The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1902-07-28
MERRILL
REWARD
MONEY
Governor Geer Holds Confer
ence With Lee
Further Action Will Be De-
ferred Until James Returns

Governor Geer has reached no con.
clusion yet in relation to the adjust.
ment Of the claim OF Mrs. Mary Wag
goner for the delivery OF the body of
Merrill The governor has had an In.
terylew with superintendent Lee, of
the state prison, but no definite de.
cislon was reached It is the intention
OF the governor to have an interview
with Warden James before taking any
action in the premises, and until that
officer returns from Tacoma no settle
ment will be had with Mrs Wagon.
er
The following special appeared in a
Portland paper:
Governor Geer said today that 1t is
desirable that the identity of the body
should be certain, and It Is upon this
point that he wishes to confer with
Mr., James.
"'The state Is not disposed to be
over-exacting or quibble over the mat.
ter. said Governor Geer, but It would
place us in a very bad position If we
should pay the reward, or a part of IT,,
and then Merrill should turn up later
over in Seattle. From the reports that
have heard am inclined to presume
that the body returned is in fact Mer.
rlll's, but since / have not had an op-
portunity to talk with Mr. James / will
take no immediate action. There Is
no need to hurry the matter
Governor Geer could not say at
present whether the whole amount Of
the reward will be paid in case he
concludes that Mrs. Waggoner has re-
turned the body Of Merrill. lie said
that II does seem TO him that a per
son who made no effort whatever to
capture and return the fugitive
should receive the whole Of a reward
which was offered To- induce people to
engage In the hunt for the criminal. At
the same time, he realizes that 1t is
worth something to the state to have
the body Of the escaped convict re
turned, and the person furnishing the
evidence of the death Of Merrill should
be paid literally. lie will consider all
phases Of the question, and try to do
Justice to all concerned
Governor Geer said that In case all
Of the reward was not paid to Mrs.
Waggoner. he will probably add the
remainder of the $500 to the reward
offered for Tracy lie does not believe
IL advisable, or practicable, to send
out men To hunt for Tracy, but thinks
that the reward offered Is sufficient In.
ducement for men to engage In the
hunt No funds are available for the
purpose OF sending men out to keep
up continuous hunt at state expense,
for all the appropriations are made for
specific purposes In many states the
legislature sets apart contingency
fund, upon whicn the governor may
draw In cases OF emergencies which
the legislature could not see and pro
vide for But In this state there is no
money that can be- used for emergency
purposes at the penitentiary The
appropriations for the asylum and
other institutions are made In lump
sum- so that the boards can use the
money for the purpose required, but
the appropriations for the penitentiary
are In small sums for specific pur
poses, as for the salary OF guards, fire
wood, etc, and no part of the money
can be used for purposes other than
those mentioned In the law
"A number of men wrote To Govern.
or Geor while sheriff Cudihce and
posse were hunting Tracy, proposing
that II the governor would call all the
men on the chase they would under.
take to capture the desperate. Since
the posse has been dismissed, Gov.
ernor Geer thinks the way Is now
clear for those who believe that I'm.
diyidual effort will be- most successful
and he hopes To see some one go after
Tracy and capture him.