The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1916-02-10

j. A. 0. Preus, state auditor, and
W. j. Stevenson, assistant attorney
general, submitted information to R.
d. O'Brien, Ramsey county attorney,
about the irregular handling of a war
rant drawn against the state perma-
nent trust fund for $4,000 in favor of
treasurer of school district No. 46 of
Aitkin county.
The warrant was drawn by R. C.
Pickit, clerk of the investment board
in the auditors office, executed by
Claude S. Browne, deputy auditor, and
cashed in the office of Walter j. Smith
state treasurer. Mr.. O'Brien was told
that the school treasurer's name was
forged.
The information given Mr.. O'Brien,
it is understood, will be submitted to
the Ramsey county grand jury Thurs
day. Mr.. O'Brien declined to comment
! on the conference and his possible
action.
"The school district had been en-
joined from acting as a district and
the case had been appealed to the
supreme court" said Assistant Attor-
ney General Stevenson. "The name of
the school district treasurer was forg-
ed and the warrant in some manner
cashed.
"Walter J. Smith, when asked about
the transaction, said that he got he
money and was holding it for the
school district and delivered a check
to Mr.. Preus for the full amount. The
check was certified and interest paid
to date.
eve have no conclusions to draw
until we hear Mr.. Smiths version of
the transaction. R. C. Pickit is and
has been for a number of years the
clerk of the investment board employ
ed by the state auditor. He drew the
/ warrant and had it executed in the
ordinary way by Claude S. Brown,
deputy auditor.
"Pickit knew when he drew the war
rant that the school district was en-
Joined and what further connections
be had with the transaction we are
not prepared to say. Mr.. Brown was
imposed upon by Mr.. .Pickit. PicHt
will not be permitted to return to the
office.
"When questioned about the matter
Mr.. Stevenson and Mr.. Preus stated
that they had been devoting the last
three days to ascertaining the facts
and that warrant for $4,000 payable
to the treasurer of School District No.
46 in Aitkin county was drawn last
May to pay for bond issue they pre-
viously had asked the state to take.
The warrant was Endorsed ED. F.
Schipansky," as treasurer of the
school district. State Auditor Preus
has the forged document in his pos
session.
It was only short time after At
torney General Smith had issued a
warning against buying the District
No. 46 bonds that the warrant was
drawn.
Except for the supreme court deci-
sion which brought the school officers
to st. Paul, it was said at the Capitol
that there would have been no way to
discover the irregularity.
Mr.. Preus got in touch with the
state treasurer Friday for the first
time after the irregularity was dis
covered.
Mr.. Smith told the auditor that he
was holding the money for the school
district, it was reported at the Capitol.
| st. Paul, Feb. 8.-R. C. Pickit, clerk
of the state investment board, con-
fessed today to J. A. o. Prus, state
auditor, that since 1913 he has forged
warrants in excess of the amount of
$4,000. He says he has made them
all good up to the last amount of
$4,453.50.
In his confession Pickit involved
Continued on Page Five.)