The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1890-10-08

profits. j state positively, unequivocally
and absolutely that | never derived In the
way Of profits 5000, or eight cents, or
one cent, or any other sum at any
time from or through a sale OF any ma
terials 10 the school for the Blind during.
before or since my connection with that
institution, and challenge the world on
this proposition.
ONE OF M'ELRoY's DISTORTIONS.
Under the head of "vlsit OF the legis-
latiye committee" McElroy charges de-
hberste falsehoOd and misrepresentation
by me 10 the members Of that committee
who, when responding 10 an inquiry to
| me as 10 the difference between the $780,
600 appropriated by the legislature for
current expenses of the institution for tho
preceding year, and the biennial report
OF the treasurer, which showed only an ex-
| penditure OF some $2l 600. remem Der dis
tinctly this interview with the legislative
committee. They seemed surprised that
we should have had appropriated for our
use $50, 900 and only spend $21, 900, and
asked about the balance, which told them
was in the treasury. McElroy says I
told them 1t was still in the state treasury,
| not having been drawn from there Haf
says that he went TO the auditor-general's
office and looked the matter up aud found
that it had all been drawn.
vas III necessary Tor McElrOy TO GO 20
the auditor-generaPs Office TO ascertain
this fact, when every requisition for every
dollar OF the $50, 600 had been certified BY
himself ss superintendent Of the institu-
ton, before delivery to me as treasurer
and before presentation by me at the
auditor-generaPs office?
/ stated TO the legislative committee
that the balance was in the treasury; thu
| reports sworn TO by me aud fled monthly
L. L.. . ~.
robOrate this statement. Those reports
were open for inspection by the legislative
committee, or To any citizen, so ell the dis
crcpancy between the truth and McElroy's
statement IN this matter seems TO be that
while / said the balance was In the tredSury
he says that l said that il was still in the
state treasury. Further comment on this
| subject is unnecessary, McElroy's COM
plant on this point grew solely out of the
fact that the board had no. authorized
him 10 spend the entire appropriation,
but insisted upon keeping his expendi-
lures within bounds, and thus saving
and reserviDg about $1,000 Of the funds
appropriated.
During my term as treasure for the
Institution for the Blind there passed
through my hands between $500 600 and
100000, which sums were used for cur
rent expenses OF the school and for the
construction Of buildings, preparation OF
the grounds and furnishing the apparatus
and necessary appurtenances for the in
stltution. 4 was required and did file for
each month with the auditor q sworn
statement as TO the condition OF the
funds, the balance in my hands as treas
urer, the amounts disbursed ana tbs
vouchers to cover the disbursements, each
voucher being certified TO as correct by
~. +. McElroy, superintendent" All this
is matter OF public record aud open, at
the auditor-general's Office, TO the closest
scrutiny OF any citizen.
M'ELRoY's SCHEME OF REvENGE.
My term of Office expired by limitation
In the spring or summer OF 1857. The
strsit-jacket into which the board. mad
placed McElroy no doubt induced him to
determine that, as no could not make
tools OF the members of the board, he
would from time TO time, as their terms OF
Office expired, make assault upon them,
and II possible prevent their reappoint-
ment and secure board more su bSeryient
10 his behests. My term Of Office expir-
ing first l was no doubt selected by him
as the first victim. lie therefore although
my term did not expire until July, began
his assaults upon me to Gov. Luce ONE
time in February, 1887. My recollection
is that the charges against me were not
only All those published in the Free Press,
but also every crime and misdemeanor
in the category. Gov. Luce advised
me Of these assaults and gaye me
an opportunity 10 make my explanations,
which were entirely satisfactory TO him;
so much so that be finally told me that hs
had never entertained any idea but that of
giving me reappOntment, and that he
had seen DO reason for changing his mind.
had served, however, on the board con-
tinuously FOR about seven years, during
all OF which time | was a resident member
OF the board, and the work of the laying
out OF the grounds and the looking after
the construction OF the buildings devolved
largely upon me. l had given freely Of
my time during this period, and that I
was not serving for pecuniary considera-
tions, / think, may be judged by the fol-
lowing showings from the reports Of thu
aucitor-general:
The payments to the resident members OF
the several state boards since the law maxi
ing such per diem and expenses payable
from the general fund of the state in 1881
were, for al institutions then organized and
for which per diem as well as expenses were
paid up to June %, 1857, the date my term
expired. as follows:
Michigan school for the Blind. IL 90
school for the Deaf. ....-......... 556 %
Industrial Home for Girls. -. 2.2O6 OF
state prison. .............. r.. 1894 "a
State public school. ...... .....s.... 2,702 %
Normal school. ....1.............. 1.S6l IL
WHY HR DECLINED REAPPoNTMEST.
/ had persistently and continually neN
lected my own business for the benefit ot
the school. l was not there for thu
money that was in il but had cheerfulll
served on the board from purely patriotic
motives. i decided finally TO decline Z
reappointment and so told Gov. Luce,
who at my suggestion very cheerfully ap-
pointed as my successor Hon. Daniel L.
Case. was not forced to withdraw my
name, in fact no pressure was brought ia
bear upon me, except from McElroy, to
take any such step. The withdrawal Of
my name was for purely personal reasons,
and / withdrew it, or declined to be q
candidate, after having been assured BY
Gov. Luce that he would give me the app
pointment. The statement OF McEl-