Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1895-06-27
". ". TAYLoR rALks


ne Ex-seafo Treasurer Of souHh D.r.t.
nu ms Wandeffngs while Fugitive
hron Suottoe-He Mskeu \ Few Exn,a.o.
aons ~ to the DispositBon OF Funds
nsc. Removes Odfum From Some of
Sioux FALLS. s. D., june so.-"That
- every cent / have in the world. /"
SAID ex-State Treasurer w. w. TAYLOR
tuesday. taking out of his pocket two
40 bills and one five dollar. s.Six
months ago was worth easily $780,
600. had first class credit, a good name
and hosts Of friends 1 am going to
surrender myself to the authorities as
defaulter. with the penitentiary be-
lore me and everything 1 care for in
The world gone except my family and
my few friends"
In discussing his wanderings Taylor
said that he left the country earlier
than many suppose. He did not make
up his mind that it would re impossi-
ble for him to settle until the day be-
fore Christmas. 81 then consulted nv
friends" said he, land on their advice
decided to place all my property in
trust to protect my bondsmen, and
then conceal myself. On January 8 I
left Chicago and went to Tampa,
from which place sailed. on the
9Th, for Havana by way of Key
West. Thence after a few days
sailed to Vera Cruz. 1 did not
go to the City of Mexico. I
bought a ticket for shat place in order
to throw the detectives off the track,
and evidently succeeded admira bly,,
for l understand that they have re-
peatedly reported that was in Mexico.
From Vera Cruz 1 sailed south along
the east coast to the isthmus of Te-
hauntepec, which / crossed and sailed
up the west coast. Changing steamers.
l spent the next week sailing down
Past the coasts of Guatemala. Nicara-
qua and Costa Rica. / had intended
to go to Panama, but feared that the
detectives might run across me there,
and SO stopped at Punta Arenas,
and the following month 1 spent in
Costa Rica, mostly at San Jose. In
February rode across the mountains
of Costa RIGA on horseback. and sailed
to Jamaica. At Jamaica / purchased
a ticket for Barbados, in order to
elude the detectives. and then sailed
for this country, and went to one of
the large northern cities, where 1 have
lived for the last three months. and
where 1 could have remained indefinite
ly without fear of discovery"
Until the day before Christmas had
no more notion of taking the states
money than you have. The catas-
trophe was the result of a panic. In
good times it would not have occurred
1t is entirely untrue that my predeces-
sor in the treasurership was short.
MIR. Smith made his settlement with
me in full. But when he did SO he ex-
acted a promise from me that would
let him have some large deposits after
ward, and in pursuance of that prom
Use I was caught for $1,000 in his
failure. The loan was amply secured,
however. and the state will get
the sum in full Nor is it true
that 1 would have proved defaulter
had a settlement been demanded of me
at the end of my first term. Had the
state called for settlement 1 could
have raised every cent without trou-
bic. My credit was high, was good
for large sum of money and had ex-
tensive property. 1t is also entirely
untrue that Commissioner Ruth of the
school and public lands had any ar
rangement or agreement with me
about the building up of the school
money in the summer of 1892. We never
exchanged a word about the matter. I
did hold up the states money at that
time, and 1 believed, and the other
state officers believed, that it was my
moral duty to do so. The money was
deposited in various important banks
of the state. Strictly. under the law,
1 should have taken this out. But
had 1 done SO 1 would have certainly
wrecked them and probably every
financial institution in South Dakota.
was keeping careful track of the
banks and knew that to carry out the
law at that time meant disaster; but
by the most vigorous work and by
pulling every string 1 could i succeeded
in floating the funding warrants of
the state, and SO prevented a panic in
this state, while banks were falling
thick and fast all over the country. It
is not true that the money lost went
Cor political purposes. / was never a
heavy contributor of political funds,
and the loans / made, whether to men
IN Office or not, were made upon strict
ly business principles or for friendship
sake. In every case I required what 1
considered good security. AS a matter
of fact, I did make a number of these
loans about as they have already
been fully described, and when
1 tried to collect them found that
the borrowers were unable to pay.
This probably cost me $50, 900. Then
I loaned $50, 900 to relative of mine tc
invest in mining property. and he lost
it. 1 was in no way concerned in the
enterprise, though 1 thought it safe,
but took full security, and this secur-
iity will amply protect the loan. l was
also drawn into the Northwest hotel
scheme during the Worlds fair. There
1 lost $1,000. Then came the failure of
Diggs' bank. and 1 lost $4,000 there.
But the affair which broke my back
was the Gettysburg bank"
A Fire of Suspicious Origin.
PITTSBURGH, Pa, June Coat 8 D. m.
fire of suspicious origin in bowling
alley in FIankstown avenue, east end,
destroyed two hotels, two residences
and a stable before the flames were
under control. The loss is about SIS
900. One family had a very narrow es-
.cape from death.
THE WORLDS w. c. T. u.
Opening of the Third Biennial Convention
In London.