The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-02-26
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conduct was "illy" advised.
II see that it is asserted that | askeC
you to sign a letter of Endorsement; al
you we'll know, l did not ask you t.
sign any letter. Your failure to max,
any reasonable explanation would, of it
self, be sufficient reason and make i
necessary, in the interest of discipline
and faithful service, to cause prompt
and summary action in the premises.
"There has, however, since our inter
view, been brought to my knowledge
through an official channel, facts con
corning an investigation made by the
auditor of Blue Earth county, of trans
actions occurring under your admins
tration, while auditor of that county
that-to say the least-so gravely re-
fleet upon your official integrity that
without any other cause, would make Il
necessary for me to ask for your resig-
nation. Therefore 1 must respectfully
ask you to Immediately forward to this
office your resignation, together with
any books, papers, reports, mileage OF
other property belonging to the state
which is now in your possession"
Mr.. Gunders when seen said:
Il am not ready to say anything as
yet. l have simply been discharged.
was asked to resign and l refused to do
so, saying that 1 had no good reason
for resig,ling that l knew Of I was
then told that I could consider myself
discharged. 1 shall have something to
say in a few days."-St. Paul Dispatch.
P. A. Gunders, second assistant pub
lie examiner, whose connection with the
office ceased last night, was seen by re-
porter of The Pioneer Press and ques-
toned as to the causes which led Pub
lie Examiner Samuel T. johnson to re-
quest his resignation.
The first charge against Mr.. Gunders
arises from the fact that in reply to
letter from Hon. R. G. Dunn, dated
Jan. 2, 1904, he wrote to that gentleman
stating that during an investigation of
the state auditors office, undertaken at
the direction of committee of the legis-
lature, Mr. Gunders found nothing that
reflected upon Mr.. Dunn's administration
of the office.
This letter, which was dated Jan. 4,
1904, was made public by Mr.. Dunn, and
seems to be the root of all the trouble
between the public examiner and Mr..
Gunders.
"How did you come to write that let
ter to Mr.. DUNN" was asked Mr.
Cunders.
"It was in reply to his inquiries?"
''Was the investigation of the state
auditors office. to which you refer,
undertaken and directed by the public
examiner or by the legislature?"
"By the legislature, and the report
was made to the legislature through its
committee, and is part of the house
journal and matter of public record.
My letter to Mr.. Dunn simply reiterated
that matter of public record"
''Then you do not consider that you
violated anv r,Ila of socroou of tho puh
lie examiners office in writing as you
did to Mr.. DUNN"
'Why, certainly not. The legislature
had already made the matter public" re-
piled Mr.. Gunders. 'Mr. johnson was
absent in California at the time the leg
islative committee reported and the fact
may have escaped his attention"
''Public Examiner Johnson says, in a
published letter addressed to you: Now,
you have presumed to write a letter
which has found its way into the public
print, assuming to reach conclusions con-
corning the records and legality of the
acts of the state auditor Now, Mr..
Gunders, were those conclusions you
stated in your letter to Mr.. Dunn your
own conclusions or were they the con-
illusions of the legislative committee ?''
"They were the conclusions of the leg
islative committee, and as far as that
goes, I personally concurred with the
committees conclusions" replied Mr..
Gunders.
"Then why should Mr. johnson take
such serious exception to the statement
you made in your letter to Mr.. Dunn, if
it was based on matter of public rec
ord?"
'The only reason can suppose is that
it was too favorable to Mr.. Dunn"
''Then, Mr.. Gunders, you do not think
that you committed "a grave indiscre
tion,' as charged by Mr.. Johnson, in
writing as you did to Mr.. DUNN"
81 certainly do not. To charge me
with indiscretion on that account is tt
charge the legislative committee will
being indiscreet in publishing its re
port"
"Mr. Gunders, see that in a SECOND
letter addressed to you by Mr.. johnson
he charges that through some officia
channel he has been led to believe tina
while you were county auditor of BLU
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