The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-01-09
Legislative Proceedings
Continued From Page One.

ed at that time have now been sub
stantiated and proven.
AS the situation now stands Il is
remembered that more than year ago
an examination OF the state treasurer's
office was attempted and made. This
examination brought out the facts that
the First State bank of Bowbells. n. D.,
OF which former State Treasurer Bick-
ford was president, had been and was
being used as a state depository for
enormous sums Of state funds Illegally
and the manner Of making quarterly
statements by the treasurer was such
as to deceive the public as to the true
condition of affairs.
The matter was called to the at
tention OF Alfred Blaisdell, secretary
of state and chairman OF the board of
auditors, and also the other members
OF the board, Attorney General Miller
and State Auditor Brightbill by the
United States Fidelity and Guaranty
Co. of Baltimore, through D. NJ.
Holmes, its general agent at Grand
Forks. Mr.. Blaisdell's attention was
further directed to the matter by the
Union National bank of Minot.
In compliance with these numerous
requests the former secretary Of state,
as chairman of the board of auditors,
as was published at the time, after re-
peated attempts on his part caused an
examination of the state treasurer s
office to be made by the state board of
auditors. This examination was con-
Quoted by Mr.. Blaisdell, as chairman
of the board, with the assistance of the
state examiners department It was
understood at the time that Mr.. Blais-
dell requested the services of a dis
interested expert accountant to assist
him, and suggested the name of a
prominent ex-deputy state examiner.
The suggestion is said to have met
with opposition of some Of the members
OF the board, giving politics as the ex-
cuse. Mr.. Blaisdell secured an outline
of such an examination that would dis
close any irregularities, and proceeded
with the examination.
But it is known that Mr.. Blaisdell
prepared report of the examination
which he is credited with submitting
to the other two members of the state
board OF auditors, consisting Of the
state auditor, Mr.. Brightbill and the
attorney general, Mr.. Miller. A letter is
on file in the Office of the secretary of
state which shows that Mr.. Blaisdell
signed the original report which was
intended to be submitted to Governor
Burke and sent 1t to both State Auditor
Brightbill and Attorney General Miller.
In the letter Mr.. Blaisdell states:
II have signed this report and If ii
meets with your approval will you
please sign the same and have the at
torney general sign and turn over to
the governor as required by statute.
Please take up carefully with General
Miller and If you find there is any
thing wrong with this report or any
thing in any way that is unfair to the
state treasurer's office, please correct
hope you will attend to this matter
as soon as possible to the end that the
statute may be complied with and for
the further reason we can get little
rest from these complaints. am send
ing carbon copy Of this letter to the
attorney general and which will call
his attention to the matter. If you
take any action on this matter within
the next few days, please advise me at
Minot.
(Signed) alfred Blaisdell,
Secretary of State"
The report evidently was not sat-
isfactory to either of the other two
gentlemen Of the board, for neither OF
them signed it. A second report was
made, which was sent to the governor
and signed by all three. However, the
second document concerning the ex-
animation is said to have contained