Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1920-02-05

! little while we will have a report
| from the accountant and will know IL
| there Is anything more due the State
II. you feel that this letter calls for
| any reply address me at Crafstbury.
With kind regards am.
! Yours Very Truly
HORACE +. GRAHAM
| Mr.. Archibald asked Mr.. Graham
what he meant by my matter" being
Under investigation to which the wit
ness replied that he understood that
| Pratt was investigating matters at
that time. Mr. Archibald asked how he
| reconciled that with the part of the
| letter abiding to conclusion being
| reached. to which the witness replied
| that Barber had concluded to investi-
| gate and that II was Graham's purpose
to have one investigation for Young
| and company were working on the
books. Mr.. Archibald asked II he went
near the Investigators. to which the
witness replied he did not. that they
never sent for him. Following this the
| State stopped its cross examination
! and the respondent rested its case.
| Mr.. Archibald asked for the oppor-
tunity to see the original of the letter
| from Gates to Graham and was
promised that he could have it. Mr.
Archibald said that unless there was
something about the signature and
date. If one was found. that the State
I had closed its case.
! GRAHAMS PUBLIC STATEMENT.
Much ado was made for a short
| time in cross examination about the
statement which Mr.. Graham made to
the public. as tending to show that
he admitted that he had done some-
| thing criminal in his actions. The
| Free Press files were brought from
the State library and the statement
| appearing in it August 13 was read
special emphasis being laid on that
| part which alludes to his admitting
that he had done wrong in handling
| his salary and official expenses for
| which he was sorry" Mr.. Graham
! stated that he had not reason to be-
lieve that there was anything Grim
| inal connected with his accounting
and upon inquiry it was brought out
that he did not mean to convey the
idea Of criminal motive
Earlier in the afternoon T. II. Cave
OF the treasurers office was on the
stand testifying that there had been
an envelope of Mr.. Graham's deposited
in the vault at different times and
Identifying one from which he claimed
he had seen money removed.
THOUGHT HE WAS DOING RIGHT.
Repeating on several instances in an
swer to questions put by Attorney Gem
eral Archibald this morning, in cross-ex-
animation that ! thought | was doing
right" when he kept funds of the State
of Vermont in excess Of his salary and
expense account, former Governor
Graham stood up we'll under the grilling
interrogations as put by the prosecuting
officer. Gov Graham said that he thought
| he had the right to keep the money re-
CARELESS of what was spent If he kept
| within the appropriation to the depart
ment and he answered numerous ques-
tions as to the drawing OF money from the
treasurer. 1t developed that he was the
only person aside from the treasurer who
| could get funds from the State Golfers.
did you consider that aside from your
salary and expenses Of the office you
had the right to draw beyond this
amount" asked Attorney General Archi-
bald.
Yes, l did, provided | had calls from
| other departments"
What calls did you have in which you
| could not give an order on the State
| treasurer"
| None. l suppose"
He was then questioned about the ex-
| penses incurred on his visits for the pur-
pose OF inspecting county clerks and pro-
bate courts and he said it would be an
easy matter to figure up the actual OK
pense In these trips and thus coming to
a proper balance between himself and the
State
! And now these balances which you
owed the state. Did you think you had
the right to keep these moneys?" was
asked.
Eyes. | did"
And these amounts running from 500
to $1,000 every year. Did you think you.
under your oath of office have a right to
keep and use this money!"
II will stick to my stand that | had
the right"
duced copy of the oathodakhgptthish
! Attorney-General Archibald then intro
duced a copy Of the oath of office taken
by the respondent while serving the
State az auditor and called attention to
| the words which say that the auditor
shall not directly or indirectly do any act
| which would injure the government and
the respondent was asked this question:
And you thought when you retained
these thousands of dollars of the States
money that you were not doing anything
| to injure the government in spite OF the
fact that the money was in excess of your
| salary and expenses
II did not think | was njuIing the
State"
You never had any money left over
belonging to the State after 1906, did you?'
mo sir. there never was"
Sometimes the amount which was due
the state run as high as $500 year,
didn't it,"
II won't undertake to tell the exact
amount"
But it amounted to thousands Of dol
lars didn't it?"
II think 1t did ! won't swear"
THE state was deprived of the use of
this money and still you claim you had
the right TO use it?'
Yes that Is right"
And you used this money in your own
personal business"
Yes. suppose did
And you did not consider 1t wrong to
use the States money in the Graham &
Skinner business?"
II think ! did use some of the money
in this business. There were mingled
funds. Some belonged to the State and
some belonged to me. I checked against
st.l. 1al