Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1903-06-24
STODDARD IS
Up AGAINST It
Serious Charges Prefer
red Against Him.
Accused of Maintaining Corrupt
Lobby, Making False Reports
and Other MisdeedS.

PheniX. AriZ., June 17.-Special tC
the journal Miner The long expect
ed filing of charges against Isaac Taft
| Stoddard, secretary of Arizona, has
been consummated and reliable infor.
nation has leaked out here to confirm
the rumor on the streets for several
days, that the secretary will be made
to face some vexatious and very grave
accusations.
The charges have been preferred by
a recently organized press body
known as the Maricopa County Re-
publian Press Association. This so.
ciety comprises the Arizona Gazette,
the Saturday Review, the Mesa Free
Press and others.
The charges were carefully prepared
and mailed to the president about a
week ago. In all probability the vol
luminous document, which recites vol.
umes of alleged corruption and NAL
feasance of Office, is now in the hands
of the chief executive.
The various accounts had their or
igin in an exciting battle waged in
legislative chambers about two months
ago. The "Cowan biIl'' was intro.
duced to cover into the territorial
treasury fees derived from the filing
of articles of incorporation from for
eign and local corporations. On ac-
count of the liberality of Arizona laws
in this respect the territory has en-
ioyed flood of articles of incorpOra-
tion from all parts of the country and
the secretary enjoyed an income some
what in excess of that received by the
president of the United States. The
"Cowan bill' met with the most stub
born resistance from Secretary Stod-
dard, but in fighting the measure be
is alleged to have employed unsavory
methods The charges credit the sec
rotary with maintaining corrupt
and INSCRIPTIONS lobby at the CAPT
tai. " Other allegations are that be
rendered false reports as to the
amounts of salaries paid to clerks. and
as to the amount a. fees rccci9 D..
these reports having hyi 'aa,'r Off
cially to Governor Brodie. ii is ex-
planned that while Stoddard represent
ed in his reports that the fees of his
office amounted to s15. 900 for period
of eighteen months, special legisla-
tive investigating committee discover
ed the fees to have amounted to many
thousands of dollars in excess of that
amount. The most serious count, per-
haps, is the allegation that at a criti-
cal juncture of the legislative investi-
cations the secretary destroyed his
fee books in violation of certain pro-
visions of the penal code of this terri
tory.
The so-calied "Cowan bill" over
Swallowed all other legislation during
the entire session and was passed in
the lower house by bare majority.
Corruption was charged openly dur
ing the struggle and evidence will be
offered to prove that several legisla
tors received money from the secre-
tary. kilograms and checks signed by
Stoddard and made out in favor of
Legislators who were on junketing
trip to the sea shore will be produced
in evidence. At one stage the lower
house appointed a special investigat-
ing committee which took consider
able evidence from the secretary, he
attaches of his Office aud Others rela-
tive to the incorporation system and
administered oaths in the taking OF
testimony. The reports of this com
mission forms the foundation of the
charges just filed.
Prominent republicans of the terri
tory accuse Stoddard of treason to his
party. Many rcpublieans would be
glad to witness his removal for what
they regard as the good of the party
in Arizona 1t is said upon reliable
that Governor Brodie once
strongly advised Stoddard against
the course which has resulted in the
preferring of grave charges of scan
Dial.