The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-14
DOODLE BOOK" SCANDAL
WISCONSIN TORN UP BY A
SCOFIELD BOOMERANG
Toilette Room Involves Every
State Official, and Also a Tech
meal Shortage of 100000 In the
Accounts of the Treasurer-A
Blow to Present Administration.

MADISON, Wis, Aug. ia short
age of over $4,000 has been discovered
in the treasury of the state of Wis
consin. 1t is claimed that every state
officer is implicated; that every dollar
OF the money was taken from the
treasury illegally, and that, though
technical shortage in one sense, 1t will
prove a most disastrous affair to the
present administration. The most
amusing thing about it from a political
standpoint is that a few days ago GER
tain men, who are arranging to spring
the sensation as bomb to blow La
Follette'S gubernatorial boom sky high
are now doing their best to- cover Up
the matter, through fear of its effects
upon Gov. Scofield's campaign.
Charles M. Dow is assistant state
treasurer and has attracted special at
tention by being one of the few state
officials who has not been out in the
state working for the governor. He has
been La Toilette man. A few days
ago he was away from the capitol and
during his absence Henry Sanford,
one Of the clerks in the treasurer's Of
flee, found time to look about bit
He was rewarded by finding a number
of credit slips, which 1t is said showed
that Dow had oVerdraWn from the stat
treasury about $1,000. There was also
evidence that he had advanced sums
of various sizes to other persons.
OFFICIALS INVOLVED.
Sanford at once reported to the gov
ernor, who went directly to the state
treasurer's Office and demanded an ex-
PLANTATION. State Treasurer Peterson
was emphatic and declined to furnish
any light on the subject The governor
and several friends thereupon entered
into an examination and verified the
disclosures Of Sanford. 1t was taken
for granted that Dow had used the
money In campaigning for La gillette
The Scofield leaders got together and
at once gave out the story to influence
the primaries. Later Dow was brought
before the governor and at once said
that all the state officials had over
drawn as well as he, and If any facts
were to be made public the entire facts
should be given.
Now this meant good deal. It
meant that the governor had had mon
ey Advanced to him, that his secre-
tary was at one time about $1,000 over
drawn and state officials and employees
OF all grades had obtained money from
the state treasurer. There was q lively
time for awhile, but finally it was
agreed that the matter should be hush
ed up. Dow agreed to make good his
Indebtedness, and it is said the money
will be ready. Presumably other Of
ficials will find 1t convenient to raise
the necessary funds and at once square
their accounts.
One feature that was overlooked In
the first excitement of discovery has
been the fact that under the law it is
the duty of the governor to keep a
fnnf tail
The present plan has been as follows
so the story goes:
An institution known as the doodle
book" was established, and whenever
a state official was a trif1e short he
proceeded to the state treasurer's Office
wrote a little slip and had advanced
to him the amount he wanted. His
name was then entered in the doodle
book" and the amount drawn. The
state treasurer thus becomes a bank
upon which the officials draw at will
1t is said that at one time there were
officials who were overdrawn more
than their salaries would have amount
ed to in five years. At present, it is
said, the doodle book shows treas
ury shortage Of something under $4,000.
DIVIDED DELEGATION.
WEST SUPERIOR, Wis, Aug. 49,
The First and Second assembly dis
trict conventions, held here today, &c
lected delegates to the state conven-
ton for both Scofield and La Toilette,
the first being La Toilette with nine.
There was no fight in the Second dis
trict convention, but in the First the
La Toilette men tried to run things,
but were outnumbered. Hon. James
. Hagen, state assemblyman from this
district. was unanimously chosen for
congress and E. G. Mills for state SEN
ator.