Omaha daily bee., 1899-10-10
WHY SMYTH NEEDED SMITH
- Not Quite Clear Why Attorney General
Called in Help on BARLEY Case.
ASSISTANTS IN OFFICE NOT VERY BUS Y
, Oldham Finds Plenty of Time TO
Pcra mbuinte Around Nebraska
and holster Up the Fu-
n sion Ticket.

LINCoL n, Oct. 9.-(specal THE recent
allowance ny Auditor Cornell OF the claim OF
Ed r. Smii h for 1925 for services rendered
In the pres ecution Of the bondsmen OF eX-
Treasurer 3artley recalls the testimony
given by Att orney General Smyth last win
ter before the house committee on ways and
means. Mr.. Smyth asked the legislature
to raise the alary Of the deputy attorney
general and L, supply additional assistance
for his Office, alleging that he was over
worked and n, ,eded more help. The ad-
dltlonal aesstal ce was supplied and in the
face of this Att, rney General Smyth on his
own authority Ell nployed ED p. Smith to as
sist in the last trial OF the BARLEY bonds
men and afterwa rds approved his claim for
s625 for simply assisting in the one case
Following is a cop.v of the voucher filed with
Auditor Cornell by Ed p. Smith.
July p, 1899. The state OF Nebraska Ito to
dered and costs eA pended In assisting
in the trial of the case OF the state
lev ct al, in the district court of Doug
las county during the months OF June
and July, 1899. soZo
The claim was approved by Governor
Poynter and Attorney General Smyth and
was allowed by Cornell in September. I'm
der these circumstances Smith is in
directly still an employe OF the state, not
withstanding the legislature allowed the at
torney general extra assistance to do away
with the necessity OF employing outside legal
talent in the prosecution Of state cases.
Following is portion of Attorney Gen
, eral smyth's testimony before the committee
II on ways and means, taken from the official
~ copy:
ouestlon-Are your men busy all the
time? / have been in there when they
seemed to +. having a good time. -
would have to contend with in an ONCE
situated as mine is, between the two
Ssn work It has ss9yed 70 neyy y
rapher talking to some one.
,o Q.-I notice your deputy seems to take
Y Ale has not really got down to work
yet; he has only been in the office a short
ness Vet His desk is loaded with work.
have often worked this year from twelve
to fourteen hours a day.
Q.-Do you have a private of1ce besides
Al have office in Omaha. In fact !
do most of my official work there. Here
am interrupted.
Q.-Have you in the last two years been
ness?
Al have probably spent an hour two
in supreme court in cases that came up be.
fore went into the office. have arranged
that the deputy shall look after the criminal
work unless 1t is an important case.
Oldham Not in Harness Yet.
1t is plainly evident that Deputy Oldham
the harness. Why Smith employed in
the BARLEY case and why he was paid $625
for the brief service are questions which
have not been explained by the reformers
The failure OF Silas A. Holcomb to make
a proper settlement with Joseph BARLEY al
the end OF the latter's first term as treas
urer suggests the case OF the defunct Mer.
chants bank OF this city, by which the
state lost 5000 through the loose settle
ment of the governor. Cashier Crawford, ir
securing sureties on his bond, Informed
prospective signers that he would attach his
name to the instrument. After the sigma
lures were thus obtained Mr.. Crawford pre-
scented the bond to the governor and sait
he was willing to sign 1t himself, as he hat
obtained the other signatures on that cond
tion. Governor Hocomb refused to ALLOW
Crawford to sign the bond because h
thought there would be considerable criti
esm II he would accept an officer OF th
bank as a surety on the bond. Shortl.
hfterward the bank went into the hands o
receiver A suit was instituted agains
The bondsmen to recover the amount lost
y The court released the bondsmen when 1
was shown that their signatures were OBJ
lained upon the condition that Mr.. Crawfor
would sign with them.
The Board OF Public Lands and Building
today accepted the plans of G. NJ Grant Q
i Beatrice for the new hospital building 70
the State Institute for the Feeble Minded
The thirty second annual conclave of th
Nebraska Grand Lodge of the knights {
Pythias will begin here tomorrow morning
Several hundred delegates are expected.
]. ]. Mccarthy of Ponca, vice chairman
the republican state central committee, al
rived in the city tonight and will hereafte
assist in the direction of the republica
campaign.