Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1894-04-06
BETRAYED A TRUST.
Another Michigan Ofacial Goes to
the Bad.
Deputy Secretary of state Lindholm
short In His Accounts Decsmps,
and Tolls His Wife and Family
to Return to sweden.
FOUND TO BE AN ABscoNDER

LANSING, April 2-Deputy Secretary
of State August w. Lindholm is a de-
faulter to the state. The amount SO
vestigation has not been made. He
left the city on Tuesday, and not re.
turning on Thursday as agreed, sus-
picion was aroused and his desk forced.
One very singular thing is that he left
IN his desk 1000 in checks belonging
to the state, although payable to his
own order and which he could have
converted TO his own use had he de-
sired.
The discovery was surprise. Lind
holm came here from ishpeming in 500
and was quiet, characters tically
stolid Swede of fair business ability.
During the day letter was received 10y
his family here and carried to the pres
ent deputy secretary by Lindholm's
son, who had been appointed messen-
ger in the department over which his
father presided. The following is "a
copy and has an indescribable touch of
pathos about it, but confirms the sus-
picion that its author has fed:
NEW YORK, March 2e, 1894 My dear Anna.
This is my good-by-perhaps forever. / am
short In my accounts in the Office, and with as
many debts as l have i could not hope TO Dor.
row any money even II they had given me time
TO do so / am going south, but where
/ will stop / don't know. II depends
how long my small amount OF money
holds out Dispose OF every thing In
the house and 90 home to Sweden, and
let Gustaf know your address, for 10 him, No.
"a Landvagsgatan, Gothenburg, Will ! direct
letter II Eric can stay at the ONCE you had
better leave him there; perhaps for him more
luck and happiness may be found than for his
old father. BE kind to my old mother, and take
her along 10 Gustaf, II you can; II not write to
Ernst TO get her. BE not too hard on me, We
might, perhaps. meet again Hug and kiss the
children From your unhappy husband,
AUG. w. LISDHoLM"
This letter also proves that he went
direct to New York from here, and has
undou btedly left the country.
Lindholm was appointed deputy Sec
rotary of state by ex-Secretary John
w. Jochim, who has been removed by
the governor. When Rev. Washington
Gardner was appointed secretary of
state he gave LindUolm permission TO
remain in the Office until April | and
appointed j. w Selden 10 succeed him.
Lindholm has always been looked
upon as honest. His family consists of
a wife and mother and three children,
two sons and daughter, the Oldest
being Eric who is II years of age. The
defaulter and his family were frugal,
and il is believed that he has saved
neat little sum from his salary of ~, 600
year and the amounts which he has
stolen.
Lindholm was witness before the
grand jury which investigated the
fraudulent canvass upon the salaries
amendment of 1893, and brought in an
indictment with others against his SUI
perior officer for IL sdemeanor i'm
making a false public record. Secre-
tary Jochim is to be put upon
trial in the Ingham county circuit
court April o for this offense, and
Lindholm was believed TO be an impor-
tant witness for the state He may
have been unwilling TO undergo the or
deal in the witness box and made his
disappearance for the purpose of avoid
ing it. At tall events his action strength
ems the suspicion that he had guilty
knowledge of the making of the fraud
ulent canvass in the secretary Of states
Office