The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-10-19
The Interest Not Accounted for to the State.
but Pocketed by Mr.. COOper-PrOgress of
the Campaign in Rush County.
THE STATE TREASURY.

NoBLEsyILLE. Oct. Is The largest and most
enthusiastic Republican meeting of the campaign
assembled at the courthouse here tonight and
was addressed by Hon. Hiram Brownlee, of
Grant county. Mr.. Brownlee was member Of
the legislative committee to investigate the af
fairs of the State treasury. and in a manner
that shows him to be a complete master of the
subject he told how the Republican minority of
that committee were throttled by the Democratic
majority at every attempt they made to bring to
the public mind the corrupt and dishonest meth
DDS of Democratic bookkeeping. He proved be.
yond all question, by record and Democratic doc.
umentary evidence, that the State treasury
should be looked nto that the States money
is loaned or used by the Democratic State
Treasurer in open violation of law. and the profit
arising from the use of the money diverted from
the treasury and appropriated by the Treasurer
to his own He showed where in single
transaction than 81 200 of interest collected
on county orders bought with State funds was
received by John j. Cooper as an individual aud
not as Treasurer. Mr.. Brownlee's speech was
received with great interest, and it had
local flavor and bearing. the audience was much
larger than it might otherwise have been. Mr..
the State treasury question:
Ny Fellow-citizens: One issue in this cam
paign Is shall the the condition of the State
tres sury be investigated Shall the books be
open eds Shall the money be countedY Having
been member of the joint committee of the
last General Assembly of the State to determine
whether or not an investigation OF the State
treasury was necessary and believing that that
committee decided nothing; that its reports only
| added to the doubt already existing; that the
proceedings of that committee demonstrate but
one fact, viz: That the State treasury ought to
be investigated the books opened, and the
money counted, and believing that the tax pay
ers of the State have desire to
know, and have the right to know
Just how their accounts stand
and personally knowing that the efforts of the
Democratic majority upon that COMMITTEES were
confined entirely to the labor of saving the
State treasury from Investigation, and believ-
ing from the little that we did learn that the
State treasury was and is rotten, and that the
State Treasurer did not and could not account
for the peoples money, ask your attention for
a few moments while give you some facts, as
they appear of record; some facts ascer-
tanned while member of that committee, and
some facts since found out, with the help OF
some gentlemen in this city.
The Democratic members of that committee,
in their majority report, as may be found upon
page 2l0 of the Senate journal of the last SEES
sion say: Leaving total balance chargeable
against the treasury at the close of business
hours, Jan 49, 1885, of 1886 S8l o." and they, in
their report, upon the page referred to, add,
land, thereupon, said Treasurer exhibited to the
committee at his Office, cash assets in the sum
of $49l, 1860 "a. Of the sums so exhibited ae that
place to the committee, the sum of 81 600 con.
sisted in national bank and United
States Treasury notes, silver and gold
certificates. commonly called paper moneys
$3.50 consisted of silver coin, $40, 04991 con-
sisted of drafts. checks and certificates of de-
posts issued by various banks of Indiana" and
they say that the sum of $74 O69 81 of said exc
hibit consisted in county orders $50, 900 Of
which was upon Marion county, Indiana, and
$40 900 of which was upon Hamilton county,
Indiana" And they further say, upon page I'll
Of the volume referred to, that 1.-THE majority OF
your committee further report that they dis
cover no reason whatever why legislative
committee, or any other committee. should be
appointed at this time to investigate further
into the affairs of the State treasury"
This report was signed by every Democrat
upon that committee, and adopted in the
House of Representatives, every Democrat 10
the House voting for it, and every Republican,
voting against it, and it was adopted by the Sen
ate every Democrat voting for 1t except be II
said to his honor, Senator Rufus McGee of Cast
county, and every Republican voting against it,
They say that $40, 049 81 consisted of drafts,
checks and certificates of deposits. Permit me to
call your attention specially to some OF the items
included in this showing. First 1t was repre-
scented by John j. Cooper, Treasurer, that ne had
deposited for safe keeping at the Merchants
National Bank, on Jan. 2, 1885, about one
month prior to the investigation the sum OF $780,
000 sub committee was appointed. consisting
OF two Democrats and myself, to visit the bank,
and ascertain whether not the money had
been SO placed upon special deposit As this
subcommittee went into this bank John j.
Cooper came out he having visited the bank in
advance of the committee. Upon demand,
package was shown the committee said to con-
tain $50 000 1t was not counted. 1t was rep.
resented by Mr.. Cooper that the package had
been upon deposit one month"; but the sub com
mttee discovered that the package was labeled,
Special deposit by John j. Cooper, Treas
urer," and the lux was not dry upon
the label No inquiry was made or permitted
as to when under what circumstance the spe-
cial deposit was made From the failure to
make such inquiry, the meeting with Mr.. Cooper
at the bank. and the freshness of the ink upon
the label, we must conclude that the money did
not belong to Cooper, Treasurer, and was not
deposited by him as stated, but was, In fact, the
money of the bank-its special reserve, or part
of it--aud was so labeled and shown to the COM
mttee for the purpose of deceiving them. and
through them the tax payers of the State.
Again: There was shown this committee
certificates of deposit for $l32, I926 aud call
your attention to the fact that each and every.
one of them was drawn payable TO some one
other than John J. Cooper, and was Endorsed
in blank and no inquiry was made or permitted
IS to the Circumstance OF their issue; whether
or not they bore their true date: whether or not
they were in fact the property OF John J.
Cooper. and no inquiry made or permitted
as to the Indebtedness of John j. Cooper to any
of the banks issuing such certificates, that might
be a set-of or counter claim against them.
The committee did not know at the time, and
does not know now. that the certificates
were worth a cent, and the refusal to
permit any reasonable inquiry concerning them,
together with the fact that they were not drawn
payable to John J. Cooper. necessarily leads to
tho conclusion that further and earnest investi-
CATION concerning them was what was needed,
ard that which will be demanded by the people
of this State Again: Certificates of deposit
calling for $45, 600 were shown this committee as
assets and they were all dated on Sunday.
need not explain to you that unless they were
so dated by mistake, unless they were aftor-
wards recognized By the bank that issued them
as genuine, that they were not worth
thA nnnar on which thaY were written.