Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-06

Heavy DefaIeatIsn nc LOuisville, Ky
sbscondinG OF n Tax.CoIlectOr with
9sO,0OO.
The telegraph, yesterday morning, .men-
toned the defAlcation Of N. L. McOlellaud,
at Louisville, Ky, for 10000 but the news
paper accounts make the amount much
larger, as will be seen BY the following from
yesterdays Courirs 20
Yesterday the securities Of N. L. MoOlel.
land, Tax-Oollector Of The Western District,
sued out an attachment against him, on the
ground that be had absconded, seeking in
demnity against their liability on his official
bond. s
McClelland was re elected Tax-Oolleotor
last year for the fourth or fifth time. He
was attending TO business up 10 Tuesday
evening late, since which time he has not
been seen, neither did he leave any one in
charge of his business. AT the last meeting
OF the Council, the Finance Committee
reported balance against him 90 large that
we, and probably most Of the community,
supposed Il was typographical error--that
he must pay near $4,000 to get his quietus.
On Tuesday evening, several days after the
finance report was made, aud the fact of
so large balance officially published,
MoClelland went to the Mayor, and told
him that he was going to Cincinnati to have
settlement with Larz Anderson, ESQ.,, and
th, reby get seme $1,000 or SO, 900 which was
owing to him bV Mr.. Anderson, and upon
getting this sum he would return and settle
his accounts. The same thing was told to
other city officials.
Strange TO say, no attempt was made to
arrest or detain this officer, though his de-
linquency was known, and he himself an
nounced TO the Chief Executive Officer of
the city the fact Of his going away, upon
pretense so bald that obtuse and weak as
Mayor Crawford is, it is astounding that
even be should have been deceived by it.
McClellsnd checked out nearly $4,000 from
one of the bankson Tuesday, and tits known
be had q considerable amount besides. 1t is
stated that he has had in his possession city
warrants for many thousands of dollars, but
where they are or whether he has disposed
of them or not, is yet undeyeleped.
A dispatch was received yesterday from
La1z Anderson, stating that he had not seen
or heard of Mcclellan. One of his sureties
attached property of the alleged defaulter,
yesterday, worth about $1,000. There are
various rumors touching his flight, which
we will not mention at present.
This much is certain, however: The de-
faulting official has flown, and the city loses
thousands upon thousands. The official bond
is only for $4,000, and consequently covers
less than half of the defalcation. And this
is not all that is chargeable upon those in
authority. There is an ordinance requiring
the Tax Collector to settle at stated times, SO
that, if the settlements are duly made, all
the revenue will paid in by the 10th of
March. Why was not this ordinance en-
forced, and McClelland compelled to make
bis settlements as the city laws require
Had this been done, there would have been
no defalcation--or none of consequence; but,
by neglect and mismanagement, a heavy loss
- - H.. II. -.
nate as TO be sureties Of the delinquent and
a still heavier loss falls on the city, besides.