The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1889-09-28


Treasurer Burke to the matter and
heard nothing more aboutit.
Mr.. Jardet being interviewed yes
terday at Grand Isle, denied that he
had ever owned or presented any such
coupons. This statement being shown
to ex Cashier Stoddart, he gave q re-
porter the following copy Of q letter
addressed by him to Msjor Burke,
which will explain the matter. Major
Burke was In New Orleans at the
time: s4. ~
BATON ROUGE, La, January 10,
1S98-Msjor: George A. Pike some
days ago presented coupon No. 1s,
for $S5, $1,000 bond. Not being
stamped, I refused payment, but sub
sequently found out it belonged 10
Jardet, and being only one coupon of
$40 thought probably 1t may have
been neglected at the time Of stamp
ing. I wrote q note TO Jardet telling
him 10 get the coupon and send 1t, but
instead OF sending one he sent thirty
aud OF numbers supposed to be des-
troyed belonging to the Agricultural
and Mechanical college: Those num-
bers were ITO to 905. The coupons
sent were sO3, BOG, s2l, 1923, s43, s44,
s53, 1856, $50, 1914. The coupon num-
beers were Is, 10, 20, of ten coupons
each, making thirty coupons In ALL"
To this letter Mr.. Stoddart received
answer, by telephone from Major
Burke the next day, at p. NJ, say
ing; "Have seen the party and have
arrauged.o
Mr.. Stoddart stated that he showed
the thirty coupons to Mr.. James
Campbell, receiving clerk in the trea-
surer's Office, and together they dis
cussed this temperance of coupons
which were supposed to have been
destroyed several years ago. Mr..
Campbell at once sent in his resigna.
tiou, not wanting to remain longer
connected with an Office where such an
irregularity could occur. Major Burke
prevailed upon Mr.. Campbell to re-
main. Mr.. Stoddart said he also
would have resigned, but did not do
80 owing to the near change of admin
istratiou.
Note-The above, If true, shows that
Treasurer Burke had disposed of the
bonds in question and arranged fol-
payment of the Interest on them outs
side the treasurer's Office in January,
| 1888. six months before he retired from
office.
SHOW" said Mr.. S,oddart, "here is
something else bearing on the subject
as he produced telegram dated New
Orleans, August 81, 1888, and signed
Cockertop, reading: "Collected S3l(
and deposited it to the general &C
count. Balance unstamped and bank
refuses to cash." "The matter refer.
red to In this telegram" continued
Mr.. Stoddart, "is a package Of coupons
placed in my keeping by the Major
before he left for Honduras, which he
did about that time. The bundle was
sealed and although 1 knew that i
contained coupons, l did not have
their numbers, value or kind. Tn,
package was left with me with ir'
structious to forward 1t to Cockerton t.
New Orleans whenever thought thu
Office was in need OF money. I for,
warded the package few days before
the Majors return and in reply re-
ceivcd the Telegram which / have
shown you. A few days after tht
Majors arrival the rejected coupons
were sent up to me together with {
receipt for the deposit of the $50 worth
that were cashed. This made the fact
j value Of the rejected uustamped cou
pons remaining S2,254. I made out 6
list OF the coupons sent me, which
corresponds exactly with that publish
ed In the papers last week as having
been fraudulently Issued and null and
void. 1 sent these rejected coupons
over TO the major and heard nothing
more of them thereafter"
"What bank was ii that Mr.. Cocker
ton presented the fraudulent coupons
to for payment ~
"The State Natioual," Mr.. S:oddari
replied.
"Was your Office in need of money
that you sent the coupons down 10 be
cashed ?''
"No, not exactly; but 1 thought it
might be good TO have IL on hand"