The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-09-03

idea OF a fraudulent connection between
Major Calkins and the school fund OF La
porte County. Though the charge was made
by the Argus of this city, a paper that is
edited by a gentleman who, while he may
never shrink from severity, know usually
to be conservative. / treated it as the vapor-
ing of a campaign, heavily charged with
malice, that could even find expression in
personalities and perYersiOn. Concerning
the letter the Peru Republican said:
Jap Turpen has a very interesting letter In the
Indianapolis News OF Monday, generating Major
Calkins of defrauding the Laporte County school
fund.
The Republican then proceeds to quote
the following extract from my letter:
There has never been a time in mis- Ii fe when
Major Calkins, whatever his disposition might
have been, could Afford 10 triae with the school
fund Of Indiana. Ii he is guilty OF having Derpe-
ira ed. or even atteu1Dted. swindle. DR.. Church,
ex-Democratic Au tor, as wen as Mr. Hall. the
present Democratic Auditor OF Laporte county. IS
guilty OF criminal negligence IN not having oras'
ged him to justice Indeed. the charge is hagrant
per reader. To make it is brainless abuse OF the
privileges OF a free press.
The next post, after the appearance of
MAJOR Calkins version, over my signature,
brought me a hat full of matter bearing on
the subject, declaring the Argus faithful to
the record in statement and implication
that even q decent respect for outside facts
would show Major Calkins wholly unit
for any position of executive responsibility;
that bv en- act originally dishonest the Re
publican nominee for Governor today not
only holds $500 due the school fund, but
that he has frequently recognized
his individual obligation, and that his
more recent statement is 2 shameless
pTevariCation. Several letters from gentlemen
whose names I had mentioned were hot with
indignation, one demanding "Inasmuch
a. you have been so unanimous on the side
of Major Calkins, you must come down and
make an investigation. Reasonable in
curry on the outside, as well as al exami-
nation of the records, viii reveal that you
have been altogether too previous. Major
Calkins moTtgsged to the school fund trace
of kaukakes marsh, for which he never
would have paid during his widest deli
rum OF anti-panic speculation One-halt o.
$500, the money advanced Except for gro "
ing ducks and creeping things. and to pad
OFT trade for stocks and stuff equally fan
ciful, the land never had tangible value
since the world began. But even in other
particulars your article in the News wants
accuracy"
This is the state OF facts disclosed by the
record that / am called to examine. and
though it may not convict OF swindling to
the full satisfaction OF Ma Or Calkin's parti-
sans, q negligence is shown that must prove
embarrassing TO q candidate for the office OF
Governor Major Calkins has certainly
taken liberties with the school fund of La.
porte County that he would have declined
in any private or individual interest. A
bank or corporation would long since have
instituted suit 20 recover. Even in a horse
race he would not have awaited himself OF
the same advantage and escaped the imputa-
lion of cheating.
In his first conversation with me, Major
Calkins said that Mortimer Nye, now Mayor
of LspOrte, and Democratic candidate for
electOr, was one of the appraisers whose
affidavit secured the loan. He has since in
formed me that he was mistaken, that be
and Mortimer Nye having held the property
together, led him TO mix the two facts. Nor
timer Nye has answered me: ut was ten
years ago. Many of the facts have faded
from my memory. l never saw the land.
and doubt if Major Calkins ever saw il. 1t
is in the center of an absolutely valueless dis
trict, EXCEPT for hunting and fishing. | have
heard that there is not a hay press
within five miles OF the property. So its
worth for haying purposes, considering its
distance from the nearest railroad, is ficti-
tiOus. l have forgotten how we came by the
land and its cost, but we never could have
paid more than 500 for it. Major Calkins
and were trading together. In closing
up, this particular piece of land fell to his
share. Some Of the Kankakee property fall
ing to me, is still on my hands, aud in all
human probability, will belong to me and
my heirs forever. 1 once attempted
to discover it, but the route, even
when the season was dryest, was
not practical. To the mud there was no bot
tom, and the swimming for horse was haz.
aTdOUs. No, sir; I was not one of the ap-
praisers. / was ignorant of the loan havin
been made for years afterward. Had 9
known it at the time / should have felt com
PEELED to caution the Auditor" So from the
language of Mortimer Nye, it is reasonable to
inf hat ha rio oflO uuaa of
questionable honesty. For the reason that
this gentleman was enormously connected
with the appraisement it is only fair that be
should be heard. This state CT facts en-
braced in a quotation from the Laporte
Argus, August Z, is confirmed by the record
and faithful in spirit:
Ten years ago next fall William II. Calkins Sc
cured loan from the common school fund, on
land that IS practically q worthless swamp. With
the assistance of intimate personal and party
friends. who probably never saw the land. he OBJ
tsiDed money from the school fund TO fu twice the
amount OF the value OF the swamp. de has failed
10 psy the interest on the debt, and for eight
year. the taxpayers have been Obliged BIZ law 10
psy il for him. He has failed 70 pay this hoaess
debt 10 the school fund. although repeatedly
urged to do So He is q lawyer and knows that
the money can not be collected on his note b.
suit until the land is Sold and he has the best
of reasons for believing that the land
can not be sold At the appraised value, which is
the school fund. he knows that the people who
pay the taxes have for nearly eight years been
paying the interest that was due from him to the
school fund. Is this an honest transaction, or is
IL a swindfe on the school fund, that should be
sacred to eyery citizen OF Indiana?
"At thai nme." gentleman observed 10
me, 'such transactions were by no means
uncommon, and that character of excess is
what resulted in the defeat of the local Re-
publican party. The Germans OF Llporte
County came over TO the Democrats in body
because they had good reason to suspicion
the exact honesty of the Courthouse ring
If not wholly on the beat. it was altogether
too liberal with the peoples money"
why have not the officers of Laporte
County recovered the money" l asked.
THE officsrs Of Laporte County have done
everything possible under the Law. By legal
provision the land must first be sold at its
appraised value, $500, before MAJOR Calkins
becomes liable. This last appraisement by
citizens of the township where the land is
located, and, Of course, interested in keep
ing up the value of real estate. is made ten
years after. Close personal and political
friends OF Major Calkins. living in the city
of Laporte, had sworn IL worth 800. The
land has long been offered for sale, but no
buyer turns up"
"Wby we're these facts never brought out
against Major Caikins while candidate for
Congress-"
''Tbey were published in the Argus in
1873. but seemed to have no particular bear
ing on q legislative Office"