The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1906-11-16
STATE GAME WAR
DEN DENIES STORY
Shows Statement in Detroit
Evening News is I'M
true.
he INVITES AN INVESTIGATION
Resents the Charges of Graft, and
Says 1t Comes From Local
Committee.

State Game and Fish Warden G. II.
Chapman replies to the statement dat
ed at Grand Rapids October 91st and
published i'm the Detroit Evening News
of same date, and shows that the
statement does not emanate from the
SpOrtsmen's association, but comes
from a discharged employe, who is out
for revenge. Several articles of like
nature have appeared in the public
press during the past two years, or
since the discharge of former Chief
Deputy Brewster, and as soon after
the legislature convenes this coming
winter as the matter can be reached
the state warden will join with the
sportsmen's association or any other
honorable body or individual and ask
for an investigation of his department
and will urge that if any grating
is found i'm the accounts of any one
belonging to his department, the
CRATER shall be forthwith prosecuted
for the highest offense the law pre-
scribes and that is perjury, under the
statute for the Justification of an ex
pense account. State Game and
THE statement from Grand Rapids,
published in the Detroit Evening
News. October 31st, relative to the
state game warden's work and eX-
penses was false and misleading, In
place of only 27 cases being prosecut-
ed i'm the months of August and Sep
tember this year, as stated, the report
in the secretary Of states office shows
139 cases investigated, 50 cases begun
50 convictions, acquittals, l case dis
missed, 35 seizures, $975.3S fines and
costs $44.56 proceeds Of sale Of con-
iscated property turned into state
treasury AS to the heavy and eX-
orbitant expenses charged i'm the News
article the total office expense, not in
cludng salaries, but including office
rent, postage, telegraph and telephone
tolls for the month of August was
$47.90, and for the month of Septem-
ber four boats were employed in work
on Lake Superior, Huron and Michigan
at a cost of $71O.O5, including freight
carriage supplies and labor in lift
! ing and drying g. large gill nets seized
of the value of $4,000. The seizure
of these nets laid up TO the seizure of
! IS more large gill nets found i'm illegal
use in October the value of the last
! seizure being $3.50. This property
is on hand and will be sold and pro-
| ceeds turned into state treasury as
soon as the court condemnation pro-
ceedings can be completed. The total
office expense for September including
all boat hire, supplies and expense in
Cured Herewith was $775.54. The
total travelling expenses of the state
warden including railroads and hotels
fir August was $4O.55 and for Septem-
Der $50.75.
1T was charged that there were
thirteen state deputies working. The
records show that there are but ten
state deputy game wardens, as the
law provides. One gasoline engineer.
one boat captain and one boat hand,
these employed but part OF the time,
are classed as state deputies by the
local committee The legislature
makes an annual appropriation of
$4,000 from the general fund TO pay
the state deputies. Neither this fund
nor any other moneys from the gen.
eral fund will be used this year TO pay
the state deputies salaries or expen-
ses Moneys received from licenses
and permits to take game birds and
animals for scientific specimens pay
for all such expenses.
" IT is not the Consolidated Sports
mems association Of Grand Rapids
that makes this complaint. The in
huence behind statements of this ma
ture comes from Charles e. Brewster,
the self-styled local committee" who
was summarily dismissed from this
department for attempting TO draw
moneys from the state treasury which
he had not expended in the discharge
Of his official duties, as sworn to, and
he would have been prosecuted at the
time had not the late kind hearted
Governor Bliss requested this case to
be dropped.
The state game warden will cheer
/ fully join with the Grand Rapids
Sportsmens association or anyone
else and ask the next legislature to
investigate all connected with the de-
partment during the past four years,
with mandatory instructions to the
committee to prosecute under the
statute, for the crime of perjury, all
who falsfied their accounts or other
wise grated" from the state"