Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-12-01
Report of the Committee of Ways and Means,
relating TO tho Treasury.
IL HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,, !
INV. y 1860

IN HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,,
Nov. 2, 1860.
The following resolution was read amend
ed on motion of Mr.. Colby, and as amended,
adopted
"Resoired That the Committee of WAYS and
Means, in connection with the treasurer of the
state be- and are hereby directed to ascertain
why the taxes due, as appears by tie auditors
report, have not been collected BY the treasurer,
as provided by the statute also to make full
investigation in relation to The affairs of the late
treasurer connected with his office, and in rea-
ton to all monies deposited with him as treas
urer and all disbursements made by him that
said committee have leave to sit during the ses-
sion OF the House, and have power to send for
persons and papers, and have leave to employ
Clerk, if they deem it necessary
A true copy.
Attest, VI. BARBER, Asst Clerk.
10 Tie House Of Representatives. Rop in session /.
The Committee of Way and Means ask leave
to report that they have followed the instruc-
tons embodied in the foregoing resolution, as
closely as possible, and have made all the in
vcstigaton in their power; but owing to many
circun stances beyond their control, the result
of their labors must necessarily be very imper-
feet
The accounts of the late treasurer with the
towns or their coistables relating to taxes, are
full of errors both ways. In some instances
receipts are given for money not credited, and
in some instances money paid and no receipt
given and money not accounted for; and the
committee are of opinion that the treasurer him
self did not know how the accounts stood, and
did not dare to press the collection for fear the
errors might be detected. lie has kept the ac-
counts 50 very loosely for long time that they
are now generally a mass of unintelligible con-
fusion.
The committee have, however, come to the
following conclusion:
Amount due to sundry Banks, which is report
cd as paid by II. VI. Bates, as treasurer,
$lS,092 l6
(Amounts due to Banks SOP, 7G2 49,
Amounts received of sundry
Banks, Si,67l 49,
Amount loaned to the state by sun
dry individuals not before report
ed as due, 2Go97 G2
Amount collected on taxes and not
credited, the same having been
reported as due, including errors
in tax accounts and claims of sun
dry individuals not yet adjusted, 3,7Oj 80
Amount, S4S,S04 IL
Upon "rhe Bank Commissioners salary" sew
eral sums of money have been received from
sundry Banks, which were reported as paid
The said amounts were forwarded in CONSCIENCE
OF circular sent to them asking information.
The same remarks apply to tax on Foreign
Bank stock" OF the amounts to be paid, no
credit list has yet been made.
So many variations and errors are found in
nearly every department, the books are so in
accurate, 50 many vouchers are missing, (which
must be replaced,) that is impossible at this
time to give a correct statement Of the affairs of
the late State Treasurer.
About sixty towns are yet to be heard from
in regard to taxes. Errors, 500 Gj-Claims
S2,237 3G. No accurate memoranda are as yet
found showing TO whom ''thc State Loan Of
1907 was awarded or the premium thereon.
The Commltte desire further to report, that
when the late Treasurer moved to Northfield
six or seyeniyears SINCE he was supposed to be
the owner of not more than $1,000 or $4,000,
more than he was indebted but that now he
has assigned to Mr.. Carpenter and Mr. Belk-
nap, two OF his bondSmen, property valued by
him at 5000, or more, and estimated by the
assignccs to be worth az least S30,0 900 What
this property cost does not appear. 1t appears,
further. that said Treasurer's habits of living
have been somewhat expensive and he has been
engaged in many speculations. some of which
have been unfortunate and disastrous. In one
OF these. relating 10 4 patent, it appears he in
vested $4,000. and some proof tended to show
nearly 100000.
The assignment named above is to indemnify
the assignecs from liability as bondsmen, and if
there is surplus over their liability the balance
Is for the benefit of the other bondsmen. The
assignment is in paro
The Committee feel justified in further stat
INK that suspicious relative to the accounts of
the Treasurer had existed for nearly or quite
two years, and some conversation relative to an
Investigation occurred between residents of