Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-11-30
O'CONNOR'S ANSWER.

O'CONNOR'S ANSWER.
Attorney General james l.. O'ConnoI
! i'll his answer states that he has no
personal knowledge of the OrganiZa-
! ton of the Madison Times, but be
| IieveS the facts were about as
stated in the complaint. He admits
the allegations of the complaint as to
the execution of a bond by A Wood
ard rs president Of the Clinton bank,
and that said bond was signed by the
that this bond was approved by the
! board of deposits and $4,000 of state
funds deposited i'll said bank He al
! legeS that the state treasurer has
shown this bank no special favOrs;
has drawn on it at various times, and
that this sum OF $4,000, deposited
June 10 1892, was fully repaid by
draft to the state treasurer as follows:
April u, 1893, $500; May -, 1898,
5000; June II, 1893, $500.
The attorney general denies that he
ever subscribed to the stock of the
Madison Times, or that he ever became
in any manner responsible for its
debts, OF that he ever represented to
the public that he or he with the other
defendants would make it one Of the
best newspapers published in the
northwest or authorized any such
statement.
He denies that he ever requested
President Woodland, of the Clinton
bank, to make application to have his
bank made Il state depository, or that
he ever made any arrangement, direct
ly or indirectly, with Woodland that
the state moneys deposited in his bank
should be turned over to Clark or any
of the defendants, or that he ever pre-
pared any bond or forwarded it tC
Woodland or requested such action. He
alleges that he had no knowledge Of
any officers Of the Clinton bank con,
templated applying to be made a state
depository until some time after such
application had been made and that
if any conversation was had or ar
rangement made as to what should be
done with the state funds deposited in
the bank it was without his knowledge
He states that since the organization
of the beard no bank applying to be
made Il state depository which COM
piled with the law has been refused,
According to his recollection at the
time the Clinton bank was made Il de-
poSitory, the governor, who was pres
ident OF the board, was absent from
the city, and the meeting was called
by the state treasurer. He admits
that he made the motion by which
this bank was made Il depository, and
states that he also made the motions
on which thirty-eight different banks
were made repositories. He denies that
the bond of the bank was obtained in
any improper manner; that he did not
see the bond or have any connection
with any person concerning it prior to
the meeting ut which it was accepted,
and that he thep learned for the first
time who its sureties were. He denies
that Woodland turnd over to him or to
any person for him the sum of S10,-
600, and alleges that it was not until
January, 1893, that he heard the report
that Woodland had made loan TO G.
l.. Clark, but states that any such
transaction was without his personal
knowledge.
He further denies that he ever in
! Cured any obligation for the Madison
Times Printing company or any of it's
stockholders; he denies also the ale
cations that he conspired in any man
ner with the other defendants to de-
fraud the plaintiffs or the Bows, or
that he has any knowledge of any in
terviews between Clark and the plain
tiffs or that he ever authorized Clark
! or any other person to make any
statement concerning the printing con-
tract referred to in the complaint, and
states that he had no interest in said
contract
Mr.. O'CCnnOr'S statement concerning
/ his opinion on the governors power
to order a second edition of the roster
from some party other than the state
printer, under the laws of 1887, is
similar to that of Gov. Peck's answer
and states that this opinion was given
after examination of the law, and in
perfect good faith. He also states that
he gave an opinion approving the form
of contract, but states that he had DC
information that the governor had
made or intended to make an order
for $4,000 sets of the book.
He states that he had no knowledge
that the plaintiffs or the Bows haC
acquired any interest in said contract
or expected to do so, except Mr.. Nc
Fail. He denies that he had any knowl
edge at that time that the Bows hat
obtained an opinion from his partner
r. w. Bashford, relative to said con
tract, but has since been Informed
that on or about March %, 1893, Mr.
Bashford did render an opinion tina
! said contract was legal. He allege
that he has no knowledge or ;nforma
ton sufficient to form a belief as t,
5 the allegation in the complaint con
corning the alleged interest betweel
the Bows and the plaintiffs and Nj
McFail, or any representations allege,
Q to have been made by Clark to then
a and denies that Clark had any author
ity from him to make any representa-
p tons or agreements with any of sal
parties respecting any printing o
: other contract, and alleges that he ha
7 no knowledge of any such negotiation
or agreemnts except through rumor
and investigation since the commence
( ment Of this case.
3 He denies that he has ever receiN