The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1911-02-27
COMMITTEE WHICH INVESTIGATED THE
STATE TREASUERs OFFICE MADE REPORT
Only One Report of Examination of Treasuers Office On
File With Governor, Though Two Are Required to Be
Made Annual ly..Recommend Further Investigation

sets forth some letters between D. NJ.
Holmes Of Grand Forks to. Secretary
Of State Blaisdell on the question of
alleged irregularity in the manage
ment Of the affairs Of the treasurer's
Office by G. L. Bickford.
One letter is by Blaisdell to Mr..
Holmes, the latter being interested in
the bonds carried by Bickford, in
which Blaisdell states that he had
made an effort to have the state
auditing board make examinations of
the state treasurer's office since
1907, but had only been successful in
one instance. That was the occasion
Of the employment of the expert ac-
countant, and the salary of such ac-
countant was charged up to his, the
secretary of states department, after
being allowed by the auditing board
with considerable delay.
There are also letters from Mr..
Holmes in which he calls attention to
alleged irregularities, asking that the
state auditing board take steps to
correct such Irregularities.
In report filed Jan. 25, 1910 by
Messrs. Blaisdell, Brightbill and Mil
Ter, It is shown that a collection of
$225,3475S. from the treasurer of
Ward county was made through the
First State bank of Bowbells, which
is the bank in which former State
Treasurer Bickford is interested.
This draft on the treasurer, sent to
the Bowbells bank, was paid into the
state treasury in several different
drafts for $25.00O each. These drafts
n oko nrso
office from June IA, 1909 as cash un-
til between July 13 and 26.
| Attached to the report there is also
a letter from the Union National
bank Of Minot to the auditing board
protesting against this plan Of max
ing the collection from Ward county
the officials Of that bank contending
that by holding up the drafts a two
per cent daily average balance in
terest was secured.
In letter written Dec. 8. 1909, D
M. Holmes of Grand Forks calls the
attention of the board Of auditors tc
the fact that 1t has failed to make
any examination of the Office, and ht
contended that Treasurer Bickford
waa not conducting the Office. regu
larry or In conforming with the. law
He also felt that the First State banl
of Bowbells should not be made 8
collection agency.
Statement of the accounts Of the
state with the Bowbells bank are in
cluded, and during the year Of 1909
though the bank was not regularl,
designated depository, 1t shows &
single debit to the state Of $25.S27.4:
on January IL, that year.
i In the quarterly statement Of July
3. 1909. one item on such report al
published was Checks $5,04S.91.
when, as a matter of fact, the none.
was on deposit in the Bowbells banl
and was carried in the treasurer's Of
fee in the form of a certificate o
deposit. The committee points ou
that this did away with the necessit!
Of showing that the bank had a de
posit.
Extensive inquiry and findings ar,
reported on the irregular handling o
the state auditors drafts on th'
count of bonds by Treasurer Bick
ford.
i The manner in which $25,000 wortl
of government bonds deposited will
State Treasurer Bickford was car
\ ried as cash is also shown up. Th'
Farmers Mutual Hail Insuranc,
company Of Waseca, Mimi. on Ma!
IA. 1909 that company placed in tn
hands Of the state treasurer. as pro
vided by law, s25,000 worth of certifi
Gates Of deposit. These certificate
were replaced with cash on Sept. 2S