Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1886-06-17
COURT OF IMPEACHMENT.
no Question OF Jurisdiction not 10 be
Raised.

DIS MONIES, June 9.-John A. Elliott a.
the first witness, being sworn testified that he
was President Of the State Insurance Com
pany In 1884, and remembered the examination
of the company by Vail, under authority OF
John l.. Brown, Auditor OF State. Had with
him the bills presented by Vail for that exami
nation which then were produced and afte
Identification Were offered in evidence ant
read. With the bills were several other paper
which will appear in the testimony.
These bills were presented by Mr.. Vail; nc
complaint was made until the g., 800 bill wa
presented, Mr., Weaver asked what was sait
when that bin was presented. Counse
Nourse interposed his objection to this cues
ton, saying that the senate ruled that none
OF these conversations should be admitted OK
cept on condition that the conversation should
be brought home TO the knowledge Of Brown
that SO far the five bills Of the different insur
ance companies had been offered In evidence
and not In one case had the facts proved thai
Brown knew of the conversation between Vat
and other parties, Manager Weaver said tn,
counsel was mistaken in thinking thai
these conversations were admitted
under condition OF proving in
the future that the knowledge had been
brought to Brown. As had been shown Vail
was the authorized agent OF Brown. Letters
OF Brown certified to this, and whatever Vail
did was equivalent to an action OF Brown him
self The manager proposed to show by this
witness that an objection to the bill was made
and carried TO Brown, and that Brown refused
to hear any objections to the bill but ordered
IL paid.
Judge Wright was called and testified that
before the payment of the bill for Wallis ser
vices for the State Insurance company's exam.
nation, he saw Mr.. Brown In the Office on the
day the bill was presented He asked Mr..
Brown II there was not some way OF reducing
the bIll, that he thought 1t a very large one.
Mr.. Brown answered that II the books Of the
company had been kept in proper shape, the
expense Of the examination would not have
been so large. Mr. Wright answered that
he did not think the condition OF
the books had anything to do with
the amount charged per day. Mr.. Brown
replied that It was subject on which no
never allowed any conversation, nor did he
want to hear any thing against his examiner
Witness said he had said nothing about the
examiner and did not know why Brown should
bring that into the conversation. Judge
Wright had visited the Auditor dozen times
or more during the examination. Judge
Nourse asked what the objects Of these visits
were
Dies MONIES, June 10.--The day was taken
up in the examination of several Witness con.
nected with insurance accompanies, the first
witness on the stand being T. 4. Graefe, book
keeper of the State Insurance Company.
The question pending being the
one as to the twenty-four losses which were
omitted from the 1893 statement though be-
longing there, and paid in 1884. Objection to
tlis question was overruled, and witness ans.
wered that these losses were omitted from the
1883 statement for the reason that drafts had
been drawn for their payment but not cashed
Question was asked whether false entries
were not made on the booke TO cover up tho
facts that some one had sworn to a false state
ment made In the annual report to the Auditor
In 1888 and II such false entries were not dis
covered by Mr.. Vail. Mr.. Weaver objected to
the double question, and the question was d.
vided. Witness said he made no false entry
to his knowledge on any book. Mr.. Bills
asked whether in the 1888 statement the salar-
les due officers were $1,000 less than was
really this case, and to offset this the bills re-
ceivable were lessencd to $4,000. Objection
made by prosecution, but oyerruled by vote
Of 10 to IS.
Witness and Mr. Long attended TO making
up the annual statements, and In 1888 Mr..
Nettles was the book-keeper Witness did
not remember Of Vail calling attention TO the
error Of the $40, 900; thought there might be
such an error but had no knowledge of such.
Witness excused and A. Bennett, sworn and
testified, that he had been In the insurance
busineas thought an examiner was worth $40
per day.
a. T. Bierbarber, assistant OF the
Des Moines Insurance Company, sworn and
testified that he had been connected with the
Farmers Insurance Company of Cedar Rapids,
State Company Of Des Moines and the Bur.
lington Company. Understood the Des Moines
Company was the first company ever cxamin-
ed by Vail. Thought so from the manner In
which he did his work; did not seem to know
where TO begin: considerable time was con-
sumed In getting the work under Roadway.
Witness was with different companies when
they were examined, and thought the highest
price paid was $40 per day. The Des Molnes
was reorpanized as stock company
In 1881, and first organized as mutual tor.
nado company In 1880
DIES MONIES, June 1.-THE managers
,alled as the first witness Theo. +. Gatchell,
Secretary of the Des Moines Insurance COM
,any, who being sworn testified under direct
examination by Mr.. Ball that Vail came to his
,fiice In March, 1888 with a letter from Mr..
Brown to the effect that he was Browns au-
horned insurance examiner. The Des Moincs
company was the first fire insurance company
Mr. Vail said he had had expert
nee In life insurance. but never had with fire
Insurance companies, and the two methods Of
loing business was very different. During
he examination several amounts were paid
y witness to Vail for his services, who in an
wer to questions by witness said he did not
,now whether the state or the companies were
o pay for the examinations; these several
mounts we're paid by witness without know
ng who was to bear the expense. The total
mount OF the bill for the Des Moines exami-
lation was 1857. At the time of Its presenta-
ion witness asked Vail for the privilege OF
onsulting Mr.. Brown before paying the bill,
nd meeting Mr.. Brown on the capitol steps,
poke to him about the amount OF the bill.
ir. Brown said among other things, you'd
etter pay that" and the bill was paid The
Ill called for pay for six assistants, while
fitness testified that only two were engaged
D the Office, Palmer and Sanford. Vail came
lone at first and was followed In three or four
avs by Palmer. Business was suspended In
he Office and every assistance given Vail lby |
he Office In the way Of clerks and records.
j. A. Harper, cashier OF tine Corydon bank,
worn and testified that Brown examined the |
ank and for such examination was paid $40, |
be amount being fixed by Brown. The bank |
'as not a savings bank. The railroad fare to |
orydon was 81. Mr.. Brown was two or three
ours in the examination. Everything con-
ected with the examination was not satisfac- |
Dry to the bank officials, but the $40 fee was
aid without objection. The bank was again |
xamlned by Mr.. Cstell In June, 1885 Prose-
ution objected to the question Of what was
attelrs price for his examination. Objection |
verruled by yeas, IS; nays2l. Witness said |
Q paid Mr.. Cattell, examiner, $50 for his ex.
Witness excused and s. +. Stew
It testified that while deputy auditor he had |
nder authority Of Auditor Brown examined |