St. Paul daily globe., 1893-05-24
KENYON STANDS PAT.
He Will Wait Until the Receiv.
er's Report Is
Made.
Burke's Charges Snugly Repose
in the Governors
Desk.

No little excitement pervades the
state house just at present. 1t has
| grown out of the inlbroglio between the
state bank examiner, M. D. Kenyon,
and John II. Burke, the self-constituted
censor of state affairs, and all sorts of
things upon the same general plan.
Burke has for two or three years been
enacting the sleuth role. The greater
portion of his time has been spent in
poring over public records, and he has
devoted an intermlnable energy in trac-
ing up the financial condition OF the
Guaranty Loan company, of Mlnneapo-
lis, now inSolvent. He has been caus-
tic contributor to malcOntent weekly
publication that has had for its avowed
purpose the drastic arraignment of all
things that be. On several occasions
Burke has openly charged that the Sc
curities of the company mentioned
were of the most rotten sort. He has
charged that the company has habit
ually loaned vast sums OF money upon
shaky mortgage securities that could
never be realized on.
Carrying the war into Africa, Burke
presented the case to Gov. Merriam
something over a year ago, and rep
resented that he cited records that eX-
posed the rottenness of the institution.
He then demanded that the affairs of
the Guaranty Loan company be given a
searching investigation by an expert,
and Gov. Merriam cited Mr.. Kenyon to
| make the inspection. This was done by
the bank examiner, and the report to
the governor was to the effect that the
concern was perfectly solvent. and that
the methods were of a business-like
character.
Ali this excited Burke to additional
attacks through his mouthpiece, the
weekly paper, upon the administration
and upon the Guaranty Loan. Little
attention was paid to these, however.
They were denounced as fallacious
vaporings, but when the crash came, and
the financial institution suspended.
Burke, in high glee, proclaimed
that he had been vindicated. His
elatiOn led him to file formal charges
with Gov. Nelson against the bank eX-
amineY. just what these charges relate
to is not known, save in a general way.
Mr. Kenyon peremptorily refuses to
converse upon the subject for publica-
ton, and Gov. Nelson is out of the city.
Moreover, the belief obtains in official
circles that if he were at his Office he
would not give the document for publi-
cation in advance of an investigation.
In this connection it should be eX-
planned that the bank examiner states
that he courts the most searching in
vestigation, and this will doubtless fol-
low upon the return or tue governor to
the state house. The latter is now in
st. Cloud, and tomorrow night, 1t is re-
ported he will go to Winona. But be
will return the latter part of the week.
1t is intimated that the charge is
specifically made by Burke that the
bank examiner falsified his returns to
Gov. Merriam, and that he did this for
a valuable consideration. AT all eve nts,
malfeasance in office is charged, and the
complaint demands the summary dis
miSSal of the bank examiner from office.
1t was all this that led to the belligerent
assault of the bank examiner upon Mr.
Burke in front of the capitol on Mon
day. Mr.. Kenyon was waiting for an
interurban car TO go over to Minneapo-
lis when Burke came up. Without say
ing word Kenyon feinted with his left
and landed straight from the shoulder
with his right. The battle was short
but decisive. Kenyon won in single
round, and Burke hurried into the capi-
tai to once more lay his grievances at
the feet OF the governor.
In fairness to both of the principals. it
should be related that public opinion is
divided upon the merits Of the war.
rhere will be cessation of hostilities
until verdict shall nave been rendered
in the case.