Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1829-01-13

w" haS pCtn uIIleIlt
On the 29tb Of Dec. 1927, Col. Campbell and
myself were appointed n Committee Of the Exc
cutive Council TO examine the Auditors and Urea.
surer's Offices for the quarter ending 3lst inst
L wo years previous, our Committee had been ap-
pointed after the quarter had expired: but on this
occasion, q believe upon our own sugges,ion) we
were appointed before, with the avowed object Of
counting the money in the Treasury Office az The
end oil the quatter-not that we supposed any thing
TO he wrong. hut because we had long bcCor. A.
greed II was the only proper mode OF exanininr
the Treasury l supposed Mr.. Baker periectlv
homes, in the discharge of his official duties. al
tho i believed him very much embarrassed in his
pecuniary affairs.
On the morning of the first Of Jan. we me, in
Che Treasury c.icr and counted fhe money. and
called upon the Auditors tor suca accounts apajus,
IA. Treasurer a. they could readily furnish and on
the Presidents OF the Banks for certificates of de-
post In a day or two, we having obtained these
accounts and certificates, compared them with tho
freasurer's accounts, and found them 10 cores
pond so nearly, that we were warranted in SAVING
" all was we'll" Notwithstanding the cores.
pondcncc in these accounts, the first suspicion ! en-
,erta'ned was created at this time. The Treasurer
hau manifested an unreasonable desire to know
the result OF our settlement, and showed too much
Subtraction when he found the accounts correspond
81. iiere the investigation would have rested until
iatctc March when the Auditors Books would have
been brought up, but for the suspicious created
principally ty Mr.. Baker himself Others appear-
- INV - GU CNtlOC vi III
treasury Committee of the Legislature. Under
these circumstances ] felt i. a solemn duty TO pros
ecute the Investigation farther. J went to the Far
mers' Bank and had a conversation with Mr.. Ne
kcrvis, tire result of which was, that he thought IL
was possible a fraud might be praciised by making
a deposit OF a check at The end Of the month. He
had referred 10 his books and gave me q Inenoran-
dunn OF one for $3.50, expressing at the same time
the opinion that it was probably made with a view
OF equaliZing The deposits. MIR. Nekeryis saws
he mentioned the other check from the Bank of
Virginia, but il he did ! had no memorandum of
1T, Tor have | any recollection Of il n. this time
Never having heard of a cross-chcck in my life, /
suppose / concluded an enquiry into one would
suffice. ! consulted the books in the ID Auditors
Office, and could find no payment which would JUS.
tty such a deposit as the one in question. | con-
sidered this as additional evidence, tho not conrlu
sive, why l should prosecute the enquiry II Was
some days before ar opportunity presented itself Of
making the enquiry of the Treasurer in the man
ner j wished.-When | did make il. which was
dooe with as much delicacy as possible, he answer
ed me so promptly, that no such money had been
received, but that it was necessary TO equalize the
deposits, shelving me at The same time that there
was a deficiency of that particular fund in that
Bank, | concluded ] had done him great Injustice
by my suspicion.
From this time l almost ceased TO think upon
the subject, until ! accidentally heard from a mem
Der oil the Legislature, that the Treasurer had OBJ
iected to the passage Of a bill, requiring the depos.
its 10 be made to the credit of the Commonwealth.
instead OF the Treasurer Whatever others MIGHT
think OF IT., was very certain the Treasurer could
not object TO it from any other motive, but 10 abuse
his trust-But suspicious are not proofs. About the
goth of March, | was informed that the books in
the Auditors office would be ready in a few DAYS.
and according to our usual custom il was necessa-
ry TO prepare for our report. / resolved 10 go 10
the Banks and require an additional certificate of
deposits signed by the Cashiers. The certificates
were the same as those made by the Presidents on
the I'd Jan. At this time the subieci of deposit of
checks on the last of a month, was renewed by Mr..
Nekervis and myself; he spoke of them as creating
more suspicion than before, and explained The ma
ture Of cross-checks.
AS soon as ! was made sensible of the nature of
cross-checking, l never doubted but that was the
way by which the Treasurer had elnded detection.
! Immediately communicate these facts to my col.
league, who having examined he subject. came 10
'the same conclusion with myself.
The proceedings Of The Committee after this time
being known to both OF us, were communicated in
our Report TO the Executive a few DAYS after
the death of the Treasurer.
w. +. PENDLETON.
Council Chamber, Jan. 9Th, 1929.
Richmond, JANUARY 9Th, 1929.
10 THE GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA.,
SIR In consequence of a resolution adopted by
tie House OF Delegates on the Cd inst. calling
upon the Executive for certain information in re-
lation TO the detection of the late Treasurer in the
defaicaiion that was discovered in March last, il be
comes necessary and proper that 1 should submit
the following statement, which | respeclTullv ask
may be communicated 10 the House. was a
member Of the Executive Committee, whose duty
1t became TO make known the defalcation aforesaid.
and | most willingly disclose every circumstance
and fact, connected with this transaction, which
came within my knowledge. wi ich may be calcu-
lated in any degree to shew, " how the discovery
was made, in what manner, and at what time ii
was made"
Tw o members OF the Executive Council are ap-
pointed as il is known 10 the lie legislature, every
three months, 10 examine the Auditors and Trea.
sureFs accounts This duty devolved upon each
committee, once a year. MIR. Pendieton and my
self were associated in the performance of IL, and
the quarter ending on the 3Ist of December il thai
portion otthe year whose fiscal transactions il has
belonged 10 us to examine.
1t is proper that l should here state before 7
proceed farther in the detail Of facts which will
follow, that 1 had not the slightest suspicion of any
misconduct on the part of tho Treasurer, until, /
think, about a week before his tragicaI end. and
the discovery of the defIlcation.-As a man of in.
tegrity he stood as high in my estimation as any
citizen Of the Commonwealth. I was on terms
ot great intimacy with him. I mention these
facts to shew, how difficult il was Under such cir
cumstances TO admit into my mind, any thing like
suspicion as TO his integrity. j knew nothing of
his private transactions, or great endorsements.
until some weeks before bis death. The law re.
quires the comInittee " TO repair to the Treasury
8 Office at the end Of the quarter for the purpose
: oil examining the settlement made by the Auditor
: and Treasurer;deteciing errors in such settlement,
If there be any, ascertaining the money on demo.
{ sit in the Banks and The money in the Treasury,
{ which ommiitee shall make report thereof to the
{ Executive, and ifit shall appear to their satisGac-
{ ton that the Treasurer has misapplied the public
money or treasure committed TO his rare, it il
made the duty Of the Executive to displace him
{ and appoint a successor"
In order 10 comply strictly with this law, as far
as IL can be complied with (for il is impossible to
execute il literally, although in lis spirit and object
il NAV ia \ 4 had oiycn pofico o., AZ. T.o,n...