The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-02-10
Irregularities in Of
flee of State Treas
Continued from Page One

Walter J. Smith, state treasurer, say
ing that Smith knew of the forgerles.
MIR. Smith said today: 81 know
nothing of this except what l read IN
the newspapers this morning. I'd cut
nv throat before I'd commit forgery,
if l had to. l have money. l didn't
need to do it. l have loaned Plcklt
money Just as I have loaned others
money, but l don't see why this
should connect me with the forgerles.
Mr.. Smith has been at the home OF
a doctor, a friend of his, where ne
has been threatened with pneumonia.
He was so weak today, apparently
that he almost fell when he spoke. he
appeared to be in great pain and ire
quently caught at his heart, oreath-
ing with difficulty.
"No complaint has been filed with
me for the issuance of warrant Tor
;ianybody's arrest" said R.SD.-oBrlen'
county attorney, today. "Mr. Preus
and Attorney General Stevenson talk
ed matters over with me after Office
hours Monday. don't understand why
the prosecution shouldn't consult me
first, before giving the details to the
newspapers. This makes it harder TO
conduct a successful prosecution.
ct have been informed that Mr..
Smith sent warrant to friend IN
Duluth to be cashed and that the
money was RENTED to Mr.. Smith. Mr..
Pickit is supposed to have drawn
$4,000 of the amount. The warrant
was signed by him in the course OF
his duty.
"What truth there IS in this, 1 am
not prepared to say. 1t has not been
put up to his office"
Mr.. Preus and the Attorney General
said today that no arrangements
have been made for prosecution.
St. Paul, Mimi, Feb. 9.-W. J.
Smith, state treasurer, in whose Of
fee Irregularities to the extent OF
-S29,9 900 have been discovered and who
stands accused of knowledge of these
irregularities by R. c. Pickett, who
admits forgery, may be removed from
office by Gov. Burnquist for male
feasance in office. Gov. Burnquist to-
day indicated that such might be his
action if the charges were proven.
eff some taxpayer makes COM
plant and calls for an investigation 1t
will be my duty to appoint a commits
sion to examine into the conduct OF
: the officer"
Smith is very seriously involved
in the Irregularities charged to his Of
flee by R. C. Pickett, former clerk in
the office of the state auditor, who as
serted twice, in two different confess
sions, that the state treasurer shared
with him on a "fifty-ffty" basis the
money, amounting to $28,962, which
was diverted from the regular chan
nels.
While Detective John Mckinley is
watching the Minneapolis private
.sanatorium where Mr.. Smith is said
to be i'll Pickett is being held in the
Central station at St. Paul.
These two developments followed
Pickitt's second confession, made to
County Attorney II. u. OBrlen.
His first statement was made to j.
A. O. Preus, state auditor, and w. }.
Stevenson, assistant attorney general.
Mr.. Preus, at a meeting of the state
board of investment, told the board
what Mr.. Pickitt had related to him
and Mr.. Stevenson.
Mr.. Pickitt told practically the same
story, it is said, to Mr.. O'Brien, Mr..
Preus, Mr.. Stevenson and Matt Des-
mond, chief bookkeeper in the state
auditors office.
In both statements, it is said, he
charged Mr.. Smith with knowing
about the transactions and being a
party to them. Pending the investi-
cation of the charges made by Pickitt,