The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-08-18
GOV. VAN SAINT WILL APPOINT
CoMAIssIoN TO INVESTIGATE
WHITEHORNE CASE
PROCEEDINGS BEGIN MONDAY
Full Power VIII BE Given Commits.
sion, and Its Report May
Re Followed by
Expulsion
T. R. KANE PREFERS CHARGES

Gov. S. r. Van SAINT has announced biz
intention to officially investigate the al
leged malfeasance in Office of County
commissioner George B. WhitehOrue al
tice. - O'i' JUS
With the governors return nome Mon
u1y' ne VIII name a commission or jury
anu anu 10 II VIII be delegated the duty and
auIhorlty OF invest eating the charges
which have been preferred against Mr-
Nhitehorne by County Attorney II. r..
Kane. -
ms commission will nave as its legal
adviser Attorney General W. B. DOUGLAS
ana It's authority in the premises will be
supreme. On its report Will depend the re-
tentlon In or expulsion of Mr. Whitehorne
from the office, which both warrant and
public rumor have credited him with
grossly prostituting.
unwilling In any manner to embarraes
tne executive in the investigation he has
announced he Will make. County Attorney
hane yesterday refused to discuss the
coming investigation or even to admit
made ~ 10
1T is a matter" said Mr.. Kane. that
Iles wholly in the hands OF Gov. Van
SAINT. The Office Is a statutory one AMI
dismissal or censure must come from the
executive of the state. If the investiga-
uon IS to be made, l, as the legal repre-
sentative of Ramsey county. will he
called upon to furnish proof Of the
charges have preferred. What the gov
ernors Intentions in the matter are 1
have not been informed"
COMMISSION SELECTED.
Despite Mr. Kane's reluctance To talk
1t Is positively known that the governor
through mis- secretary. Judge Jamison, a
week ago obtained from Mr.. Kane copies
OF the charges which have been preferred
against Whltehorne and he has even gone
so far as to decide upon the personel
OF the commission that Will be Charged
with the task of making the investiga-
tlon. Their names VIII be made public On
his arrival home.
theoretically, 1t hay been held that
Whltehorne's expulsion could not come
until the grand jury had clinched the
charges by returning an Indictment. but
the state legal department holds that e
governors authority " supreme and he
can demand an investigation at any time
he thinks the conditions warrant Il.
Ordinarily, Whitehorne would be re-
heved from the burdens of the office ne
now holds, by remaining away from the
sessions of the commission for a term
of six months. Such an absence would
be equivalent to a resignation, but this
public clamor has made impossible and
now expulsion only viii satisfy If the
charges are true as preferred
While the work Of the commission VIII
be confined to an investigation or the
charges standing against Whitehorne and
a report as to their authenticity to Gov
Van SAINT, 1t Will have permission to
broaden its scope and may in
clude an inquiry into the system
that has made possible the methods
which Whitehorne employed. Every
member Of the county board WIN be
called upon to tell what he knows, while
others in an unofficial capacity win be
asked to come forward and give their
views. II rumor is true there are num-
Der that can add to the story of corruD-
tion that will undoubtedly be exposed to
public view.