Semi-weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings Co., S.D.) 1894-1898, 1898-10-21
MIR. CHERRY'S STATEMENT.

Some ten days or two weeks ago I
happened to be at the court house on
matter Of business and called at the
auditors Office. I did not know until
then that Mr. Gale S. Carpenter was
employed there. | had several times
heard from various sources that the
books of the Dakota National bank
would show that Mr.. Phillips while
state treasurer had received interest on
the state funds deposited in his name
rs treasurer in that bank and that Mr..
Gale S. Carpenter. the assistant cashier
Of the bank had told various parties
that this was the fact and had explain
ed the method of book keeping by.
which it could be traced through tho:
bank. The matter was at the time be-
ing quite freely discussed by the news |
papers and I asked Mr.. Carpenter toI
state the facts about it. Several gen. /
tlemen were in the same room at tn"
time and had they been l'stening coulc
have heard the entire conN cr.atiOn. Mr..
Carpenter without any hesitation what
| ever said the bank had paid Phillips
| per cent on his average daily balances.
| that tho remittances were made to him
| by draft and that the only record in the
bank books which would in any way
connect Phillips with the TRANSACTION
was the draft register. It is entirely
untrue that any kind of threats, in
ducements or persuasion or pressure OF
any kind was employed or suggested
He told the entire story without hesita-
| ton. At the conclusion Of the conver-
sation he said he always supposed thar
| Phillips had turned the interest money
| into the state treasury, and that Il
| Phillips was in any way involved in
the matter he preferred not to be mixed
up in it for Phillips was an old friend
of his. I explained to him fully that
| this matter was involved in the politics
Of the state. that the state committee
was investigating the matter and would
| doubtless make use Of the information
obtained but that perhaps ample evil
ience would appear on the bank books.
| Mr. Phillips was at that time in Sioux
Falls and when an effort was made to
examine the bank books considerable
difficulty was met with in obtaining an
inspection of them. There was never
any conversation between Mr.. Carpen-
ter and myself from that time until the
hour when the depositions were taken.
On that day met him at the foot of the
stairway leading to Mr.. Conway's Of
fee, he greeted me pleasantly and We
walked up the stairway together and
entered Mr.. Conway's Office. I said to
him that Mr. Bailey, the stenographer
and myself had been waiting for him
and that Mr.. Bailey had gone His depc-
sition was then taken in regular and
orderly way after he had been sworn
by Mr.. Conway. Any statement that
any kind Of threat, pressure or induce
ment of any kind was applied is utter
ly false. The deposition just as trans
cribed by Miss Neason is perfectly
true and accurate statement Of the pro-
ceedings. It is apparent from the eva
siVe character of his answers that Mr..
Carpenter dislikcd 10 tell the facts. He
at one time asked what bearing the
fact that Phillips had received interest
on the states deposit had upon the case
and said to him that that was mat
ter which Mr. Bailey and myself had
to determine; that all we wanted him
to do was to state plainly and fairly the
truth of the matter. He then proceeded
without any hesitation at all to answer
! the questions that were afterwards ask
I ed Once or twice the steuographel
: suggested 20 him not to answer the
| questions too rapidly.
The fact about this matter is that the
/ truth stings. This is o perfectly legi-
. innate matter of inquiry and matter
L. in which the people of the state are
; greatly concerned. If Mr.. Phillips has
received interest on the vast sums o.
money entrusted to his care and keep
, ing as treasurer he is not entitled to re-
tain the same but it belongs to the peo'
, pie of the safe. Most Of all he is no
entitled to be elected governor If he has
attempted to cover up and conceal the
facts. u. S. G.. Cherry.