The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1894-11-02
Consolidated April II, 1899

terested IN the defeat OF the Republican
Legislative ticket in this county, are CIR
cuating a story to the effect that | once
tried to rob The express company out OF
$4,000 but that I dld not succeed. For
the benefit OF people to whom | am
stranger, desire to offer an explanation.
About years ago | was treasurer of
the Farmers Joint Stock Elevator Com
pany OF Reyillo. Our commission men
generally sent us money through The ex-
press company, the remittance varying
in size from $500 90 to $1,500.0o, and as
we handled large amount Of grain that
year, we received from tour to SIX pack
ages of money per week.
Our station agent always made prac-
tice OF turning the money over to me
without receipt, and at the end OF the
month | receipted for all of it at once.
But whenever | received any money l
always put down the date and amount
received in my treasurer account book,
and when the agent came around to
check up, l compared his books with
mine and then receipted for each pack
age.
But it happened one day in October
that forgot to enter certain S5OO.OC
package received that day, on my books,
| was very busy in the store those days,
doing business of from Sl0O go to
$500 90 per day besides collections; and
any business man will understand that 1.
mistake of that kind is very easily made.
When the station agent came around
at the end of the month to check up, |
found he had $50OOO package charged
to me that was not entered on my books.
| Like any other man would have done |
hesitated, and refused to receipt for 1T
until l could review my months work 50
as TO satisfy myself that had actually
received the money. This | considered
Especially necessary as the Station agent
was often intoxicated, and / thought pos
sibly he might have mislaid the money.
But | went down to the depot, and there
we found j, A Dilman and $. G. Lane,
Il understand Henry Port claims he
was there alsO).
After calculating the exact evening on
which 1t occurred We found that both
gentlemen had been present and had
seen me receive the package, and when |
figured up my wheat checks, collections,
cash sales, etc., / was convinced that l
had received the money aud | receiptsd
Itor it.
!. Now, then, here is the proof: Four
Ipack ages out Of FIVE that | received from
the agent land possibly a larger per
centage stilD were received Wien no
witnesses were present ut all. Does any
man believe that | was such an internal
tool as to try to rob him of Ntat pachage,
; when | received dozens Of packages
from him two or three times as large
with no witnesses present whatever!
And to further prove to you that the
: agent himself did not believe that tried
to rob hlm will say that did business
with him for years afterWard, anu re-
ceived thousands Of dollars IN money
AMI other express matter, and receipted
only once or twice month, same a.
before.
You have probably heard Of the
mountain that roared and heaved and hat
great pains, and fianally gave birth to q
: mouse. / think the people understand
that thus iaa similar case.
haveabstained entirely from SANDER
IN this campaign, and expected the same
treatment in return. If | had knowl
Q myself guilty Of any crimes,
} should certainly have been discree
|enough TO have kept oAt OF politics.
n | offer the following sworn s'atemen
4 and hope it will satisfy the voters 0
Grant county as to my guilt or IN
Q nooence.
II Respectfully,
e WM. Q. SToRLIE.
/ Subscribed and sworn to the 2Sth da.
= Of October, 1894.
!" HARRY II. JoNfs,
> Notary Pubic.
30 S. G.. Lane and J. A. Dillman bein
lr duly sworn, do say: that We wefe gral
Id buyers in the osier warehouses in tsevil
1t 10 at that time. that we alsc rseeiy
le money IN the. way stated above: taat u
II. were present. when this d.tiicu,ig eecnr
n ed between W. O. S,orlie and tne ssatio
40 agent; and that the above statement (
be tho case is substantially correct,
80 j. A D1T.i4stAN,
~ s. G.. I&Na
,se Subscribed and sworn t. before n
,e- this 28th day Of October. 1894,