The Minneapolis journal., 1905-11-22
MUST ACCOUNT FOR
RECORDS OF FEES
Former Official of Nicollet County
Must Explain Seeming
Irregularities.
RECALLS THE ATTACK
~ - MADE ON JOHNSON
Examiner Finds Discrepancies in
Account of Gustav Blomherg,
Jr., Former County Clerk.
Special to The Journal.

st. Peter, Mimi, Nov. 22.-.Less than
polls, Gustaf A. Blomberg, Jr., former
clerk of the court Of Nicollet county,
is to be called on to explain several
seeming Irregularities in the office he
occupied for thirteen years: The ex-
nation conducted by c. E. johnson,
deputy public examiner, and it is
claimed there was shortage of about
$500 in his accounts.
Blomberg's alleged operations are
said to extend over a long period. In
the first eleven years of his lncumbency,
he was wholly. dependent upon fees'
making it difficult to trace misap'pro-
charges were made and the work never
performed. Thus, Mr.. johnson s report
will show that fees were exacted from
the county for recording the findings. Of
coroners' inquests; the index showing
that reports of the corner were entered
| on pages in the fee book that are en-
tirely blank, or else taken up win mat-
ter Of totally different character.
Makes Affidavit Of Fees.
AS an officer Of the State Association
of Clerks of Court, Blomberg was in.
strumental in securing the passage Of
sections l and 2. chapter 248 OF the
1908 statutes, which provide that IN
counties where the clerks fees do not
be paid the difference from the county
revenue fund. Blomberg made affida-
Wit that his fees for 1908 were only
$744.SS. collecting $255.12 from the
county on an order issued by Judge B..
T. Webber and the following year was
paid a. deficiency of $282.40.
The actuary is reported to have GUS
covered that the receipts OF the ONCE,
as indicated by the entries in the ;, Tee
hook. have been falsifed thru his failure
to record charges made for issing mar
rage licenses, costs Of an appeal to the
supreme court, recording notarial com
! missions and collecting jury fees, the
last offense being identical with that for
which the clerk of court OF Waseca
county was suspended from office sew
eral months ago.
Refuses an Appointment:
i Blomberg's official career began with Il
his election in 1892 and continued tn
IL st Fall. when he was beaten at the
\ primaries BY William s<Mallgren, the
present clerk. 49, Several months ago ne
refused an appointment under the state
railway and warehouse commission and
he is now in the employ Of St. Paul
publishing house. ~. =
} While the state campaign was II
progress last year, he achieved some 1T 1T
tie notoriety thru furnishing. an afh
l davit to the effect that the father o.
? Governor John A. Johnson died at th'
t Nicollet county poor farm, and an anus
: ing incident Of the present examination
grows out Of that circumstance.
Issues Elaborate Statement.
After the election, rather than bea
the censure of the people of st. Peter
j. Blomberg issued an elaborate, state
( ment in which he said that he wa
Il given no choice in the matter Of issu
?. ing the death certificate; that he re
N ceived formal request. accompanle
e by the regular fee, and his duty as
9, public official required him to give tn
D. desired information. Altho he fu1
,e nished the affidavit, there is no recor
% of his entering the fee as part of tn
r. receipts of his office.
ID C. E. Johnson, by whom the invest
IL cation was conducted came to St. Pete
m Nov 10 and checked up the books
le the county auditor and county treasure
10 before entering the clerk s office, whe1
Ia he spent six days. After his report
rs passed on by Public Examiner P. \
Kerst, the case will be placed in tt
Id hands Of the attorney general for pros
er cution.