The L'Anse sentinel., 1894-10-20
Cash Is Missing.

According to recent Marquette dis
patches TO Detroit papers ey-Receiver
Meadsis short in his accounts some 81. 900
or more, which his bondsmen will have to
make good or there will be trouble.
The following particulars of the alleg-
ed shortage are CLEANED from last Mon
days Evening News:
Meads was appointed by President Har-
irsou and was strongly indorsed by Con-
gresham Sam Stephenson. He had the
additional backing Of that influential Re-
publican Supt Jno. Duncan OF the Calu-
met & Hecla mine. to whom Meads is re-
lated by marriage. Not being himself an
active partisan, he was suffered to retain
his effice long after the Democratic ad-
ministration came into power and months
after his official associate, Geo. A. Royce,
register of the land Office, had been poll
tically decapitated because of his "offen-
sive partisanship."
1t was assumed he would remain in the
enjoyment Of his position until he had
served his four years when suddenly his
resignation was demanded. His relin-
quishment Of the Office was accompanied
by vague rumors of financial shortage,
but all the facts were carefully suppress
sed, as the shortage was never expected
to attain large proportions and the bonds
were known to be able and willing TO
make good any moderate deficiency.
Had this been done promptly, nothing
would ever have reached the ears of the
public, but lately the land Office has been
deluged by complaints Of homesteaders
whose receipts have net been delivered,
nd ,ybn IN = IN
their claims because the legal monetary
equivalent has not yet reached the gov
ernment treasury. Many OF the home
steaders paid their fees several years ago,
aud, being unable to realize on their
claims, and compelled TO pay interest on
money which In some cases was borrow
ed have been reduced to sore straits.
Up To date there have been found
claims OF this nature aggregatlng 50, 900
and as new ones continue to appear at
intervals IL Is impossible to say just how
much of the money paid by home
steaders on final proof, Communication or
other settlement, has never reached its
intended destination. -
The bendsmen of Meads are becoming
perturbed, and during the past two
weeks two OF them have been down from
the copper country, anxious TO know
what would be the probable limit of the
alleged defalcation,
When Meads surrendered the Office TO
his successor he turned oyer, with the
books and papers $40 In cash, which, 1t is
alleged, he represented was the entire
amount of cash on hand. Shortly there
after calls were made for the money
which had been paid Meads but not
turned over to the treasury. Meads'
attention being called to this matter, he
went over the list with The present in
cnmbent and, as a result, he gave his
check for S27, which he, 1t is said, he
claimed would square him.
Claims continued to accumulate, and
finally, in response to Culver's demand,
Special Agent Lamoreaux was sent from
Washington to investigate. In the
presence OF witnesses Meads admitted to
Lamoreaux he had 5000 In his possession
aud would promptly call at the land Office
and turn 1t over. Officials are still walt
ing that call.
1t is alleged that Meads' method was
to take money from homesteaders and
then, by alleging errors In proofs or
other Irregularities would succeed In
gaining time. Lamoreaux reported the
state of affairs and the bondsmen were
notified to whack up. They claim to
have made good all but SI,l00 which
they promised Meads would pay, as he is
said to have that amount due him from
Houghton county for a set of abstracts
he sold that county when he rclinqused
the Office Of county clork.
Land officials claim that more than
that amount remaius 10 be made good,
but decline to say what measures are
likely to follow.