St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-13

IiOial
Special to the Globe.
LITCHFIELD, Mimi, Oct 12.-There
is today new phase IN the now famous
suspension case. c. Ii. Dart, who
had been suspended from the office of
county treasurer by Gov. Nelson, and
while under suspension re-appointed
by the county commissioners, yesterday
rendered his resignation to the commits
Sioners. The county commissioners
met today and again elected Mr.. Dart
TO succeed himself. The explanation
of this is that there was to be hearing
before Commissioner Strobeck in
the Dart case. and Assistant
Attorney General Edgerton. with
Public Examiner Kenyon and
Deputy West were here today to go on
with the case. Darts attorney appeared
and claimed that the Investigation
should be dropped. and objected to fur
Their proceedings for the reason that
since proceedings were instituted Dart
had resigned as treasurer and the resig-
nation had been accepted by the COM
missioners, and that therefore neither
Commissioner Sfrobeck nor the COVER
nor has any further jurisdiction over
Dart nor of his condnct as treasurer.
Dart is out, he claimed, and this is all
that could have been accomplished by
the Investigation. The attorney stated
that neither he nor Dart would appear
further than to make this statement.
Owing tn the determined stand OF
Gov. Nelson in this case, and the equally
strong determination of the county
commissioners and people of Meeker
county to stand by Mr.. Dart, the sus-
pension, and especially the incidents
that led thereto, continue the allah
sorblng theme of conversation among
the citizens of Litchfeld, where all the
facts connected with the case are we'll
known. The reports that have been
sent to st. Paul by prejudiced parties
to the effect that it was political mat
ter, that our county commissioners and
citizens generally had divided upon
party lines, and were acting and dis
cussing the subject from that stand
point, is very far from the truth. The
fact is that cur board of county COM
mlsslonerS is composed of two Repub-
HcanS, two Democrats and one Populist:
they are steadfast in their support of
Mr.. Dart, and his staunchest defenders
are leading Republicans, not because
he has not done wrong, or because he is
Democrat, but because of the I'M
scrupulous means employed to bring
about his suspension.
The gist of the whole matter is bold
and deliberate attempt to injure the
credit of the Meeker County bank, u.s.
ing Mr.. Dart as shield to protect the
guilty parties from deserved prosecu-
ton. Public opinion by no means holds
Gov. Nelson blameless in the matter, in
that he allowed his public examiner to
go outside of his proper duty and insult
the people of Meeker county by speak
ing of Mr.. Dart as drunkard and a
man of generally bad character, and to
take up the treaSurer's bondmen one at
time, giving their names and the
amount for which they had justified,
placing the word doubtful" after their
names, and adding the gratuitous in
formation that one was president of the
- NSNNi N'alilg OtlIihs tllsu llIC OIIGl Ills
cashier. and then giving the report for
publication TO the newspapers.
If further proof were needed to estab-
Hsh the animuS of the whole matter.
when the examiner was here, and when
Mir. Dart informed him that ne had de-
posted the cash for the illegally held
checks to the credit of Meeker county.
the examiner asked him in what bank
he had deposited it. Mr. Dart replied
the Meeker County bank. Then said
this examiner: at would have been
much better if you had deposited it in
the Bank of Litchield." Mr.. Dart
states that he had previously been
threatened with dire punishment if he
did not increase his deposits of county
funds with the Bank of Lltchfield.
When the Litchfield Independent
came out and stated that Gov. Nelson is
Il stakeholder in the Bank of Litchfeld,
and the further fact was developed that
the bank has large deposit of state
money, while its president IS on the
governors staff, nothing short of divine
revelation would make the people of
Meeker county believe that it all hap
pened by accident. Since the Meeker
County bank has always had an en-
Viable standing at home and in COM
mercial circles, and the bonds of its
president and cashier considered per
fectly good for several times the amount
in this case, the great wrong that has
been done by the unWarranted aSper-
siOns of Public Examiner West, officials
and others having a direct personal and
pecunlary interest. becomes fully APP
parent.
Darts STARTLING AFFIDAVIT.
Mr.. Dart went before notary public
today and made the following affidavit:
Charles II. Dart came before me per-
sonally, and being duly sworn, deposes
and says that he is the eX-county treas.
urer of Meeker county. Minnesota: thai
he was suspended the 4th day of Octo
Der from said Office by the governor OF
the state of Minnesota; that previous tC
the date OF said suspension and Il short
time prior thereto he was sent for by
the president of the Bank of Litchfield
Andrew Nelson, and requested to come
10 said bank Immediately. and requested
to deposit $1,000 OF the county money in
said bank during said day, and was then
informed II lie done so and deposited the
said money, as requested, it would
save MIN trouble: that thereafter, and al
The time the deputy examiner, J.P. West
called at his otficeto examine his account,
the said West informed this affiant al
The time of said examination that il
would be better for the said affiant tC
have deposited more of the public funds
IN the Bank of Litchield, and that aft
ant had better take the g, 200, that SAID
West had reported him short and de-
post the same ia the Bank of Litchfield
and that it would help atlantis matter:
in said Vests report to the governor il
atfiant would deposit the said money il
The Bank of Litchfield, and the sale
West asked atliant to put money in the
Bank OF Litchfield and report to him il
the morning that he had done SO.
FIRE LADDIES.
Charges Against the Council