. He did so,
and discovered
A GIGANTIC FRAUD.
1t will be hard to explain to you the
different character of the vouchers and
the way they were ascertained to be bogus
or duplicates of vouchers already paid,
and | shall not attempt it. But the gang
banking upon the fact that under the old
law companies and regiments we've given
pro rata share of the money collected, and
paid their own expenses. the vouchers
were in the main composed of bills
that had been thus paid by the
various command. The scheme was
to have them paid again out of the
treasury before the money was transferred
from the militia fund to the general fund
thus robbing the treasury of over $50,
600. Clerk Henkle dropped upon the
scheme of the rascals, and said he couldn't
audit these bills-that they had been paid
once. Some of the Vouchers few
thousand dollars apparently genu-
inc, and these the auditors clerk said he
would draw warrants for and recommend
ed the governor to turn them over to the
auditors Office The governor was won
derfully confused by the discovery of the
plot-Cs well he might be-and getting
excited he declared that he would with
draw his approval from the whole batch;
that the few thousand dollars were but a
drop in the bucket, and if that was all
they might wait until they could be paid
under the new appropriation, 1t seems
he was determined, if the whole batch
couldn't go through and be paid, thus
defrauding the treasury, not even the just
few should be satisfied. That's the way
it looks, don't it2"
The reporter was compelled TO confess
that irdid look that way, and that it was
rough on the young man.
well, continued the colonel, that's the
true inwardness of the scheme to rob the
for which in my opinion Elliott
and Hamilton are largely responsible, if
not wholly so, Their minor military
'atraps may also have been in for a small
'divy." But the watchfulness of Henkle
saved the money"
THE GOVERNOR MAD
And is that what the governor is mad
at Swigert and Henkle about? Queried
the reporter.
81 know no other reason. For when !
he was in Chicago he blamed Henkle |
tor the nOn-payment Of the claims up
here, which were the ones Henkle said |
were probably correct and advised the |
governor to prove, and which he said |
hould wait until they could be paid
lnder the new appropriation. This at
empt to fasten the blame for the nom
payment of certain claims on Henkle and |
he auditor is piece of pig-headed
and the attempt to rob the
was disgraceful crime; and |
whoever was responsible for it should be |
l don't care who he is"
What is that hear about a mandamus
20 compel Swigert to turn over the money? |
well, it seems that the governor has
aired Jim Connolly to boss the attorney |
general, who the governor don't think
very much of a lawyer, to obtain by in
imidatlon or by law what tie gang failed
o get by fraud. Yes, the military
department have set their eyes on that
money, and they won't be satisfied until |
sets down on them The
legislature will do it next time certain,
f they don't look out 1t came near
Ioing it this time. They can't buIl-dose
'wigert, and don't believe they can the
supreme court. 1T is really the most
heeky proceeding ever heard of, unless
be their attempted robbery in June.
My Swigert turned the money over into
he general fund on the second day of
July, and there it is. He can't draw it
'ut if he wanted to. and he don't want
o-only upon the presentation of proper
Vouchers, and he Is to be judge of what
5ropeT vouchers are; it is to be drawn
ust as any other money is drawn from
be general fund, and he can only draw
5000 in the present year on such
-ouchers. How they are to get hold of
he other seventy odd thousand dollars l
10 not knOw-they can't do it.
How much was turned over of the mill
la fund as an unexpended balance into
he general fund?
Il don't know the exact amount, YOU
viii have to ask the auditor or treasurer
was over $4,000 understand. | be
ieve | have told you about all | know
IbOut the matter"
The reporter thanked the colonel" for
lis trouble and wendell his way to the
Office But Treasurer Smith
vas not in-off at New York paying July
interest on municipal registered indebted
less. We inquired of his deputy, Mr.,
Peters. if he would inform US how much
If the militia fund has been turned over
o the genral fund by the auditor. He
urned to his books and said the books
how that Auditor .Swigert turned over
rom the militia fund to the generel fund
IN the second day of July,71 495, 90, The
money is in the general fund is it? Eyes,
iri it is. Thanking the gentleman, the
eporter retired in good order, and left
he capitol, avoiding proximity to the
military and executive department for
ear he might get his pocketspicked
How long will the people of Illinois
tand such conduct by their officials?
Try bottle of Stilwells Specific if
rOubled with kidney or liver disease