Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-01-06
GOV. GOODING
IS GROUCHY
official Family Row Causes Him
to Write a Letter

BOISE, luanO, Jan. z.-GOVernOr
frank Gooding publicly makes the
,,tement that State Auditor Brag-
~ by exposing on public records
Mis- for detective work, did more
uIuable service for the Western Fed
sration of Miners than any other one
Derson employed by that institution
IN connection with the defense of
those charged with the murder of Mr..
Steunenberg."
Governor GOOding's Letter.
BOISE, Idaho, Jan. Q, 1901
have been loath to take up the dis
cussion of the differences that have
recently arisen between the state
board of examiners and the state aud
itor in regard to the refusal of the
latter to draw deficiency certificates
+ for certain expenses attendant upon
the states prosecution of persons
charged with the murder of ex-Gov-
ernor Steunenberg. However, the
activity of State Auditor Bragaw in
procuring the publication of mislead
ing and untruthful reports relative
to this matter in various papers, that
have been known as covert oppon
ents of the states policy in these
prosecutions and as excusers of the
crime of assassination, impels me to
make a plain statement of the whole
controversy.
To state the matter briefly: At a
meeting of the state board of exam
iners on December IT, 1907, the fol-
lowing claims were allowed as filed,
and the state auditor was instructed
= to draw up deficiency certificates in
settlement thereof: Pinkerton Ma
tional Detective Agency (for services
and expenses), $271.2O; James E.
Clyde (services and expenses), $244.-
80; Henry P. Knight (expenses)
$195.30. State Auditor Bragaw on
December 19 notified the board that
he would refuse to draw the certifi-
Gates, giving as a reason that the law
of 1905 relative to the filing of re-
ceipts with claims against the state
had not been fully complied with in
these bills.
Peculiar Conditions.
When Ex-Governor Steunenberg
was assassinated two years ago the
state administration was confronted
by peculiar situation. The duty OF
Investigating the crime and if posi-
BILE furnishing the guilty persons was
apparent, and was undertaken just
as any other duty should be. After
careful consideration the state board
OF examiners declared an emergency tt
exist, and by resolution provided fol
the issuance of emergency deficiency
certificates in payment of expenses
OF this all-important work. 1t wa
then understood by the state boar'
Of examiners that in the secret ser
vice work that was being undertaken
by the Pinkerton agency, under con
tract with the state, it would be i'm
possible to exact the presentation o
receipts for all expenses incurred, a
to secure such receipts would inevi
tahlv ,Ipooyoy. 4I,o .aoraf Caryino oOan
and destroy all hope of doing effect
I've service in the unraveling of
conspiracy of murder such as it wa
felt had eliminated in the death c
The states foremost citizen.
For this reason the state board {
examiners decided that the securin
OF receipts should be left to the bes
Judgment of the attorneys and tn
detective force employed.
Bragaw Knew Situation
This decision, as we'll as all otht
matters of moment. was carefully e,
planned to Mr. Bragaw, then and no
state auditor, who seemed to appre
late the difficulty that confronted Il
state and the impossibility of an el
Iorcement of ,he law relative to r
eeipts if good work was to be done.
The first bills for detective woI
hied with the state auditor we
purely lump bills, the detailed bill
being held in my Office. This vi
zone because in filing the detail.
pills, of necessity the secret age
would disclose his identity by co
slant references to his activities
the case. However, Auditor Bragg
made the point that these were pu
tic records, and that the original BIZ
should be kept on file in his offiC
After considerable discussion betwe,