St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-07-03
ALAS! FOR ERIC'S BILL
The Wheat Investigators FL
nally Take a WeIl-Earned
Adjournment.
Not Before Eric Olson Re-
ceiveS a Tongue-Lashing
From His Old Enemy.
Olson Wanted $64 Expenses,
and the Committee Will
Only Allow So.
Lawyer Erwin Has Several
Alterations With Law
yer Severance.

The special legislative committee en-
gagged in investigating the methods of
the state wheat inspection department
took an adjournment last evening, as
mad been previously arranged, until
Jan. 5, at O'Clock. The DAY was prin-
cipally eventful in cutting down Eric
Olson's bill of SG65O to s.. and in gen.
eral forensic pyrOtechDics between
! Lawyers Erwin and Severance. The
| committee appeared to decide IN the
latter'S favor in certain important con-
| trOVersieS.
At the adjournment, Chairman Gels
| sci figured uD the expenditures that
| have been made thus far in the investi-
| CATION. The total amount is Sc, 107.9S.
! Senator Smith explained that he is a
! Minneapolis man, and he is particularly
anxious that the conduct of the Flour
| City elevators be sifted to the bottom,
| but he was afraid there would be not
enough money to meet the cost if much
more expense is incurred in the Duluth
| cases. This sentiment seemed to pre-
vail among some OF the other members
also. and it was tacitly agreed that no
| more expense be incurred in the Du-
| luth investigation than is absolutely
! necessary to arrive at intelligent con-
illusions.
MI. StockwelPs letter, duplicating
some of the clerks engaged in inspect
! ing the books of TIE elevator companies.
! the railroads and the state inspectors at
| Duluth, was resuTrected. Mr.. WOlcott,
| one of the experts, explained at length
| that Mr.. Stockwell was in error, and
! the committee eXpunged the letter from
the records.
Jasper NJ. BarncOId testified that al
| though he was an inspector at the time,
he knew nothing about the alleged
| shipment of 100000 bushels of damaged
| wheat until sometime afterwards.
At this juncture the bills of r. j.
Hall and Eric Olson were discussed.
Mr.. Hall was subpRn3d June and
| his bill was for witness fees only. He
explained that the Grain Growers as
ISOLATION paid the attending expenses.
This bill was
Allowed Without Protest,
AttOrney-General Childs explaining that
| Mr.. Hall had been of valuable assist
! ance to the committee.
Eric Olson's bill, however, didn't go.
| Senator Smith stated that Olson was en-
| titled to s., and no more. He testified
| on the 9th OF June and was dismissed at
that time. Mr.. Smith characterized the
attempt to draw 5000 as an Infamous
| steal.
Witness McManus was recalled by the
elevator company in the afternoon. He
identified a number of affidavitS show
ing that the reason there was no record
| of inspection in the case of July 5, 1887,
was because the wheat had been re-
moved the same day. When the defense
! had concluded with the witness, Mr..
Irwin sarcastically remarked that he
would refrain from crOsSeXaminatiOn, as
an attempt would be made to cast re-
Elections upon the honesty of the clerks,
as had been done in the case Of the
clerks of the old committee.
"A few discrepancies that have been
shown out of the thousands of entries"
! retorted Mr.. Severance holly, twill
compare pretty well with the diScrep-
ancies Of the other clerks"
AffidavIts of Assistant Register Por-
ter, of Duluth, were here introduced by
Mr.. Severance.
Mr.. Erwin objected on the ground
that he could not crOSS-eXamine an af-
fidayit, but they were admitted by the
committee. The object of the affidavits
was to show that the clerks had COM
| mItted errors; that there had been no
| irregular or secret shipments of wheat.
The affidavitS recited that the ware
| house receipts had always been Tegu-
| larly cancelled by the affiant. The dis
| cTepancieS were accounted for screen
| ings" shipments and Shrinkage on &C
! count of charing wheat. In one instance
the shrinkage was 260 bushels and 20
! pounds.
That impeaches the books of the ele-
vator company" exclaimed Mr.. Erwin.
The amount of the shrinkage claimed
is not credited up TO company or their
own books"
Mr.. Childs explained that where the
experts found that the books balanced
no reports of discrepancies were made.
AS Mr.. Severance proceeded with the
affidayits showing that the warehouse
receipts
Had Been Cancelled
by Mr.. Porter, Mr.. En-
win asked Witness McManus
Does the cancellation of these receipts
show that the wheat was regularly III
spected?n
Yes - said Mr.. Severance.
mo, no." interrupted Col. Graves; ''but
we don't know why it was not inspected"
Il didn't suppose a state official would can
eel warehouse receipt unless the wheat has
been inspected" insisted Mr.. Severance.
Then cancellation is not dependent upon
Inspection asked Mr.. Erwin of McManus
The witness explained at some length
that the receipts are sometimes held for
long time by the owner before pre-
senting them for cancellation.
'Then the office Is practically for registra-
tion?'
'Yes."
The witness testified that he reports
/ IoiIxr RI fha VaUicfrnF fDhn inSnantinn
department does not so report. When
wheat is taken out of an elevator the
registrar simply cancels the receipt
But it is the duty of the inspection de
partment to inspect all wheat.
An affidavit was introduced, sworn Il
by w. s. Burch, the shipper, in the ease
of July q. 1887. There is no record OF
an inspection. The affidavit said the
reason for this was that the wheat was
taken out the very day it was put in The
elevator, and then shipped TO West Su
perior where a better grade was Sc
cured.
Mr.. Erwin objected to the affidavit.
Il want to clear up every identical item
here said Mr. Severance, hurriedly glancinl
| ST the clock and pointing TO the schedules.
How can you clear up that 100000 bushel!
! of wheat?" asked Mr.. Erwin.
That is already cleared up
| No, ltisnt; you have only SHOWN that vol
got permission 10 ship il OUT
That's all right
This is the reverse of the old saw strain a
a mouse and swallow camel It's straininE
al a mouse and producing a camel
WoolcOt was recalled and he explained
the Burch case,
Although He Thought
the shipment had been made the mex
day.
I'VE understand all that" int errupted Mr.
Erwin. "YOu can show all inspections in
but you have no proof OF inspections out
If the shipping books are i'll error. they arr
the errors of the elevator company Agar
if taken out with inspection and the book
show no inspection the books are in errorl'
I suppose So
The evidence introduced here to-day is al
impeachment Of their books. Now. for VIVA
purpose did you want to put in this testi
monyY
Because considered that I had been
elm fafaf O isa.r ton