The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1910-02-04
CHARGES MISUSE
OF PUBLIC FUNDS
Declares He Is Glad Of Chance to
Show Up How His Depart
ment Spent Money

Guthrie, Okla. Jan 31.-Charges al
leging mismanagement and improper
disbursement OF the public funds were
filed with the special investigating
committee OF the house Of represen'
tatives Saturday by Representative
Lester A. Maris Of Ponea City and
Representative ]. NJ. Humphreys of
Toka. republican member OF the legis-
lature.
They were directed at certain ex'
penditures made by Governor c. N,
Haskell in the special employment Of
persons which, the charges allege. was
without authority OF law; against the
State Banking Board for payment of
salary to Lieut. Gov. George Bellamy
as president of the board while he
was at the same time drawing a sal
airy out of the general revenues as
lieutenant governor, which Is alleged
TO be In violation of the constitution,
and against the practice of paying sal
aries and expenses in the school land
department without legislative ap.
preparation. The employment OF w.
B. Anthony of NARROW as private sec
retary to the governor, while he is
holding commission as a member OF
the legislature is complained Of In the
charges.
Supporting the accusations against
the executive branch OF the state gov
ernment appears the affidavit OF Rep
resentatlye Maris, while that of Rep.
resentative Humphreys applies to the
school land department The docu.
m. nts were prepared by Judge John
II. Burford, former chief justice OF
the supreme court and attorneys for
the republican state committee, and
the material was CLEANED from official
reports In the ONCE Of State Examiner
and Inspector Taylor
Senator Cloonan Of Bunch and the
two representatives making afiidayits
were committee from the legislature
minority to make the investigation
with view to perfecting charges
When Inspector Taylor made his re-
ports last summer the information
substantially as contained In the Off
cial documents was widely circulated,
save as to the employment of w. T..
Hutehings OF Muskogee and Jean r.
Day of Poteau for special legal work
and to the employment of Mr. AM
thony.
When informed as 10 the nature Of
the charges, Gov Haskell issued the
following statement:
AS to charges which have been
filed by the Non-Partisan Knock
ers club against the expenditures
made by my office in the last twenty
six months. which. | am told, aggre
gate $3.50. which they say has been
paid for unnecessary or unathorized
clerks and detectives and attorneys,
/ have not seen them, but | am very
glad indeed. they have been filed. Il
will enable me 10 show by records and
sworn testimony that every dollar
spent by this Office has been economi.
cally and judiclously spent for the
welfare Of the state Of Oklahoma and
enables me to smoke this bunch Of
knockers out IN the open, where the
people OF the state can learn the
truth. and hereafter dirty inslnuations
will be well understood by the pub
lie.
z shall for the benefit OF h8 whole
public, print true copies Of these
charges atG every word Of testimony
taken on the subject When the peo-
pie have read the charges and read
the testimony, / have me- fear but that
the economy and industry Of my Office
WI be approved by all people who
want honest government regardless ot
their politics Above all things. the
motive OF this 'Non-Partsan Knock
ers' Club. and the many disappoint
ments they have met at my hands
when / have curbed their purposes
will be we'll known to the public.
&C. y. HASKELL. Governor"