The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-04-04
The Results OF the Investigation.


those who had suspected the worst. The
most irregular and corrupt modes of keeping
the accounts have prevailed and no checks
against frauds, and no system of accounts
bility was observed. Sums Of hundreds or
thousands of dollars were put into the hands
of each of the Board for various ostensible
purposes, and charged to the separate funds,
as having been given out "for Library and
services "-afor school houses ~" for roads
and bridges ago BE ACCOUNTED
FOR HEREAFTER" But the ahereafter.n
accounting was never made by producing
any regular vouchers for the expenditures
How much of these funds were embezzled
perhaps never viii be known. Mr. Sharpe has
been charged enough for fencing school lots,
within two years, to put farm of 200 acres
under good fence. Tie amount of repairs,
&C., &C., to school houses would have put
all the school buildings and all his own
buildings in most excellent order. Not
withstanding, we are told, not So worth of
repairs have been put upon all the school
houses in the last eighteen months.
Mr.. Kramer had, in the same way, money
enough put into his hands to have made good
roads and bridges, but it got sunk in the
mud-hole Of general corruption, and disap-
peared without producing any benefits
James 7. Walker had more allowed every
year merely "FOR FIXING UP THE
BOOKS than would have bought better
library out and suit. But taking no account
of these indirect and concealed pilfer-
ings, and admitting the violent presumption
that this money was paid out, there stands
charged to them on their own record, nearly
$1,000 for receiving and paying out about
$4,000. They admit, over their own sig
natures, that they have taken about one
third of the whole sum; if the iniquities
could be fully revealed, it would appear that
they had embezzled about one-half of all
that came into their hands, within the last
three years.
The growth of the fraud was gradual. In
1854 they were passably modest and honest;
they were content with single appropria-
ton of SIS each, all round. In 1855 it in
creased to salary of $3.50. In 1856 this was
taken with "pickings." In 1857 an opin-
ion seems to have been adopted, "that to
the victors belong the spoils;" and the chief
concern seems to have been for each to get
"fair divide. Kramer and Sharpe voted
for money to Walker; and Walker and
Sharpe voted it to Kramer; Kramer and
Walker to Sharpe; and DR.. John T.
Walker and Hatchitt were kept silent by
bush money in the form of $40 allowances
" for extra services. -
The chief populations were committed in
1857 and 1858 in those two years, they ap-
pear to have absorbed for their private uses
nearly one-half of what came into the town.
ship treasury.
Mr. James Walker took out of the Treas
ury, principally in 1857 and 1868, the sum
of So, $50 for his personal services for five
years. Peter Sharpe, who has an infinite
amount of infamous hardihood, denied our
statements, and declared in the most posi-
tive and solemn terms in printed card to
his fellow citizens, that be had not received
over 1905 for five years services, stands
charged on the record, verified with his own
official signature, with $l,558, mostly alb
stracted within two years. Philip Kramer.
who made public statement almost in the
same words as that of Sharpes-and which
we presume was written for him-took from
the treasury 1898. John T. Walker I" re-
eeived what was given him AS he ex-
presses it-and pocketed $685.. Mr.. DENLY,
who was the legal counsel for the board,
and did not expose OF disapprove of the
Boards financial operations received the
modest sum of $500 for two years salary.
These men, heretofore respected citizens,
have fixed a blot upon their reputations-a
blst which embezzled riches cannot gid nor
time obliterate The event is public ca
lamity; it impairs the common faith in the
integrity of men, and especially of public
officers. The detection and exposure has
been one of the most painful duties of our
position, but we have had to discharge it
fearlessly and impartially, without respect
to persons, parties, or cliques and no one
can, more than we, deplore the notifying
and painful result of our labors.
As this movement was made for no tenn
porary nor electioneering expedient, it ought
not to stop with the election of to-day
Let thorough, searching scrutiny be. insti-
il, tuted into all the fiscal affairs of the COM
munity, and town, and city, for the last 81,
or eight years, from the date of the extraor.
binary increase of public expenditures. Th'
detection of gross frauds by such men a.
have had charge of our township business
creates universal distrust, and has awakened
more or less suspicion against every trustee
of public funds. Every upright incumben
whose Office is in order, or can be put in or
der, will invite and court the scrutiny; the
honest have nothing to fear, and while {
cloud of suspicion rests upon the public
mind, they will not be content till thei