The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-04-13
THE SUMMING UP.
The Committee on Public Accounts and
Expenditures Report to Legisla-
ture on State Auditors Office.
Charges Made by S. T. johnson,
Former Public Examiner, Not Sus-
tanned by the Evidence.
Report Adopted by an Almost Unani-
House of Representatives.


Complete Report of Committee and
Proceedings in House as Given
in the House Journal.
From the House Journal Tuesday, April 4, 1905
Mr.. Bowling, from the committee on
public accounts and expenditures re-
ports that at a meeting of your COM
mittee on public accounts and expendi-
lures held in their committee room
March 3lst, the following report was
read and on motion of Representative
O'Laughlin, seconded by Representa-
tive Wyman was adopted. On a roll
call the following members of the CON-
mittee voting aye: Bowling, Bouck,
Mork, Vollmer, lille, Thayer, Saari,
Hayes, Wyman, O'Laughlin. Those
voting nay were: Jefferson, Fraser.
Carl. Absentees: Timberlake and
Stock.
The committee of public accounts
and expenditures, to whom was re-
ferred the special message of Gov
ernor Johnson, together with the ex-
haustive report of Public Examiner
S. T. Johnson, by the honorable
speaker of the house, have the follow
ing deductions, findings and report to
submit to this body:
On Or about the 10Th day of Febru-
airy, your committee began it's investi-
cation of the charges and criticisms
of the public examiner on the State
auditors Office, covering the tenure
of Mr.. r. G.. Dunn and Mr.. S. G..
Iverson, up to and including the date
of the findings submitted by Mr.. S. T..
Johnson to former Governor S. r..
Van SAINT. In order that eminent fair
ness would be shown to all parties in
terested in the investigation, your
committee has tried to we'll and faith
fully guard it's deliberations and &C.
tions SO that the stigma of injustice,
malice or prejudice could not be Justly
alleged against the committee in it's
Onerous duties in conducting this in
vestigation. The committee secured
all the records Of the auditors Office
bearing upon the subject, together
with the sworn testimony of Mr.. Dunn,
Mr.. Iverson and deputies, as we'll as
that of Mr.. S. T. Johnson, his report
and deputies.
Your committee also believing that
the case was of such Importance and
had excited such an interest through
out the length and breadth of the
State, felt justified in having public
hearings whereat all other members of
the house and senate, the press ard
the people could be present, if they so
desired, and hear the testimony, ex-
anime the records and bear witness to
the conduct of the committee in it's
hearings and permit them to draw
their own conclusions from the evil
dence and testimony submitted.
To examine every individual case
of the many submitted, your commit.
tee found to be an utterly impossible
undertaking, not having at their dis.
posal sufficient time in which to cover
such an exhaustive report, and in or,
der to simplify by generalization the
duty of the committee, we picked pro
miscuously from the report of Mr.
Johnson about one hundred cases. I,
must be remembered, however, that in
many of the cases cited in the report,
a great deal of similarity existed, for
instance, under the head of 'Trespass
Cases" several were picked from this
section of the report. Under the head
of "Permits' several were also
picked. Under the head of "Bark
Marks" few cases would completely
cover the public examiners report,
and under the head of "Minera]
Leases the case of "Mabel Evans
etc., was covered by the sworn testi.
mony of Mr.. r. G. Dunn and Mr.. S.
G. Iverson. After your committee had
searched the records of the auditors
office and heard the testimony submit.
ted by the former and present uditors
and deputies, Mr.. S. T. Johnson was
called before the committee and given
some four or five days. hearing. with
a request from the committee that he
pick from his report whatever cases
he desired in order that he might sub.
stantiate, if possible, his criticisms
and findings submitted to the former
governor, S. r. Van SAINT.
A large portion of the criticisms
and findings of Public Examiner John.
son on former Auditor Dunn, were on
account of timber disposed of prior to