Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1911-07-07
RE Re sum !. |. 0
BICkFOR|D[ CASE

I 40 ~ siE n
Coming with the conviction of Elk
State Treasurer G.; L.. Bickford, is al
completion Of the Investigation Of the |
records and business methods used
I'm the state treasurer's Office for a.
period of, eight years back, by a COM
Emittee appointed by the TWELFTH Leg
islative Assembly this winter. Accord
ling to the report, .Ex-Treasurer Peter
son Is an embezzler of the states funds
Iof 10000. He IS still at large and
#the$ money has not been paid. Bick-
ford has been convicted of the EN-.
|sbezzlement Of about $500 of the
states funds, and will probably re-
ceiVe light sentence. The report of
1the committee, Messrs Ployer, of Bar
mes, Robinson of Billings, and Senator
| Allen OF Emmons has been. given to
/ the Governor. It is understood from
lawyers representing Receiver Swords
of the Rugby First National. Bank,
1 that the money in Peterson's possess
sion belonging to the state, has been.
demanded and payment refused. It is
money claimed to be paid to Peterson
BY Andy Jones as a bonus for deposit
ling certain sums in. Jones' Rugby
Ebank. The outcome will be watched
with interest and the question is will
Bickford have to suffer and Peterson
go free? " !,
The affairs of the state treasurers
office has evidently been handled in
a very irregular manner, The report
Of the Investigating committee says:
The state lost $4,000 through the
handling of funds in the state trea-
sury during the eight years. This loss
comes through interest that should
have been gained but which was lost
by reason of maintaining excessive bal
ances in the offices. During the Nc
MILAN administration these balances
were maintained at a daily average
for one year of ,$271,9o6. The highest
Peterson daily average is $4,000 while
the highest Bickford daily cash bal
ance was $93,280 for one year. $3.50
: The report that has been filed is
!; very mprehensive. Summarizing
the conduct of affairs in the treasury
{, during the period covered. It shows
! that certain collections against fStus-
imam county amounting to sos were
overlooked = in 1908; that Richland
: county owed the state s525.o5. It also
shows that there had been a remit
lance of J$24O from the permanent
school fund which. Treasurer. D. H.
Mcmillan June a.. Under the same
!, head an entry of $65 is made against
Peterson and s2s.s3 against Bickford.
!, e.. r. 1.s,o .ass Irregularities Many e
! The loss to the state during the
eight year period in the handling of
the school fund. is indicated at So.
468.87, while the loss through the
J method of turning over fees by the
office Of commissioner of insurance is
!, fixed at $1,000. :: Refunds of money on
! illegal payment Of exchange through
the same office is fixed at s3,O6S.44.
On cash balances it is charged that
the state lost over $4,000 during Nc
? Millan's administration by reason, of
excessive balances on hand; during
Peterson's administration, Of a, loss of
S1,90o, and during the ,Bickford ad-
ministration a loss Of about $4,000. -,
/: Several banks were. examined with
reference to their dealing with the
i state treasury department only the
First National bank of Mandan refus-
ed to permit such examination.
j Losses BY Years { ::
: The losses BY ( years from the in
terests on excessive balances in the
! Offices Of the state treasurer are as
follows sE III n ,l$t }t + y A: !.
= D.. H. Mcmillan Administration rs.
4: For year Of 1908, daily cash balance
{ was $271 ,9O6, resulting in loss Of. 49,
1918 in interest 81 .l zs,sE.s ,s$$. :.
( For the year Of 1904, daily cash
balance was $11s, 465, resulting in loss
Of $s,403, SO !: s.
! Albert Peterson s. administratio B, IS
4 III For the Y year Of 1905 daily cash
\ II balance of SIS, zoo with loss; Of 1926
IN interest, s i NJ
! :E'orr the year Of 1906, cash balance
4 off 5$1O,Ss7 with loss Of 1926 in5 In.
q terest
u u 5#s Fer Of go, cash balance
u u 81 s11, O61 with loss Of sas1.8s il
4 interest
|s s.: For the year Of 4 90s, cash balance
q ri ss27, 900, with loss Of. interest at
/ 1870 s:sl
81 u SBickford nistratio
4 For the Sof u 09, cash balance
81 off ss9s, 2S0,, nIting 4 loss Of So,
4 40 In fnterest.