Small’s Legacy of Corruption: Governor Forged State Treasury’s Future

The Illinois Governor, Len Small, was put in the hot seat as the Supreme Court of Illinois reaffirmed its decision to deny a rehearing in a case that would shake the very foundations of his troubled career. In 1917 and 1918, while serving as the state treasurer, Small allegedly withheld over $100,000 in interest money from the state treasury and instead used it for personal investments, including Packard notes. This brazen act of embezzlement would later be used as evidence in a 1921 conspiracy trial, where Small was ultimately acquitted.