Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-03-05
is holland SHORT?
a Question just Now Bother
ing Nj ssouri People.
A STATE TREASURER IN TROUBLE.

ct Is said" That There Is a Financial
.'Hiatus" of About s35. 900, which the
Governor Denies-The Alleged Cuiprit
n Heavy Poker Player-His Friends Al
legged to Have Come to the Rescue
hollands Claim of Innocence.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo, March State
Treasurer Ed T. holland was permanently
suspended from Office yesterday afternoon by
Governor Francis. and it is believed the de-
posed officer is defauiter to the amount of
about $4,000. In accordance with state law,
the governor will begin quo warranto pro-
ceedings before the supreme court, which
meets next Monday At o'clock yesterday
afternoon holland entered the executive de-
partment and was notified of the governors
action. The treasurer walked out of the
building, and thereafter had nothing to say.
kilograms were sent to all the repositories
of the state funds by the governor, notifying
them that he had taken charge of the Office.
what the Governor Says.
Governor Fraucis said last evening: my
Investigation into the affairs of the treasury
department is not completed, but have dis
covered some Irregularities and it is manda-
tory upon me to suspend Treasurer holland
from office"
"Have you found a deficiency of any kind
in Mr.. hollands conduct of the treasury de-
partmenti' was asked
81 have found certain irregularities, but
just what they are | cannot now state. Ii
there is deficit il is small one"
The action OF Governor Francis naturally
precipitates rumors concerning the irregu-
lariftac lfc~rx-a,.l In ha St ba nt
. is placed at all the way from $50, 900 to
$40, 900.
Was the Cash Lost at Poker?
If the governor SO desired he could have
examined the treasurer's books at any time
without suspending him and thus have saved
hollands reputation, but in taking the &C
ton which he did Governor Francis unques-
| tionably felt assured that he could disclose
| irregularities which would warrant Treas
urer Noland's permanent suspension and the
appointment of a successor. A bondsman is
quoted as saying that the shortage is SSS 900,
| that most OF the money was lost playing
| poker, and that it has all been made good by
the bondsmen putting up 81 800 each. The
| money, the boudsmen say, was lost In Kan
sas City and New York. Treasurer holland
refuses to affirm or deny the story, but
| friends say that he never plays poker
gs~@s A Bondsman Talks.
W. J. Fleming, banker at jefferson City
and bond>man, said last night: Il am will
| ing TO pay my pro rata, and want to do SO
at once. Mr.. holland had hard hustling 10
| find bondsmen | went on the bond unwill-
| ingly and against my better judgment.
| From all that | can learn the shortage will
not exceed 5000, and it is probably not
| that much Some of the bondsmen, / am
| told, have siguified their willingness to pay
| So 600 or s., 900, which it will average for
| those bondsmen who are unable to pay, and
| for others who could not put their affairs
into such shape that the money could not be
| made out OF them. Or course Mr. hollands
connection with the treasurership will never
| be resumed; he could not find bondsmeu a
second time
| hollands Friends Are stanch.
Many OF Treasurer Noiand's friends refuse
TO believe that anything is wrong. holland
undoubtedly expected his bondsmen to make
up the deficit, and it is an open secret that
| they raised some S2s 600, and it is now in the
hands OF parties here with view to using il
TO cover the shortage For some reason the
| money has not yet been paid in, but no one
| doubts that i1 will be paid This explains
| positive statements made Monday that an
| examination would fail to reveal deficit
| The governor says that no attempt has been
| made to pay any money in, and that SO far
as he knows no one here has funds ready 10
be turned over
Denies the Alleged shortage.
Treasurer Noiand said last night that he
wanted the statement made that he claims
that every dollar due the state Will be found
in the treasury at the close of the investiga-
tion and that he Is not at ali afraid of the
| final result. Mr.. holland maintains that un
| der the statutes 1t will lie the duty of the
governor - appoint committee to ascer-
tam whether any money Is due the state
from the treasurer, and that upon the ap-
pointment OF such committee he will be able
To- show tbat he does not owe the state a dol
lar. After examining this section the governor
decided To appoint an examining committee