Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1895-02-28
PIERRE.
What is Going on In the Capital City
and Halls Of Legislation.
ISnncial C~nrrnSInndencN

What Is Going on In the Capital City
and Halls Of Legislation.
Especial Cor~respondencc.l
PIERRE, Feb. 25.-The investigating
committee had before it Col. Ruth, and
Mr.. Burke, the questioneer, put him
through a rigid examination using his
testimony given previously and that OF
other witnesses. Mr.. Ruth admitted
that during his term OF Office he spent
less than a quarter of his time in Pierre
and probable did not average more
than two or three days o month, and
was absent once or twice for two
months. at such times he was in De-
Smet. On July 10 he was called east
by the Hines of his wife and returned
early in September. He made the esti-
mate required by law on May 10, 1898,
but did not send out the notices requir-
ed by law. In fact he had never SEN
out those notices as required stating as
his reason that there had never been
calls for loans. Mr.. Burke called his
attention to the fact that the law re-
Quired that these notices be sent out on
May 10 and November 10 of the APP
pOrtiOnment which would be made July
| and January l in order that the
county auditors might advertise for
loans and SO be able to take the money
when appO~rtiOned. Mr.. Ruth stated
that this was the law but he did not re-
gard it as mandatory. He understood
the law to direct that the interest and
income funds be appOrtioped on the
18th of June. In 1898 it was not appor-
toned until October 81. The reason
was that from June Is to July 10 when
he left he was busy with his private
business at De Smet and had 0 time
to make it. He had intended to make
the superintendent July 10 but his
wife's sickness called him away. When
he returned in September he was suf-
tering from nervous prostration oc-
casioned by his wife's illness and death
and his physician advised him to do as
little work as possible. During Sep
TENDER he did practically no private
business. He was at his home In De-
Snlet and visited Pierre only one or two
days. The delay in app%ortioning the
money was due solely to the reasons
given though he may have written
certain county auditors that it was &C.
casiOned by the siowness Of the coun-
ties In sending in their funds. He was
simply unfit for business though he
recognized letters to several county
auditors written early in September
saying that the apportionment would be
made early in October. He admitted
that the appointment which should
have been made January l, 1894 was
not made until February q but he had
no excuse to offer. Asked why in o.
tober he only apportioned $50, 900 OF
the perm .nent fund although there was
on hand 1923, 900 he said that in his
opinion it was illegal to put out any
money received after the LIST of July.
When the books were produced show
ing that there was on hand the 1st OF
July only 49, 900 instead of $50, 200 he
declared that the books would not show
all that had been paid in. He stated
that the interest fund apportioned Oc-
tober 81 should have been apportioned
June Is but was not for the same reason
given for the other. He stated that his
superintendent Of the interest fund was
u little bit greater than the amount on
hand June Is justified because he was
anxious to make ven figures but when
confronted with the books showing
that on June Is there was only sos .OO0
while October there was $97 900 he stat
ed that the law which was rigid pro-
hibiting him from apportioning in the
permanent fund money received after
July did no operate on the income
fund. His excuse for not a%pportioning
the money when the law stipulated was
that the state t~.easurer's Office was next
to his and that when he wanted informa.
ton he went there and got it. Then
when he was asked why in that case he
did not apportion all the money that
was on hand he stated that If he had
there would be nothing left for the next
apportiOnment nine months thereafter.
He swOre that the only funds Taylor
ever had in his bank we're two certifi-
Gates of deposit both made in 1891 and
paid in 1892. Further questions elicit
ed the fact that the Redfeld bank had
to 5000 during the troubles of 1899
but that had never directly or Indirect
ly been connected with Taylor outside
Of these transactions or has any finan-
cial interest with him. When con-
fronted with certificates given by his
cashier to the public examiner last
April showing that Taylor had $l5. 600
in the bank at that time he stated that
the cashier must have made a mistake.
He had heard of the famous Clay
county letter but positively denied ever
writing to Taylor a letter complaining
about the school money or stating in
substance that he needed the money
in his business. The famous letter
might have been one wrote to the
county treasurer of Clay county about
the slowness of paying the funds but
these letters we're written in 1892 while
the Taylor letter is alleged to have
been written in 1899. He identified a
numder of the letters previously given.
John +. Diamond gave some inter-
esting testimony before the Taylor
committee. Two or three weeks ago
Mr.. Diamond was here and severely
criticised the committee for being lax
in its methods. He declared that they
ought to examine the telegraph oper-
ators from Pierre and Redteld and look
over the kilograms, and if they did
SO they would likely find traces of par
ties in collision with TAYLOR. The
committee took the hint and secured
all the kilograms touching the Taylor
case received and sent I ON Pierre and
1 Jrl 1Nh1 <r1ry ,.. LIZ L