The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-14
LOOTED THE STATE FAIR FUND


81. Or YAKIMA y. ~ S@hufDtft y
F-flsnsburg. and Dan Stewart of ~sna
wnlf, Having fled bonds Of ECO each
with the state and taken oath Of Office,
fhe commissioners met and organized
With Baxter as president. Gum as Sec
Rotary and Lee a. treasures.
r. was evident from the outset tha'
Lee and Stewart were rank outsiders
Baxter and Dunn assumed fun control
- everything and on such occasions as
the fuli board was assembled eouio a.
wavu rerly upon Schnebiy 10 form the
majority necessary 70 confirmation OF
any Of their acts or purposes
rsrp WITHOUT LEES KNOWLEDGE
FOR months Les position as treasurer
scanned simply honorary. Up to the close
Of iss7 he had not been intrusted WIN
a cent % the money at the disposal OF
tes rornnoisqloners The fusion leEisla-
,.re bad aprropriated $500 for the fair.
purinr 1907. fssI Of this was used with
out Lees knowledge The fact that this
noney had been used was mahe EVIL
sent In The repor, ~ the secretary IN
r,-...,e.- ises. more than a year later.
II was drawn directly from the stare
treasury by Baxter and Gum. and pre-
.4rahiv usea or expended by them
Treasurer Less book SHOWS that he
never held any part OF the money an
So na. no knowledge Of when y was
drawn or how " was expended
The nrst intimation % Mr. lee ,na1
he was regarded as an officer OF the com
mission came on January 70 1898: wnen
Secretary Dunn turned over 70 MIN III
sum Of sr75 with The information ma
n vas the balance paid IN BY the presi-
asr, ~ she preceding commission. a
nsnth later Mr. Lee received cheek
drawn IN his favor as treasurer TOT NV
from a eon'T,euy9s 70 ,s she ~ rseeIysd
check for 8 similarly drawn rotew-
ing these. IN July ard August VS. MT
Lee received checks. sent 70 him per
amounting IN All 70 s2so The total Of
ali moneys received including the deposit
from Dunn. was ssisD
with an available state appropriation
Of n 500. with all the cash contributions
from the citizens 81 Yakima and special
Donations 20 the premium fund from all
parts Of the North~est: with me gate re-
scns and the entry Of exhibit. and
horses for the racing-in all a consider
able sum. admitted BY Secretary Gum 10
have been nearly $1,000. and much great
or ss believed by the people 81 Yakima
with all this money passing through
the hands Of the president and secretary,
not on. cen, beyond ne sum o. sass . 2
qualified treasurer OF the state fair COM
mission up 20 October II. 1888. twelve
days After the close OF the fair Of that
year and sixteen months after Mr.. Lees
appointment
III Is not 10 be supposed that Mr. Lee
submitted 10 this method Of business
without protest Time ard again at the
meetings Of the commissioners. called al
irregular and infrequcnt Intervals by
President Baxter. Mr.. Lee demanded In.
formation a. 80 the receirts and dispo-
sition Of moneys. lie had nothing then
uron which to base an accusation Of
actual dishonesty or Misrepresentation,
hut he realized that the fair funds were
being irresulariy handled, His demands
M linn
lion. ' o" ana p'0'''s''"a'
WAS ONLY CIPHER.
The state fair 81 1873 was held from
September ~ 60 October q During the
time q was In progress Mr.. lee. 81 far
ing was concerned. Was cipher. Presi-
dent Raxtor was the active .u.~rintend-
ent ~ the fair ana all receipts and ex-
ggendi,ures we're We're attended 20 by him and
reference 70 the treasurer. The NM Is
heid b. Mr. Lee prior 20 the fair had
been drawn from hts hands by regular
warrants signed by Baxter and Gum.
and the close OF the fair found the Of.
rcisl treasury smpfy
After the fair Mr.. Lee renewed his de-
msnd for rccosnition as treasurer. bills
were being brought 60 him for payment
ana he inastei that means BE- provided u
settle M the outstanding Indebtedness Of
The commission, Following this demand
deposits we're made with the treasurer nv
Secretary Gum between October u ans
October r. amounting IN All 70 500 q THIS
va drawn out ~ Baxter and Gums
warrants from time 20 time untii Deem
blank
The whole amour, 81 money passing
thrcuea Mr. Lees hands was 81. Ole - Hts
eelpts came IN az Intervals a. stated.
between January ~ iSss ana octoh~r 81
lNN Tho money passed from his hand.
between february " isss and December
!. isss Within eleven months while on.
wnrd - uso9 was iuseied h, the presi
agn' snd secresary the treasurer handled
natural suspicion arising from the
|. mysterious disposition 81 ~ % ~ hls "a
sacates was heightened IN Mr. Lees rnioa
~ number OF circumstance coming I'M.
Ger his ehss,vation durins The course ~
tory rrplies % President Barter and So
fetArY Quinn 70 hts inquiries ard by IN.
delay n these cilcrrs about preparing ara
rfs.sniing an eneisi report q th.r %
REroHr PREPARED.
y appears. hswcy-r. that some time IN
Nukemher l~s Secretary Gum prepared
some sort - report. whira eas seat h,
GOV ROGERS ~ this report Mr lee kn~w
neihinE end az length tiriuN "a he ~.
forts 90 elicit. Information from naxter
sud Gum he made GOT fiii rsns,rt 81 ~,
ewn rerr'rts aud expenditure. fsithfuiiv
ss,,,Ssb n. ~ al "a, bad ras.sl'
- Gov. kgSrrs -sriY IN nrcsmbss. ana
althi tfrih thn feloWinx aekuaN eds
riruti
state - Washiuztaa.
Executive rspart nranf
olympia December q fss
" iiiam Tee tf. Treasurer sale rnn.
niesior Norih Nakirla. Wash prsr ~
huHr rnlrff ta trsaaurer ~ fae state 80
q 'ufnitaian taa been received tY fhr adv
efNtf Wnu iirfris me tn sNknas .e.ier lf.
frcrinf
gas Yrf ths REVISED REPORT o.,
lht arfffarf han net been rer-tN44
Web NuH would klnaif rasaa1auir.t q.
wWh Nj Hunn ard tHrfF ne rsatf~r
en = should - n ths hare. ri rs.
rftater tetHfr tfiF Ehn rerarf sh,t.fl
= nnithr3 Hna hnnfsH in rs DE I.ais-
latNfr or Go arFnInr
"hinfIF give ffIs r.affsr rrs~,s.s 80.
ton ant estar VOWS rrsreffrtsifs
- tl rELEFrffsU
tiffsrrnff Private starasrr, a
a1 ger .envsYri ta ~ Zee ~ afs.
iafNrnna i'nr thsf ans k.rf ef : rene~t h,
tcln aNnriIffft 800 liH rrf kn.u ta.-'
een fftr fntf fhe felaf w. in flrr-r -.
tis ef frr inn un..n rras.ass-
GA fhr Iaff Mnrlar III lt-r nf 49,.
f'4f ffo STATE falr rureinIra a1H sfsN Ed.
lHNE AHN ffHnHHnfH NH f1HH 80 .as.- .s ID.