The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1897-10-21


any wrong. Those who have talked SO
loud had better apologize.
| Office of State Examiner,
State of North Dakota,
Bismarck.
To His Excellency Frank A. Briggs.
Governor of the State of North Da-
kota, Bismarck, N. D.
In compliance with your request Of re.
recent date I proceeded on the
! 9Th day Of October, 1897, to examine in.
to the affairs of the state acditor, charg-
es being made that irregularities existed
in the manner Of paying for clerical
work performed in said Office.
Upon examination of the records
find that deputy and clerks salary had
been paid upon auditors warrants from
JanuaryG 6, to October l, 1897, as follows:
A. d. Lucas, deputy. ......... Sl,l04 90
2. B. Hannun, clerk .......... 1876 16
j. w. Gregg, clerk ........... 66 60
That of Captain Gregg being for SER
vices rendered in 1896, according to the
voucher.
On the Sth of October last, proceed
ed to take testimony in reference to the
manner of hiring and paying for clerical
labor in said state auditors office. 1t
appears from the evidence of N. B. Han
mum, state auditor, and the appoint.
ments submitted in evidence, that the
only appointments made by him accord
ing to law, are A. D. Lucas deputy, and
E. B. Hannum, clerk; said appointments
dated the 9Th of January, 1897, but that
other parties have been employed, in or
der to perform the work necessary to be
done.
1t also appears in the evidence that
E. Is. Hannum, the regularly appointed
clerk, has not been present to perform
any work in the Office since the first
part of January last, the reason being
given in the testimony that of having
been called east to attend to sickness
Of her father, (Which resulted in his
death) few days after entering upon
her duties as clerk.
The state auditor being asked to give
his reason for issuing the state warrants
to E. B. Hannum for labor not perform
ed, ho said in his answer: According
to my version of the law no ono is on
titled to draw pay as clerk in any of the
state offices except his appointment has
been approved by the governor, and as
had made no other appointments the
warrants we're drawn in her (meanirg
E. B. Hannum's) name, and tho money
paid to the other clerks" the law re-
ferred to being Section 334, revised
codes, 1895, as amended by chapter "a
of the session laws of 1897, which pro.
vides that the amounts "fxed and al.
lowed for clerk hire of the several state
officers shall be paid on monthly pay.
ments on warrants of the state auditor
Provided, that all clerical appointments
shall first be refurred to tho governo,
for his approved"
On being asked who the other clerks
were he gave the names of ]. N. Ottum
Mrs A. d. Lucas, Capt John w. Gregg
and A. D. Lucas. Being questioned al
to the method Of paying said clerks h.
submitted in evidence receipts, as fol
lows:
Two receipts of J. N. Ottum, on
dated January 29th, and one Februar,
26th, 1897, each for fifty dollars (s5O)
One receipt OF Mrs. A. D. Lucas
dated September &c. 1897, for one hun
dred and thirteen dollars and eight
Gently Q13.sW for services rendered il
August and September last.
Seven receipts of John W. Gregg
dated January 30th, Febuary :Ttl
March 3lst, April 3Oth, juno Both. Jul
31st, and August 31st, 1897, aggrcgatin
four hundred and fifteen dollars (S415
for services rendered as clerk in stat
auditors office during the months fro,
January to about the middle of Angus
last.
Five receipts of A. D. Lucas, date
January Both, February 9th, May Bis
July 18th, and August Goth, 1897, aggr'
eating one hundred and twenty dolla,
(Sl2o) for work performed in the stat
auditors office outside of Office hour
which was substantiated by A. D. Luc;
in his testimony.
All OF the clerks above mentioned, G.
cept J. N. Ottum. who has not been ;
the capitol since the first part of III
year, were called to testify, and on bein
questioned substantiated the testimon
of the state auditor, Mr.. Hannum. an
identified the receipts above mentionc,
Summarizing the amount paid by !
B. Hannum, state auditor, for service
rendered in his Office as shown in tt
testimony is in the aggregate s74ss
total amount drawn upon state warran
in the name OF Z. B. Hannum as cler
up to Oct. l, 1897 s7361G.
) The sworn testimony on which thi
my report is based is hereby transmitte
for filing in your Office.
Respectfully submitted this 18th du
OF October, 1897.
II. A. LANGLlE,
State Examiner.
1