Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-15
CORNELLlSCORNERED
Disclosures of Rottenness in Auditors Office
Create a Sensation.
PALMS LETTER STlRS UP THE ANIMALS
Members of the Legislature Can Think or
Talk Of Little Else,
GOVERNOR POINTER IS ON THE SCENT
Calls on Legislature to Investigate Charges
Promptly and Thoroughly.
HOUSE ADOPTS THE SUGGESTION AT ONCE
senate Adiourns over TIN This Morn
ing, hut Will Undoubtedly Take
Decided Action i'm Line of
nm Investigation.
OvERNoR POINTER IS ON THE SCENT
Jalls on Legislature to Investigate Charges
Promptly and Thoroughly.
HOUSE ADOPTS THE SUGGESTION AT ONCE

LINCOLN, Feb. 14,-(Specisl Telegram)-
The insurance department sensation was still
causing a stir tonight and there is much
speculation over the probable outcome AS
soon the senate committee Is appointed
tomorrow some immediate action viii be
taken. The expectation is that Senators
Currie and Hale will form the senate end Of
the joint committee
In the meantime 1t seems that the COM
mittee composed of state officials will make
a move to forestall the legislative committee
in the work. as notice has been served on
Sam Lichty to appear before the state Of
ficers tomorrow morning at 1890 to tell
what he knows of the insurance operations.
Just what the purpose Of this move is
cannot be told tonight but there are some
who believe that it is a plan to whitewash
the matter or collect up all the damaging
testimony and documents ahead of the legis-
latve committee. There is however. no
doubt expressed OF the good faith of the gov
| ernor in the matter, and ii is said he will
| take some action in the morning that will
| prevent any clash between the committees.
There is something of division OF senti
! ment at the state house and among those
who are strong in taking the part OF Auditor
! Cornell is j. B. Meserve. Deputies of the
auditor were active in the hotel lobbies to-
night showing copies of the letter written
! by Lichty to local insurance company, but
this, in the face of the morning disclosures,
failed to create any sensation, the members
of the legislature showing little interest in
| the Lchty letter.
There is some talk of a coolness between
| o. w. Palm and the auditor because OF
bad faith of Palm toward his chief In the
! tell-tale letter reproduced this morning Palm
told Cornell that he would be able to hold
the company up for $l20. Word from Chi
cago discloses the fact that he really took
| s14440, it is evident that he was con-
cealing part of the rake off, from the
auditor
A story is told that shows the position
!! of tbe s,ovevt or ~ the matter One OF the
!. de.s.l wts- va .sYogahieSto cornel eallse
on Governor foynter, and said:s = .
Governor, l understand you are siding
! with Lichty in this affair
Il am doing nothing of the kind" said
| the governor Il am siding with nobody
but the laws of the state of Nebraska. l
propose to enforce the statutes and If any
one gets in front of them he will get run
over while l am in office"
Bee in Great Demand.
The exposure of the insurance department
of the auditors office by The Bee this morn
ing caused tremendous excitement and the
demand for the paper great Mat
every copy in the city was bought befote 8
o'clock.
The legislature assembled on time, every
member expecting something unusual In
the house, even before yesterdays Jour-
nal had been read, the secretary of the
governor appeared and read the following
special message:
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER LINCOLN
Neb, Feb. IA, 1S99.-To the Members of the
Iwenty-SiXth Session of the Legislature Of
Nebraska: Gentlemen-I would respectfully
call your attention to most grave and seri-
Gus charges made in the public prints, ana
especially to an article appearing in The
Omaha Bee and State Journal of this date,
which duplicates the executive department
OF the state in gross irregularities in the
management OF the affairs OF the auditors
Office The charges are made specific in the
articles above refo.red to to the depart
ment OF insurance in the Office These
charges are OF SO serious character that
deem it my duty to ask your candid ana
careful consideration of them.
Tney came to my attention last week as
rumors, but Of such grave import that con-
sidered 1t necessary to appoint a committee
consisting OF Hon w +. Porter. secretary OF
state; Hon, c. j. Smyth' attorney general,
and Hon. j. V. Wolfe, commissioner OF pub
lie lands and buildings, to investigate ana
report 10 me.
What were rumors at that time have be-
come specific charges now by the publication
or the articles above referred 10.
II these charges are not true, a very great
wrong is being done 20 the elected repre-
sentative OF the people in the auditor $ office,
and Auditor Cornell should be given the
fullest opportunity to vindicate his honor.
II they are true, prompt action should be
taken TO disclose and stamp out otioial cor
ruption. In either event, whatever your wis
dom may dictate, either to supplement the
action already taken by me, or to pursue a
special line OF investigation of your own in
the interest OF good government ! beg to
assure you that whatever assistance this de-
| xuill ha rha f,,II IIr.
granted
(signed) w. A. POINTER. Governor
Immediately Representative Weaver (fu-
sionl offered the following motion:
Whereas, This body has Just received from
his excellency, the governor Of Nebraska, a
special message, in which he calls attention
TO grave charges preferred in the public
press against the auditor of public accounts,
and
Whereas, It is of the utmost Importance
both to this elected representative of the
people as well as to the people u the state
themselves that strict and immediate in
yestlgation should be made into the man
agemut OF the auditors Office
| Therefore, / move you that In accordance
with the recommendations contained in the
| governors message a committee OF three be
appointed by this house which shall act
with a committee OF two from the senate
OF the state Of Nebraska TO speedily inyesti-
gate the present management OF said office,
and 10 report its findings TO this house
The motion was adopted and the chair
appointed the special committee Evans
Of Adams, Weaver of Richardson and Fisher
Of Dawes
Sensation In the senate.
The remarkable disclosures OF the cor
ruptiCn in the office OF Auditor Cornell,
as fully published in this mornings issue
Of The Bee oyershadowed all other bust
ness Of the senate today, although It was
busy dag for that body that Is until
noon, when an adjournment was taken un-
I'll 10 o'clock tomorrow morning to allow
he members an opportunity 70 accept the
chancellor's invitation and visit the farm
and dairy school east OF this city, where
he opening exercises OF charter day were
observed.
The portrayal Of .he documents them