The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-02-26
P. A. GUNDERS IS OUT
No Longer an EmpIoye OF Bank Ex.
aminer's Department.
Letters Sent Him BY His Superior
Are Made Public.
Discharged Man Says He Will Say
Something Later.
He Refused to Resign and Was Dis
missed From Service.
From Wednesdays Daily.

From Wednesdays Daily.
P. A. Gunders, second assistant bank
examiner, yesterday served his last
day as an employee of the bank examin-
er's department.
The public examiner, following the
only course open to him, Monday night
sent Mr.. Gunders letter requesting his
resignation.
Yesterday morning Mr.. johnson made
public the two letters he has written Mr..
Gunders in connection with the recent
unpleasantness.
Mr.. johnson refused absolutely to dis
cuss the affair beyond giving out the
letters. He said: Ordinarily, CORE
spondence of this kind would be of no
public interest, and I should much pre-
fer not to have it made public. However,
as there has been so much said on this
subject and so much misapprehension
concerning it, these letters are given the
public, showing the truth as it exists"
On Feb. 16, when the famous letter
in which Mr.. Gunders assumed to eek
onerate" ex-Auditor Dunn was first call
ed to Mr. Johnson's attention, he wrote
Mr. Gunders, who was then at New Ulm,
letter, asking an explanation. At that
time he wrote as follows:
cit grieves me greatly to have to
again call your attention to the neces-
sity of absolute silence, at all times,
concerning all matters in anything
touching the work of this department.
"You have often been accused of max
ing indiscreet comments concerning the
work you have been detailed to do; you
have always denied the truthfulness of
these charges, and have believed your
statements, although to sustain you has
brought much criticism on the depart
ment. Now, you have presumed to write
letter which has found its way into
the public print, assuming to reach con-
illusions concerning the records and le-
gality of the acts of the state auditor,
which the law requires this department
to examine, your only possible knowl-
edge concerning these subjects being that
gained when you were detailed last
spring to assist the accountant employed
by the legislature to examine the state
auditors office. This examiner, by his
report, raised so many questions, and
the work was left so incomplete, that
the legislature, as you we'll know, re-
ferred them to this department for
thorough examination and reconciliation.
''To carry out the request of the legis-
the law, you also knew that 1 retained
the same accountant who had been en-
ployed by the legislature, who, as you
are well aware, has not, as yet, made
any report to me concerning his work.
"Now you, occupying a subordinate
position in the department, knew full
well that you had no right to report or
comment on any department work, much
less this incomplete and very important
matter, to any one other than myself
or Deputy Examiner Herst, but, by doing
so to an interested private citizen and by
the false pretense of authority assumed
in attaching your signature as Deputy
Examiner gave it an air of authority
which your position as second assistant
bank examiner could not give.
'Only the governor is invested with
the authority to make public any find
ings of facts that the department be-
comes possessed of; therefore, you have
committed an additional and very grave
indiscretion, the proof of which does not,
as heretofore, depend upon heresay. The
facts of your transgressions of authori-
ty are complete, and your want of dis
erection is so plainly indisputable as to
prompt me to request that you report to
this office without delay for an explana-
ton of your acts"
Yesterday, after having sought in
vain to secure any word of explanation
from Mr. Gunders, Mr.. Johnson sent the
following letter demanding Mr.. Gunders'
resignation:
son the 10th inst. 1 wrote you con-
corning your assumption of authority to,
and actually making an officially signed
advance report of the examination of
the state auditors office. In that let
ter, asked you to come to the office and
make what explanation you had to offer.
You came to the office, bringing with you
your friend, the Hon. l.. P. Hunt, OF
Mankato, upon whose Endorsement you
were appointed to this office, and who
has, on several previous occasions, as
well as this one, visited this office to in
tercede with me to overlook indiscre
lions of yours. Mr.. Hunt, as you know
remained with you in my office through
out the entire conversation.
81 gave you chance to explain youl