The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-06
WHAT 1T MEANS.

WHAT 1T MEANS
The silence of the Pioneer Press upon
The fraudulent administration in the coun-
ty auditors Office would justify the
public in inquiring whether politics or
the law is supreme in this community.
This newspaper and the officeholders
involved in this political scandal are Of
the same political faith. Is it possible
that ohiceholders belonging to a polit-
zeal machine charged with maladminis-
tration in their office are not anena-
BILE to the law? Is it possible that it
has come to pass IN this city that only
those not holding official positions must
obey the laws of the state, and that men
elected to offices of trust and emolu-
ment need not render an account of
themselves at the bar of justice?
Reflect few moments on the follow
ing statement of facts. The county
auditor is one of the most important
officials in Ramsey county. He is the
tax administrator Of the county, and
audits all claims against the county
several millions Of dollars are disbursed
annually through his Office Without
his signature not a dollar can be paid
out of the Ramsey county treasury
A man notorious in this city for his
ability to procure attachments, refund
ments and shaving of taxes, and for
other things, goes to the county AUDITORS
Office and procures inside information as
TO the ownership of invalid tax certif-
Gates, involving the names of those who
were honestly entitled to have their
money refunded upon return and cancel
lation of such certificates. This man
finds that Mr. x. is the owner of eigh-
teen void tax certificates and entitled
to the return from the county Of $4,-
S72O6 upon their surrender to and can
collation. by the county auditor.
An ignorant and irresponsible man In
nowise substantially interested Is select
ed as go-between, who files with the
county auditor an application falsely al
leging that he is the owner of such GER
tidcates, and praying for the refundment
OF %,S72O6, cash, out Of the Ramsey
county treasury. The county auditors
records show plainly when the application
was made that Mr.. X, and not the false
applicant was the owner of the certif-
Gates. Nevertheless the county auditor
veriies the claim and recommends that
the state auditor authorize the payment
of $4S72C6 out of the county treasury.
The state auditor, relying on the false
application and induced by its statements
Which the county auditors records show
cd to be false approves it.
The law is very strict. Tt provides
only upon the surrender of the certid-
Gates to the county auditor he shall draw
warrant upon the county treasurer for
the refundment and the warrants when
issued shall be entered in a book to be
kept by the auditor for that purpose.
In this case, the county audior did not
procure The certificates, but issued a
warrant for S4S72.O6 on the county treas
uTer, payable to the order of an attor
ney. He did not enter the warrant in the
warrant book, when it was issued.
The attorney" named in the warrant,
presented it to the county treasurer,
who issued a check to his order.
This check was taken to bank in this
city, there deposited, and practically an
account opened by the tax shaver and
credited to him, who then and there is
sued his own check against such bank
account to the order of Mr.. X, the true
owner Of the certificates in question.
Several days afterwards the certificates
were delivered TO the county auditor by
the tax shaver
These matters were Incorporated in
the public examiners report to the gov
ernor, who after several days of investi-
cation, hearing both sides, found those
facts TO be true.
legal presentation Of this state of
facts might be made as follows
On tho 18th day of April. 1901, in the
city Of st. Paul, A. falsely and fraud
ulently and feloniously, unlawfulIy, and
with the intent to defraud the Ramsey
county treasury ont of $4,S72, induced
j. to file false and fraudulent state
ment or application with the county
auditor and county commissioners in
which ne induced the APPLICANT to ssate
that ne was the owner and holder of
eighteen invalid tax certificates of the
valuo OF said S4.S72; which statement
was then and there wholly false and
untrue; that the county commissioners
on the same day wrongfully and I'M
lawfully passed such claim and recon-
mended its payment; that the state
auditor relying upon and believing the
contents of the application and the YER
ifcation thereof by the county commits
sioners to be true, and induced there
by. approved said claim.
That on the 18th day of April, 1901,
without procuring any of said tax GER
tificates, the county auditor, tnrough
his deputy, issued warrant Or order
on the county treasurer for sad sum
Of money 10 the order of c.. and with
out entering said warrant on the look