Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1912-10-31
SPURIOUS CLAIMS
AGAINST THE STATE
A Raid on the State Treasury Head
ed Off

| A few weeks ago the statement was
Published broadcast that the present
state auditor, H b. Anderson. had
| saved the state from S35 900 to $40 900
during his first term of office by re-
| fusinga to pay certain vouchers pre-
sented to his office, The bull moose
and their bluff was promptly called.
I. b. Roberts, editor of the Pierre
Dakotan, at his own expense, COM
piled from the records in the state
auditors office a list of these claims
that have been turned down We
Lave not the space to publish the en-
tire list, but herewith append few
of the items as samples of the at.
tempts to loot the state treasury.
Game Department--B Bernard Yes
sey, stenographer salary for January
and February. Payment refused for
the reason that he was employed as
clerk of senate during both months,
S120.
Bernard Vessey is a nephew of
Governor Wesley and at the time he
filed his voucher asking for salary in
the game warden's office for January
and February, he had already drawn
pay from the state for those same
months at S. per day as a clerk in the
legislature.
Board of Charities George r.. Lam
ming, refused as not entitled to sa airy
or expense until he had qualified and
filed bond, $50 65.
This refers to old Granny Lanning,
member of the Board of Charities and
Corrections. Before his appointment
to his position he went to Pierre to
lobby for job. During his stay in
Pierre he was appointed to the posi-
ton he now holds, The s53 IS men.
toned above is bill tanning put in
to the state auditor for expenses in
Cured while seeking the job and be-
fore be had become member of the
boaad. Talk about grasping nerve.
Thissis the limit.
Fire Marshall. A Craft, expense
per diem Sioux Falls, attending court
in own case. Referred to attorney
general and sustained, SAT. so.
Mr. Craft had personal suit in
Sioux Falls and thought the state
ought to pay his expenses. The
auditor and attorney general figured
it otherwise.
| O. S. Basford Hotel and railway
expense to Lead and Hot Springs
while making political speeches. Re-
ferred to attorney general and sus-
tanned, SIC. IS.
Mr.. Basford is commissioner of in
surance and boss of the refoIm ma
chine. While travelling during the
campaign solely for the purpose of
making political speeches and work.
ing in the interests of the members
of thesselect circle he puts in his bill
for said expenses to the state. Our
readers have doubtless heard of Mr..
Basford before and will not be sur
prised at this attempt of his to hold
|np the state.
Soldiers Home-J b. Geddes for
,l20S days service at $3.50 per day.
Payment refused for the reason that
; claimant was employed at fixed
salary and not entitled to extra com
, pensation. Opinion Of attorney gen
{ eral to sustain, 1912.
! Mr.. ,Geddes commandant of the
soldiers home at an annual salary,
: but in common with associates of the
present administration eudeavored
to work the state for extra compensa-
: ton on the side. That he did not get
? away with the S3l2 was not his fault
but the fault of the state auditor.
Various other illegal charges en-
bracing items of auto hire 1916 So,
auto hire Sl25, laundry S125, auto hire
500, supplies $500, balance of ex-
pense of "a special train, claim filed
by the governor $3.50, fees of officials
in unorganized counties 81 ,901.73 and
claims of all descriptions and from
various departments the aggregate
amounting to over $40, 900 are to be
found among the list of these spurious
claims.
We submit to the tax payers of this
state that the record made by the
machine now IN power has been SO
rank that the opportunity to make a
change should be promptly EN- braced
on November 5th. 1t should be re-
membered that Mr.. Byrne is Great
ure of the machine now in power.
He was selected by the bosses and
will do their bidding. If the voters
fail to take advantage of this opport-
nInlnity to rid themselves of the bunch
now in power, they are entitled to no
ksympathy if they should wake up
q some morning and find that the
hungry horde had carried off the