Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-09-11
CHARGES AGAINST CHURCH.

|
SERIOUS Allegations by Committee OF
Democrats-SiOlations OF Law SET
Forth.
Grand Forks, Sept. S-The report OF
the committee appointed by the Day
faction OF the two-headed democratic
territorial convention at Wetertown to
formulate the charges against Gov.
Church and forward them to the presi-
dent, is now practically complete. The
afdavlts and the recorded evidence IL,
IN Chairman w. r. Bierly's hsrds and
he is now engaged in the final work of
preparation, To correspondent he said
to-day:
The specifications, which are sus-
tained by affidavit, 1t would not he
proper to publish at this time. but
Will oheerfully explain the general
charges against the Dakota executive.
| "Ihe governor Is charged with hay-
ng openly violated the presidents order
OF July Ia, 1856. by Extensively engage
Ing IN attempts to pack caucuses and
the territorial democratic convention,
gong so far as to write personal letters
to officers in the employ OF the general
government and ratlfy bargains with
them for the delivery of their own and
ether votes, for his own personal en-
dorsement. This Is sustained by AZ
tidavits and the governors own letters.
"Ihe governor is charged with using
| his position as governor and his veto
power to intimidate the peoples repra.
sentatives, making the passage of neoes.
sary bills dependent upon his will.
This is supported by affidavit of lead.
ing and reputable member of the council.
q" He is further charged with appoint
ing persons to Office unfit by education
| and nature and In some cases not cjti-
zens, while in other cases persons dis
qualified by the very law under which
they were sppointed, aE6 this against
| the protests OF our best citizens.
HE is charged with wiIlfully and
knowingly violating the organic law. IN
that his salary being limited by said law
TO 20 ,500 per annum, he indirectly draws
from the treasury, besides 81 900 clerk
hire appropriated by the legislature for
his office, the further com pensation. from
March IL, 1887, to July 81, 1888, of
S2.o9f, In the shape Of notary commits
sions, all paid him IN direct violation of
section $50 of the organic act.
He is further charged with violating
the militia law OF the territory, under
which annual encampments OF our
militia. numbering about 500, are re-
CURED to be held, and for which, to-
gether with the expense of maintaining
the militia, the Legislature appropriated
SlS,OO0 per annum. The governor as
commandment chief has caused to he
spent to date the sum OF $30, ,36S, 90, and
IN direct violation of law refuses TO hold
the annual encampment for this year.
:" He is further charged with having
Improvidently squandered the entire re-
eelpts of the stock indemnity fund of the
territory accrued under law passed by
the Legislature, levyIng tax upon ali
live stock in the territory, for the pur.
pose of UNDERWRITING the owners
OF the live stock from loss
by infectious disease. Receipts from
this source to date have been
So,o2259. Under the governors man
sgemsnt no indemnity has been paid,
On the contrary it has been refused, vet
the disbursements of that fund to date
are @o, !oo .5O and the owners OF stock in
lnieeted districts are unable to obtain
either indemnity or protection
Under law passed by the last leeis.
lature, the revision and compilation OF
- " "os W Ub DGEIOEmSu.
The law authorizing it delegated to the
commissioners, one of whom was not a
lawyer nor learned in the law, power
which the Legislature could not delegate.
1t also limited the cost of the compila-
tor, including salaries and expenses of
compilation, to the sum OF Sd 900. The
amount paid to date on account of this
compilation ont of the territorial treas.
ury is $4,000, yet the governor has
never complied with the law by issuing
his proclamation announcing such fact
and his acceptance of such compilation
but is himself engaged in ths dubious
business OF hawking the books oyer the
territory at $500 per yolumo, The
compilation has been severely criticised
by lawyers and those competent To
Judge, and pronounced to be useless
expenditure or public money"
Mr.. Briefly added: "These are The
main charges, supported by affidavits
and the public records OF the territory,
upon which the committee will rely for |
Ohurch's removal. The specifications
have not yet been fully completed, but |
l hope to have sufficient time to finish
them this week end submit copies to
the othes members of the committee and |
to present the charges and the affidayits
personally to the president before the
end of this month";"