Telegram-herald., 1890-10-07

a'4ieflA-s - t1e s<aos. toE t2e t-AlaA
10s Ass oetoxe oE .lsoe ~ e4i,zs cS.s2
Aii4 tat lnstisouoas zn4 etl&-lstss
re aNE.1 os tals propos l.e1-
ta5sr sas aa21 II tsss.t u the ltss
i41se committee slcklToy cAAgses
1sl.aer4ts falsest.ll ana a3lsgep presents
t.e1 - nle - ths Nssa1t<fs ~ tae cQpl-
Hllgsee eslea 1esp0a4l1s - "a i14aHa
- Hle - - tie & 1eFeslce t<tusea the
-. saf 4pprogr.Ate1 = tie leg stature
Tor elgTeat "a gensss ~ tae institution
tor sas pueesdl1x year Sn4 TIE ossnnA4s
ftpsFl Ut t1s treasure Na.ea siso"ed
9Aly al expenditure ot sone 81 800.
Feuemf<T distinctly ths iutefNseN
wila TIE legislative committee 1ney
seemed surprised tlat We snoQla hsfe
baa appropriated for 0QF use SS9, go
sn4 C4ly spend 81 .Q0l, ard ASKED
about tAe balanoe. Nhleh ] loid them
s4s III the treasury. NeEiFOy says
told them 4 Ma still ~ the state
treasury, not having been drawn from
thege. lie says That he went % the
aacltOr-geEer4Ps Office and looked
tie matter up and found that q had a.!
been drawn. Was i Necessary Tor Nc
klfOy 10 go 20 the auditor generals Of
nee 10 ascertain this fact when every
fequislGiOn Tor every dollar OF the So,
co had been certified by himself as su-
/ penuten0ent Of the institution before
/ delivery % me, as treasurer; and before
presentation Dy me at the auditor gen
erals Ofhceg ! stated 10 the legislative
/ committee, that the balance Was IN the
treasury and the reports sworn 10 By
me and filed monthly In the auditor
generals Office would eorroborate this
statement. Those reports were open 10
| inspection by the legislative committee,
or 20 any citizen, SO all the discrepancy
between the truth and McElroy's state
ment IN this matter seems 10 be that
while l sand the balance was IN the
/ treasury, ne saws that said that il was
still III the state treasury. Further
comment on this subject Is unnecessa-
~. McElroy's complaint on thus point
grew solely out OF the fact that the
board had not authorized him 10 spend
the entire Appropriation, but insisted
upon keeping his expenditures with
IN bounds and thus saving and reserying
about -, 900 of the funds appropriated.
During my term as treasurer for the
Institution for the Blind there passed
through my HANDS between $500 900
and S400 900, which sums were used for
]
the construction of buildings, prepara-
ton of the grounds and furnishing the
apparatus and necessary appurtenances
Tor the institution. | VAS required and
did file tor each month with the audi
tor u sworn statement as 20 the condi-
ton of the funds, the balance in my
hands as treasurer, the amounts dis
bursed. and the vouchers 10 cover the
/ Il fsf hafnU "a
titled as correct by 81. r. McElroy, su-
perintendent." All this is IA matter of
public record and open, at the Auditor
Generals office, TO the closest scrutiny
OF any citizen.
My term of office expired by limita-
ton IN the spring or summer of 1887.
The straight-jacket into which the
board had placed McElroy no doubt IN
duced HIM 10 determine that, as he
could not make tools of the members
of the board, he would, from time to
time, as their terms OF office expired
make assaults upon them, and, If pos
slble, prevent their reappolntment, and
thus obtain board more subservlent
TO MS behests. My term of Office ex-
prrlng first, | was no doubt selected by
ann as the first victim. He, therefore,
although my term did not expire until
July, began his assaults upon me TO Coy.
Luce some 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
mlsdemeanor In the category. Gov.
Luce advised me of these assaults, and
gave me an opportunity TO make my
explanations, which were entirely salts
factory to him, so much so that ne
finally told me that he had never enter
tanned any idea out that Of giving me Il
reappOintment, and that he had seen
no reason Tor changing his mind.
had served, hover, Oh the board con-
tlnuOusly Tor 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-
I had given freely of my time during
this period, and that | was not serving
! fOrpecuniary considerations think may
be Judged by the following showings
from the reports OF the auditor
general:
The payments to the resident men,
bers of the several State boards since
the law making such per diem and ex-
penses payable from the general fund
/ Of the State in 1881 were, for all Instltu.
tions then organized and for which per
diem as well as expenses were paid up
to June 50, 1897, the date my term ex-
/ pred, as follows:
Michigan school for the blinds 14l 90
| School for the deaf -............ 756 90
| Reform SchOOl................ ........ ,342 30
Industrial home Tor glrls......- 2,206 o.
state On..........---..-....-......- l,yJ4 80
State public school......-......... 2,702 30
Normal chool........................ ,36l II
had pers.stently and continually
| neglected my own business for the
benefit OF the school. | was not there
for the money that was in 1t, but had
cheerfully served on the board from
purely patriotic motives. | decided
finally TO decline reappointment and
so told Gov. Luce, who, NJ my sugges-
ton, very cheerfully appointed as my
successor Hon. Daniel L. Case. | was
not forced 20 withdraw my name; III
fact, no pressure was. brought to bear
upon me. except from McEiroy, to take
any such step. The withdrawal of my
name was for purely personal reasons,
and | withdrew II, or declined to be a
candidate, sfter having been assured
by Gov. Luce that he would give me
the appointment. The statement Of
McEroy that | bad induced GOV.
Alger, Jane. +. Joy and James McMil-
Ian to make personal appeals to Gov.
Luce IN my behalf s false from start to
finish. ] never applied 10 any OF the
gentlemen above named FOR assistance
in this direction, either personally or