The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1892-04-15
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Witnesses Somewhat Confused.
Testimony was received tending to
establish the charges so made. The
committee regret that several OF the
witnesses who testified touching the
charge in question, were somewhat
aspersed by counsel during the investi-
cation on account of the testimony so
given. While it is no doubt true that
some may have been inaccurate as to
portions of their testimony and not
| few of their statements were made with
greater positiveness than either the
! truth or their knowledge would
warrant, it is the opinion of the COM
mittee, nevertheless, that they ought to
be wholly exonerated from any attempt
TO testify otherwise than in accordance
with the facts as they understood them.
The methods pursued by the large ele-
vator companies in disposing of the
large volume of wheat in 1886 and subse-
quent years fully justified the witnesses
in believing that such shipments were
being secretly made and for the purpose
of evading the attention of the state in
spection service and the public; and
were it not for other evidence subse-
ouently discovered the committee feel
that they would have been amply justi-
fed in finding the charge so made. in
the main, true.
Irregular Shipments at Night.
There is no question but that in 1885
and subsequent years, the two elevator
companies named did ship in round
numbers from their houses at night,
without the knowledge of the employees
of the said state departments, 259,000
bushels of wheat. After the fact of
such shipments had been substantially
established by the testimony of this
class of witnesses, the said elevator COM
panies admitted that large volume of
wheat had been secretly shipped from
their houses without either inspection
OF weighing. Had this admission been
obtained at the beginning the investiga-
ton, it would have rendered needless
the testimony Of a large number of wit
nesses who were called for the purpose
of establishing that fact. The shipment
having been thus admitted, the duty of
the committee was thereby narrowed
down to an inquiry as the sufficiency of
the justification urged therefor on the
part OF said companies. @
Wheat Became Heated in Bins.
The evidence sufficiently establishes
the fact that q large amount of wheat
became heated in the bins and almost
totally ruined. The committee find that
the matter was brought by the said
companies to the attention of the rail-
road and warehouse commission, and
that after the mature deliberation of
that body the elevator companies were
given the authority to secretly dispose
of the wheat; and it is fair to believe
that the irregular shipments testified to
by witnesses were none others than
those made in pursuance of the permits
sion thus obtained. The committee have
no doubt that the action of the commits
sion in directing the secret shipment of
said injured grain was prompted by the
highest consideration of public policy,
and amply warranted both by provi-
sions of the law and existing facts.
Some Missing Wheat Accounted For.
Evidence was introduced tending to
prove that other. wheat than the amount
80 injured was also shipped in an illicit
manner from the said warehouses at
Duluth. The committee find that this
amount of shipment did occur in fact,
and that the charge is based upon dis
crepancies in official records, which
have been completely and satisfactorily
explained. 1t appeared from the testi-
mony Of several witnesses that 40, 1877
bushels of wheat We're shipped out by
the warehouses in question in an irregu-
lar and unauthorized manner; but a
careful examination Of ali the testimony
clearly demonstrates that this charge is
based upon an imperfect knowledge of
the facts. The witnesses by whom it
was sought to be established derived
their information from sources which
were both incomplete and unreliable.
The record leaves no doubt in the minds
OF the committee that all of the last
named quantity of wheat has been
accounted for, and that no imputation
of improper conduct attaches to the ele-
vator companies in question.
Shipments Without State Inspection.
1t was further charged that upwards
of 40, 900 bushels of wheat were shipped
from the same houses as average and
without state inspection or weighing.
The committee find that this charge is
well founded; for it is admitted by the
elevator companies that such quantity
of wheat was shipped by them in such
manner. AS justification for such
shipment the companies urge that when
they first began to do business under
the provisions of the grain and ware
house law they had in their houses some
$4,000 bushels of wheat, which had
accumulated in transacting an extern
sive business prior to that date. 1t is
the opinion of the committee that it
was the duty of the elevator companies
to have caused this wheat to have been
inspected into their houses at the time
they began to operate under state super
vision. This course, however, Was not
pursued by the companies, owing, it is
fair to assume, to a mistaken view of
their duty under the law.
Explanation of "Overage," or Accu-
mulated Wheat.
1t was also made to appear by good
and sufficient testimony that between
Aug. 1, 1885, and Aug. 1, 1890. the said