Omaha daily bee., 1903-03-26

trip and talked with Senator Willard about
this matter and he was as much surprised
as the governor. Senator Willard said II
was too bad for us TO get into this affair
just after emerging from the BARLEY scan
DIAL and advised me to go to S%tuefer, make
him promise to pun back all those coupons
and secure his pledge to be straight dur
ing the remainder of his term"
Tells Of Visit to stuefer.
After telling OF his visit to the ONCE Of
MI. stuefer in company with William Mes
bit and John FP Piper OF Burt county,
when he copied the entries on page ia
Of the bond book in the treasurer's office
that were brought into evidence last night,
and explaining that the portion Of the
entry reading: Excerpts bonus OF $3.50 In
coupons not detached" was not on the
book at that time, Mr.. Sears said hat Mr..
Stuefer appeared s''excited and angry part
OF the time We were in his office" He
then stated: ~
ION March 81, 1901, l again wrote to Gov
ernor Savage and suggested the wisdom Of
demanding Stuefer's. resignation. The gov
ernor answered my letter, saying he had
referred itsto Attorney General Prout and
would be ready for action as soon as the
latter official made his answer. December
~, lSVls L once HOI6 WIblb " Nht BOHGA hol >
insisting on the necessity Of sons action"
At this j~uneture Attorney Van Dusen took
the witness in hand and began his cross
examination He asked Sears why he had
stated in his letter to Governor Savage
that 'of the facts in the case as stated
there can. be no doubt" He insisted that
this statement was not warranted on the
basis Of the information which Sears then
had and MAS a direct and unjust reflection
upon, the integrity and honor of a distin-
guished and honorable citizen. -
Sears replied that he adduced from his
conversations with Stuefer and others and
his Investigation of the case the conclusion
that stuefer had full and ample knowledge
that the Burt county bonds we're to be is
sued, when they we're to be issued and the
date of their sale, and consequently de-
cided that In not awaiting himself of the
opportunity to buy these bonds or bid on
them for the state he had been derelict Ia
his duty. and IMPOSED a WRONG on the state.
Van Dusenr then askedf Sears II it was,
not ~ facts hat cone of the specific cons,
ditions in Neligh's contract was that these
bonds wereito be delivered to. him at Que
First National bank In Omaha. The, purs
pose was to eounteract the implication that
the scheck OF $4,000 had been given by.
stuefer on, this bank for Neligh'suse in buy
ing these bonds. Van Dusen also brought
out the point that the fact that Neigh did
business wfthsthe First National bank of
West Point. of, which Mr.. stuefer was and
is president, and that he had used a certi-
fed scheck for 81. 900 on this bank in the
purchase Of these bonds. did not necessar-
lily Indicate any irregularity. He said that
as Mr.. Stuefer was then attending to his
duties as treasurer of the state Il was not
at al probable that he would have personal
knowledge OF what checks were passing
through his bank out at West Point.
Sears was -cross-examined by Van Dusen
as 70 his reported demand on Governor Saw
age that be demand the resignation of Mr..
Stuefer, and emphatically denied that he
had made such a demand and stated that
the report grew out of a garbled news
paper story published in Lincoln. He ad-
mitted. however, having suggested to the
governor the wisdom of such a course.
Sears abruptly interposed the statement
that once when this matter was under dis
sion Senator DIETRICH had said. referring to
Mr.. eStuefer:
IF l was governor he wouldn't stay in
ONCE twenty -four hours"
At 10 o'clock the committee adjourned
until 1880 p. m.
RecelNed checks July 4.
At the evening session w. A. Meyer, who
was CLERK Of Burt county during the pend
ing Of this bond deal. testified that ]. r.
Sutherland had told him personally and the
county commission of which Meyer was
clerk that the State Board OF Educational
Lands and Funds had authorized him to
state that it would buy these bonds at 3h.
Meyer, also told, Of receiving, the two checks
from Neigh July 4, 1901, in payment OF
the bends, He further said the county
hAoRd ANaA The waNa - - -. - -
1901.
]. r. Sutherland. editor of the Burt