Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-12-25
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A GRAND BEQ 10 EST.


The best news of the day is this an
nouncement, that by the will Of Daniel b.
Fayerweather of New York, 50, 100000 in
legacies is to go to a score of colleges,
without hampering conditions, and that
theSei1s-at-law will make no contest over
this splendid distribution. The New Eng
land colleges favored are Yale, which gets
$4,000 for the Sheffield scientific school
and Amherst, Williams, Dartmouth, Wes-
leyan and BOwdoiu, which are to receive
100000 each The dead man could not
have planned more wisely in the method
and extent of his giving. We have often
deprecated the disposition of rich men to
found new educational institutions when
those already in operation are suffering
for the lack of money, or to give funds to
existing colleges for special purposes, when
the general foundation needs strengthen
ing. But here is a man who sought to
perform the best service with no thought
of personal glory or of endowing a me-
mortal of himself and so he was In posi-
tion to see the simple, sensible, far-reach-
ing thing TO be done, and to do it modestly
and magnifcently. Every one of the in
situations named is in need of help, and to
each this news will carry Joy and strength.
The name of Daniel B. Fayerweather is
in no danger of being forgotten. He has
done more for his kind than the men who
have given their names to new institu-
tions when the obligation to strengthen
the old ones was paramount. 1t is
time to stop duplicating college ma
ehinery and to put the money where it
will serve to protect the old plants.
Ex-oTATE TREASURER REMINGTON, OF
Mississippi, tried to escape punishment for
embezzling the public funds upon an un,
usual plea. He was convicted in the lower
court and sentenced to FIVE years in the
penitentiary, because he failed to recount
for the public moneys which his books
showsd should be in his possession. He al
once appealed TO the state supreme court
on the ground that no embezzement OF
illegal conversion of the funds of the
state to his own use had been proved, and
he could only be proceeded against
eivilly for the recovery of his indebted
ness to the state, in the absence of such
proofs. Hemingway claimed that his
sions, alterations or false entries Proper
vouchers were given for all moneys receiv.
ed and proper credits made upon his
books. He even went so far as to keeI
the checks which he had drawn against
the states bank account for his ewn bene
fit, and showed where his cash and ledger
accounts exhibited these sums charged
against him. His pl lea was that as treas
urer he could do what he pleased with the
funds in his hands so long as his books
gave history of their disposal. In the
event that his books called for more
money than he could produce, his bonds
mel must make good the deficit, and thai
dore, his responsibility was at an end.
This is not altogether new doctrine, but i,
was 1eIudaited by the supreme court o.
Mississippi. The judgment of that
rorrt is that such transportation
of public money, or any use of it, except
such as comes strictly within the law, is
criminal breach of tlust. If public mon
eys he thus used, even though afte1warG
refunded, the law is broken and penalty
tntailed which is only increased ly the
failure to pay over these funds on demand
Accordingly Chief Justice Wood atil mee
the jude ment of the lower court, ant
Hemingway was marched eff to prison t.
begin his FIVE years sentence.