The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-18

aminer has discovered that Sc 525. .43. that
was bid as premiums on the 1897 tax sales.
which took place last May, had been
refunded by the county treasurer on war
rants from the county auditor, in alleged
violation of the law that provides that
the premiums must remain in the treas
ury until the property covered has been
redeemed, and that this had been done
without the knowledge of Mr. Johnson
himself.
An examination of the books developed
the fact that all of the May premiums
had been refunded, except in the single
instance Of Martindale & Co., of Mime
apolis, who had bid heavily or the prop
erty. 1t has been the custom for several
years for bidders on tax certificates to
bid premium. Under ordinary circum-
stances the inve stors are fortunate in Sc
curing 6 per cent interest On their money,
but in the case Of tax sales under the law
they are entitled to 12 per cent premium
from the owners of the property upon
redemption. In order to secure this ex-
ceptional rate of interest the investors
are willing on choice property where
ultimate redemption is practically assured
to offer premium and these on the sales
of 1897 property aggregated nearly $1,000.
After the discovery of the alleged ir-
regularity in the office the facts were
made known to County Auditor Johnson
on Wednesday by the G O b e. He pro-
fessed to be exceedingly surprised and
declared he knew nothing of the transac,
ton whatever. He stated that Chief
Deputy Auditor w. B. Bourne, upon
whom devolved the entire control of the
office details, was on vacation at his
farm at Pennington, MINI. He couldn't
be persuaded to believe that Mr.. Bourne
had taken upon himself to refund these
premiums in the way mentioned, at least
without consulting the auditor. To salts
fy himself that no such thing had been
done he went pest haste to GriswoId's
residence and asked him If he knew any
thing about 1t. He told Mr.. Johnson that
the rumor was current and that Mr.
Bourne had been returning these pre-
niums.
Yesterday morning Maj. Libby, a clerk
in the office, was sent to Pennington in
search of Mr.. Bourne and returned with
the deputy county auditor last evening at
$50, when a conference was held in the
auditors office, at which Auditor john
son, Chief Deputy Bourne, Acting Chief
Deputy Harry Griswold and County At
torney Bigelow were present. They were
closeted together for nearly three hours,
and then Chief Deputy Bourne made the
following statement to the G l o b e:
There was certainly an oversight in
some degree on my part There was so
much of the property on which premiums
had been bid and redeemed that the full
amount of premiums was returned in
some cases. There is nothing in this
whole matter for the simple reason that
no certificates were issued for & greater
amount than was paid into the treasury.
The only irregularity is a technical one"
'Mr. Bourne told me some time ago
that he had decided to refund the prem
iums on the May sales" said Miss Han
nah Mayer, cashier in the Office of the
county treasurer, last. evening. SCI was
well aware of the fact, of course, that
the property should be redeemed before
the premium was refunded, but had no
means of ascertaining, and as long as
the warrants We're presented and prop
erly signed it was my duty to pay them,
only taking proper care that the premium
fund should not be overdrawn"
Gen. Pope, when seen yesterday, stated
that he would refuse to either deny or
affirm the report as stated to him by the
G o be. "It would not be right during