Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1921-11-26
EX-TREASURERS
OF ILLINOIS
!. FACE CHARGES
Investigation Of Treasury in
Small Case Furnishes
Evidence.
Shortage of Approximately
$2,5O0,000 Are Reported
By Brundage.

Springfield. ILL.,, Nov. 26.-(By the
Associated Press. )-Suits for ac-
counting against five former state
treasurers alleging shortages Of ap-
proximately $2,500,000 were started
today by Attorney General Edward j.
Brundage.
The suits cover the six terms pre-
ceding that Of the present treasurer,
Edward +. Miller, and are directed
AGAINST all state treasurers who held
office between 1909 and 1921. State
Auditor Andrew Russell, who was
treasurer twice during the period, is
defendant in two suits.
The other former treasurers in
VOWED are Governor Len Small, Lieu
tenant Governor Fred E. Sterling, Will
ham Ryan. Jr., and Edward E. Mitch
oil.
Evidence Furnished.
Disclosures made through the in
vestigation of the state treasury
which resulted in indictment Of Gov
ernor Small, Lieutenant Governor
Sterling and Vernon S. Curtis, bank
Ing associate of Governor Small, last
July, furnished the evidence on which
the civil suits were based, the attor-
ney generals office announced.
The suit against Lieutenant Cover
nor Sterling, filed today, alleges that
YAVs0vVbVVV1 Va oIdlc IlOHcy uSSU ny
Governor Len Small and the late SEN
ator Edward c. Curtis for their own
personal profits, continued under the
control of Curtis after Sterling,
Smalrs successor. became treasurer.
The bill alleges that shortly after
Small became treasurer In 1917 he
entered into a scheme with Curtis to
use large sums of state money for
| their own private gain. Small. at the
| nf hi h. ~
tinues. removed from the treasurer's
!, office, books and records relating to
deposits, loans and interest earnings
! Immediately upon the commence
ment of his term as treasurer, Ster-
| ling, the bill further alleges, became
a party to plan through which the
money was to continue under the con-
T, troll of Curtis. that additional sums
were, to be turned over to him, and
the personal profit of all in the al.
legged plot.
! Collected Big Interest.
A large part Of the money handled
through the arrangement was invest &c
ii notes OF Armour and Company ant
Swift and Company. Chicago packers
*nd the bill charges that Curtis col
I1ected :. approximately $2,600,OO0 IN
tefast from the packers +
! These particulars of the civil suit.
j are similar to and in fact cover thu
same charges made in the crimina
cases pending against Small and Ster
ling and Vernon Curtis, who is
brother Of the late senator, Whose
death occurred in March 1920.
Report Itcmtzcd.
All OF the bills charge that the fiv,
former treasurers made only two re
ports each on interest earnings dur
ing their terms; that the interest ac
counts were not itemized but submit
tied in lump sums.
Interest turned over to the state b,
these former treasurers, according t,
figures given by Attorney Genera
Brundage's office follow:
Russell G909-1911) s90.3O642
Mitchell I911-1913) s1s6.221e3.
Ryan Gs13-1915) $1S095392.
Russell (1915-1917) $142,883.39.
Small (1917-1919) $450,01Ol2.
Sterling (1s1s192D s99o,121.S5.
The bill against Governor Small
contains many allegations similar t
the Sterling bill.
Bills against Russell, Ryan an,
Mitchell contain substantially tn
same general charges except as t.
amounts Each Is charged with re
moving records and failure to max
itemized returns.
Illinois, still reverbrating from tn
political shock of the criminal cases
experienced a new sensation with tn
filing Of the civil suits today.