The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-06-22
TAYL0R'S STORY.
Pleads Guilty TO Embexxiing s3fz.o 900,
and Awaits sentencc--uls Wander
tnRs About the Continent
Talks of His Crime.

SIOUX FAILS. s. D.. .;une GOV. w.
Taylor, the defaulting ex-treasurer Of
South Dakota, arrived at Pierre at 2
o'clock Tuesday morning and at once
surrendered himself to the authorities
there. II was arranged that he was 10
plead guilty 70 embezzling Ss44.OO0
from. the state. and be sentenced TO
two years In the penitentialy, but
Judge Gaffy was out Of town. and the
sentence will be deferred until Mon
day. la the meantime he Is allowed
his freedom under surveillance, and
goes where he pleases greeting old
friends.
Taylor returned 20 Pierre volunta-
fly. The state authorities had no idea
or his whereabouts. aud the detectives
who have been trying to find his trail
since his disappearance had practically
given up the task.
He denies the report of the detective
in regard 70 his being in Mexico. He
went from Havana to Vera Cruz and
down the east coast to Tehauntepec.
crossed 10 Port Selma Cruz, and down
the coast TO Costa Rica, and spent
a AllOAALlA III tAtN AAttAA0ts II AOAl AAtfC nc
went to Kingston, Jamaica; then TO the
United States, where he had spent two
and one-half months in northern
city, the name of which he refuses
10 give. He says that he went
went about freely, but mostly by
carriage. His return is voluntary,
and no compromise or promise Of
clemency has been made him. and he
has turned over all his property and
cash and is ready to take punishment
Mr.. Taylor in an interview told his
story Of his misdeeds. He spoke as fol-
lows substantially:
The catastrophe was the result OF the
panic. In good times IL would not
have occurred II is entirely untrue
that my predecessor In the treasuryship was
short. Mr.. Smith made his settlement with
me in full But when he did so he ex-
ncted promise from me that would let him
have some largo deposits aterward and In
pursuance OF that promise l was caught for
" 20J IN his failure The loan was amply So
cured, however. and the state win get the sum
In full.
1t is also entirely untrue that Commissions
er Ruth OF the school and public lands. had
any arrangement OF agreement with me about
the holding up OF the school money In the sum
lncr OF is9a We never exchanged word
about the matter did hold up the states
money az that time, and / believed. and the
other state officers believed, that II was my
moral duty 10 DO 50.
''The money was deposited ia various ir-
portant banks OF the state Strictly under the
law should have drawn this out. But had
done SO IL would have certainly wrecked
them and probably every financial IN
stituticn in South Dakota / was keep
Ing careful track OF the banks, and
knew that 20 carry out the law at that time
meant disaster by the most vigorous work
and by pulling every string could succeed
ed In loating the funding warrants OF the state
and SO prevented q panic Ia this state while
banks we're falling thick aud fast all over the
country.
Mr. Taylor denies that the money lost went
for political purposes. lie made number OF
loans which. when he tried to collect, nc found
the borrowers unable to pay lie lost about
10000 in this way. In the Northwest hotel
scheme during the worlds fair he lost $500
Then came the failure OF Dtggs' bank. and he
lost 5000 there
When the panic came he had 5000 ia tho
Gettysburg bank. ana assistance was demand
al OF him TO keep the Institution from failing.
Knowing that its failure would prccpitato
many others he took the bank into his own
hands. but found he had been deceived about
its condition. lie was compelled to put Ia
10000 az once, and later this sum amounted TO
e1s00l
~ : matter OK fact I iad In property on the
LIST OF January enough TO make In connection
with the money OF the state on hand IN good
value fully $4,000 But II was iinpos-
siblo ia the tight condition OF the money
market 20 realize on any OF my assets.
Then my efforts TO collect In the loans
had made to certain parties proved
abortiye My friends we're unable 10 raise
the money they had promised could not get
the loan J had expected Every string was
pulled Then the day before Christmas l
found that do the best could would be
eibo.o00 short IN cash. hfy first impulse was
TO GO 70 Pierre and turn over what / had, but
when called a council Of my friends IL was
pointed out that this would certainly send
me 70 the pcnitentiary and would impose a
heavy loss on my bondsmen I therefore con-
cluded on my friends advice TO put all my
property and money In trust to protect my
boufsmen and 70 conceal myself The rest
In. b