The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-06-27

me TO surrender. The state had no
idea where was and could not have
caught me in years. In fact, | under.
stand that they practically had Civ.
en- up the search. But knew that
my absence was causing My family
and friends very great sorrow and !
did not want to give up my name and
home for all time. | therefore decid.
ed upon the step have taken. know
| have committed crime in the ewes
Of the law and am ready to take .he
penalty. My conscience is clear OF
any intent to do wrong, but | could
not see my Oondsmen suffer. | have
therefore come here voluntarily; have
turned over to the state enough prop
erty to wipe out the deficit and am
now ready to take any sentence which
my acts have warranted"
The reporter asked Mr.. Taylor to
give a sketch of the facts which
brought about his downfall and he
complied frankly.
"Until the day before Christmas"
he said, 81 had no more notion OF
taking the states money than you
have. The catastrophe was the re-
suit OF the panic. In good times it
would not have occurred. 1t is en-
tirely untrue that my predecess or in
treasurership was short. Mr.. Smith
made his settlement with me in full.
But when he did so he exacted a
promise from me, that would let him
have some large deposits afterward
u nd inv IF hn
was caught by $1,000 in his favor.
The loan was amply secured, how
ever, and the state will get the sum in
full. Nor is it true that | would have
proved defaulter had settlement
been dsmanded of me at the end OF
my first term. Had the state called
for a settlement | could have raised
every cent without trouble. My cred
it was high, was good for large sum
OF money and had extensive proper
ty.
DENIES VARIOUS REPORTS.
1t is also entirely untrue that Com
missioner Ruth, OF the school and
public lands, had any arrangement or
agreement with me about the hold
ing up OF the school money in the
summer OF 1898. We never exchang-
ed word about the matter. | did
hold up the states money at that
time, and believed, and the other
state officers believed, that it was a
moral duty to do So The money
was deposited in various important
banks of the state. Strictly, under
the law, should have drawn this
out. But had done so it would GER
tainlv have wrecked them and prob
ably every financial institution in
south Dakota. | was keeping care
full track OF the banks, and knew that
to carry out the law at that time
meant disaster. BY the most vigor.
Gus work and by pulling every string
| could | succeeded in floating the
funding warrants OF the state and SO
prevented a panic in this state, while
banks were failing thick and fast all
over the country.
at is not true that the money lost
went for political purposes. was
never a heavy contributor to politi-
cal funds, and the loans ] made,
whether with men in office or not,
were made upon strictly business
principles or tor friendship sake. In
every case | required what | Consid-
cred good security. AS a matter Of
fact, did make u number Of these
loans about as they have already
described, and when | tried to col
lect them found that the borro wers
were unable to pay. This probably
cost me 100000.
Then I loaned $4,000 to rela-
tive OF mine TO invest in mining prop
erty and he lost it, | was in no way
concerned in the enterprise, though |
thought it sound and safe, but took
full security, and this security will
amply protect the loan. | was also
drawn into the Northwest hotel
scheme during the worlds fair. | did
not want to 60 into it, but was COM
PEELED to do so to protect my friends
who were caught, and also my word,
which had been given to some OF
them. There ] lost $1,000. Then
came the failure of Digs bank, and |
lost So, 900 there.
GETTYSBURG BANK AFFAIR.
"But the affair which broke my back
was the Gettysburg bank. During
the panic Leppleman came to me and
demanded assistance. had only
$4,000 in the bank and could have
lost that without inconvenience, but
considered that if that bank should
60 there would likely be run on my
bank at Redtield, which was known
to be in some relations with the other,
and 4hnA if nna nronninank In tint ion