Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-02-20
DRAWING LINE ON MILEAGE
No More Vouchers to Be Signed by Secretary
Of State and Auditor.
OFFICIALS TO PAY FARE AND TAKE RECEIPT
Statement is Made some Omcinls
Have Been Using the Mileage
to Travel on Private
Business.
fFrom a stan correspondent.l

LINCOLN, Feb. 19.-(Special )-Vouchers
for mileage books, filed by state officers,
will no more be signed by Secretary Of
State Galusha or allowed by Deputy State
Auditor Cook. This because Mr.. Galusha
asserts he has evidence in his possession
that two at least of the state officers have
used mileage bought by the state for pri-
vate purposes. Yesterday a voucher was
filed by Land Commissioner Eaton for
mileage books for himself and deputy and
the secretary of state refused to sign.
After a consultation with the deputy audi
tor the latter concluded to refuse to issue
any more warrants to pay for mileage
books. Hereafter the state oficer will have
to pay his railroad fare and take a receipt
from the ticket agent Then IL his trans
portation shows that he has gone to a
town In which there is a state institution
the officer will stand good chance to get
his money back but IL the ticket reads to
some place where the officer would hardly
go on state business the money will remain
in the treasury.
After the republican state convention the
state officers returned their passes and
then bought mileage books. The vouchers
were filed with the auditor and the war
rants were issued. Mr.. Galusha says he
has evidence that some of the officers were
using their books to travel on private bust
ness and therefore he will refuse in the
future to sign any voucher for mileage
books. Treasurer Mortensen pays his fare
when going on state business and turns
into the auditor his receipt When travel
ing on private business the treasurer rides
on a mileage book which the state does
not furnish.
Divorce Case Appealed.
William II. Judkins of Custer county has
appealed to the supreme court from the
decision OF the lower court which refused
to grant him a divorce Mrs Judkins filed
the suit in the lower court and Judkin filed
a cross bill. She alleged he was rather
slow about coming across with the neces-
sary funds, and he alleged she was too full
Of peculiar ideas to suit him. One of her
ideas which she desired to carry out was
for the two to be married in name only.
as 1t agreed. she said, with literature she
had been given by religious sect whose
services she attended
Murder Case Goes Up.
Winfield s. Haddix of Custer county has
appealed to the supreme court from the
decision of the lower court which con-
victed him of murder. Haddix was con-
victed of murder of Melvin Butler The
fight between the two occurred near a gate
on the farm OF the defendant Haddix OBJ
jected to Butler crossing his farm and the
two quarrelled and both used guns.
Supreme Court Meets Today.
The supreme court will meet tomorrow,
the judges and commissioners having ar
rived this afternoon for consultation pre-
vious to the opening of court. One of the
important cases which was to have come
up is that brought by the state to eject
the Boyd county settlers from school lands
which the state has leased to other parties,
has been discontinued. The attorneys for
the settlers demanded a jury trial. and
after filing that motion this morning they
asked for a continuance. The attorney
general agreed to the continuance pro-
viding the jury was waived. This was
| agreed to.
1t is possible at this session of the court
the decision in the case involving the
validity OF the tax on fraternal reserve
funds will be handed down. The State
Board of Assessment has been considerably
delayed in sending out instructions to the
county assessors because this matter has
been tied up in the courtA
Guard Omcers' school.
Everything is in readiness for the officers
school of instruction, which begins tomor-
row morning in representative hall Cap
tain Cronin, who will have charge of the
school. reached Lincoln last night. During
the week there will be a number of inter-
esting papers by army officers. including
1 Captain Workizer of the university. Lieu
tenant Whelan of the Thirtieth infantry
/ and Major Birkner.
i Saturday Captain Davis of the adjutant
generals ONCE tried out the new guns
bought by the state for distribution. These
Il guns are so made that twenty-five
calibre barrel can be substituted for the
thirty-two calibre for target practice. the
stock being of the regular army pattern.
II The captain, who Is one of the best rifle
shots in the state, plucked the bulls eye
in twenty-five targets at a distance OF fifty
yards. and he didn't have a good light
either.
The school OF instruction began in repre-
sentative hall tonight with sixty officers