The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1907-07-05
Scheme to Get the Scalp of
windy" Williams.
RuMoRs OF GRAFT IN AIR
State Labor Department Is i'm Fer
ment; Who is Mabel Wade? Mrs.
Holmes Starts Something.

st. Paul, July 3.-There is fine
muss in the state labor department,
which has all the earmarks of con-
certed plot to get the scalp of w. H.
Williams, state labor commissioner.
Mrs. Eta NJ. Holmes, who has been
in charge of the women's department
of the Minneapolis free employment bu.
reau, but was recently discharged, has
written to Governor johnson, accusing
Commissioner Williams of sharing with
her in warrants for $55, drawn by her
for one Mabel Wade. She says no Mabel
Wade ever worked for the department
but it was device to add to her sal
airy, and that it was done on advice OF
the commissioner, who took S. of it on
two different occasions.
There is a real Mabel Wade, how
ever. or some one who claims to be, and
she called at the state auditors office
late yesterday with an "Pm- from Mis-
souri," air, demanding to see the vouch-
ers on which she had drawn $55 from
the state. They were produced and she
examined them. She then Gained down
and remarking that they seemed to be
all right, she walked out. There are
two different forms of signature on the
vouchers. neither of them tallying with
Mrs. Holmes handwriting land it is EVIL
dent that some other persons Endorsed
them so Mrs. Holmes could get the
money.
Commissioner Williams says that, at
Mrs. Holmes own request, he author
lied her about year ago to hire an
assistant to help her with her work,
which was particularly heavy at that
time, and so far as he knows, "Mabel
Wade" is real person who was en-
ployed for that work and actually re-
ceived the money allowed for her on
the payroll He denies having had any
understanding with Mrs. Holmes as to
dividing the money allowed for Mabel
Wade, or having received any part of
the money. =. .... -,...- ..s...E
When the charges were shown Mr..
Williams, he visited the Minneapolis Of
flee and ordered Mrs. Holmes to leave
at once, although in his previous notice
he had named July Is as the time for
her resignation to become effective.
Mrs. Holmes appeared at the Mime
apolis office today at $3.50 apparently
intending to 60 to work. Mr.. Williams
was at the office himself and notified
her again that the office would be in
charge of the superintendent, Louis
Levy, in future. Mr., Levy will con.
tinue in charge of the women's branch
of the free employment office until a
successor to Mrs. Holmes is appointed,
and Mr.. Williams says this will not
be done until Aug. l, as the work of
the office is behind and he does not
want to put new employee in the office
until the books are brought up to
date. IL.
Mrs. Holmes is known to have friends
by the name of Wade, and although in
her letter she claims the work was new
er done, she does not deny that such a
person exists. She declares that she
will "get" Williams. Governor johnson
so far has paid no attention to the
charges, and went down last evening to
Frontenac for two weeks vacation.
Mr.. Williams does not intend to let
the matter drop, however. He declares
that he will make Mrs. Holmes prove
what she has claimed and has put the
case in the hands of an attorney.
The Mabel Wade warrants as shown
on the auditors books are as follows:
Aug. Is, 1905, $40; Oct. 81, SIS; Nov.
20, SIS and Feb. /, 1906, SIS. Mrs.
Holmes tells of the last three, but in
her complaint makes no mention of the
first warrant for $40.