The Dickinson press., 1909-09-25
~ lnAn RUSSELL BEGINS
&c Historical Society )R THOUSANDS

~Duv" OuU 'dAlC
FERD LEuTz.
States That He Did Not Author
ize Refund to State Treasurer
Records Straight Only Kept
What Belonged to Him.
Following is the letter which appeared
in the Hebron Tribune last week:
Hebron, September 1S. 1909.
III Nearly every paper in the state made
statement in some of the last issues
that had paid to the state treasurer the
amount of. $685. IS. for which, The Attor--
ney General had brought suit against
me. / expected that at least one Of
them would make an. attempt to find
out the exact facts of the case but in
this was disappointed.
have paid nothing ana never in
tended to do 50. until this question was
Investigated through the courts. because
by this method al one. could l fully
clear my name.
Other parties have settled and they
sent the money cunningly to MI. r. N.
Stevens. my representative in the case
with the request to turn in this money
to the treasurer: NJ. Stevens complied
with this Request but not as my repre-
sentative. I. personally, had no risht
or power to stop it.
The Farao Daily News after making a
fair statement as to my personal reputa-
ton. says that made bad mistake
because l did not attend to the duties
of my Office in person. In reply to this
wish to state. that the force in my
Office during my two terms consisted of
one deputy and one stenographer. this
force was necessary and adequate. Twas
in the Office whenever it was neces-
sary. The force which l selected
considered good and my presence was
practically only necessary occasionally,
especially when my deputy was absent
on some trip for Investigation or some
other cause. am at the head of differ
,ent business enterprises In different
localities and think they are fairly.
! we'll managed though I do not reside at
these locations nor devote my entire
time to their manasement and / am
positive that the order which prevailed
in the ofice during my term as hsur-
ance Commissioner was entirely differ
ent from what it was under my pred
ecessor. I do not believe anybody
would have expected me to stay in my
Office as long as it was not necessary or
to do routine work.
The bank account Of the Office I never
considered very profitable one for the
banks, for the reason that while I some
times had large amounts on dposit, it
always was only for short durati0ns,
because the law requires every state
Office to turn over all amounts collected
to the state treasurer at the end Of every
month and the banks had, as everybody
can see. only lot of work and practi-
cally very little benefit out of this
account.
: Furthermore the laws do not say that
the fees had to he paid in gold and l
accented the checks, as it was customary
! since statehood and allowed the banks
the usual charge for exchange.
considered this fair and I had no
reason to deviate from system which
was in force before and reported to and
approved by every governor, republican
or populistic. since statehood.
One thing is sure: Not a cent went
into my pocket to which was not fully
entitled.
> FERDINAND LEUTZ.
Some time ago the Bismarck Tribune
published statement to the effect that
the action brought against Ferd. Leutz
of Hebron. former insurance commits
sioner Of the state, had been settled by
Mr.. Leutz by the payment of the sum
claimed to be due for allowances for
exchange. which allowances were not
authorized by law. On Thursday the
Tribune published the foregoing letter
and commented thereon as follows:
with respect to this statement of
Mr.. Leutz, Attorney R. N. Stevens states
to the Tribune that it is in accordance
with the facts. as far as he is familiar
: with them. Mr.. Stevens says that Mr..
Leutz did not pay any sum tc him 10
be paid to the state treasurer, and that
the payment made to the state was
: not by Mr.. Leutz o. at his instance.
Mr.. Stevens saws as an attorney he