The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-03-25

|
gained.
Mr.. Wise: Who was the secretary of the
Board of Public Works prior to Mr.. Cole.
nmns ......-
Colonel Mayo: Mr.. Dewitt; probably in
August or September. 1871.
| Mr.. Wise: Who WAS the proper officer
who made the transfer Of bonds from the
Board of Public Works to your Board OF
Sinking Fund Commissioners
Colonel Mayo: This transfer was made
before was connected with the Board?
| Mr.. Earksdalc: How many bonds were
there belonging to the fund?
| Colonel Mayo: Between S365,000 and
S36S, 900 in bonds. We ought now to have
about S57l 900, but won't be accurate.
| THE AUDITOR on THE STAND.
Mr.. William +. Taylor, Auditor of Public
Accounts, was next sworn. Hc stated briefly
ms position in tho State government. On
Thursday, the 18th of February, said he,
n little before 8 O'Clock, there was Il
communication made in nv office that
there was probably some irregularities
in tho office Of the sinking fund. 1t was
made by gentleman who came into my
| Office. Witness asked him whether he bad
| told the other members OF the Board. He
said no. Later the Governor came down.
| aud also spoke Of the matter. The
| Board was then notified, and n lit
tie pleasantly had passed between General
Rogers aud himself AS to who should make
| the communication to Colonel Coleman
| The Governor did make the communication,
and something was said about check con-
nectcd with the banking. house Of Dir.
Branch. The Governor told him that he
had heard that he had lccn seen at gam
1 I -. ,s,,l-. -.,.,.
| bling houses. and that he had been drinking
| Colonel Coleman said that he did not KNOW
ANYTHING Of the check, but rs to the gam
| bling and drinking he acknowledged, and
threw himself upon the clcmcncy OF tie
Board, promising that if the matter was
overlooked it would not be repeated. An
| examination was then gone into, and At the
close of the day deficiency was found OF
about $1,000 or 2l,I00. Subsequently, the
deficiency was partly made up OF bonds lhst
were found which reduced it to about $500 or
$500. There was then Il hearty congratulate
! tion between General Rogers and Colonel
Coleman. subsequently, Colonel Mayo
found some bonds in his safe, which gave
to the Board more than they were
entitled to. On Saturday after the ad-
liournment Of the Board of Public Works,
| Colonel Coleman asked whether there
would be any need of him. Colonel Mayo
and General Rogers thought he had
reference to the Board of Public Works.
| Witness did not so understand it. Colonel
| Coleman then left. On Thursday evening
! General Rogers took the book, and in look
| ing over it said here isa very grave b!under,
and read out the entry of the 11th AoYenl-
ber Witness went up to the book, but not
seeing very well, didn't at first see tfHt 1t
was an erasure. BY holding II up TO the
light. however, he saw that the. SIS, lDo.25
had been altered, the figure one erased, as
he supposed, and the amount made to read
| SS,100.25.
| Here the book was shown to the jury. and
they examined what is supposed to be an
p! erAsurc.]
After some little delay, mfr. Taylor con-
tnued his statement, saying that alter DIS
| covering the eraSurc it made a reduction oil
| $4,000 Of bonds, and made the balance the
other wav, and showed 1 deficiency Of over
$4,000. 1t was now between and o'clock,
and | remarked that Coleman ought to be
/ sent for. but whether vas sent for or
not ] don't remember; but at all events,
/ Coleman didn't. come; beck. On Monday
following the examination was continued.
fhc record of the Board of Public Works
under date 30th December, 1871, was here
i u.
of 10000 in bonds to the sinking fund.-
| MIR. Wise: How did You make the in.
ycstiga.ion TO ascertain this deficiency III
bonds: "Y~. ..... e.
Mr.. Taylor: can't state Of. my own per
sonal knowledge that the $4,000 was trans.
terred. l preSume-Gntcirupte
Mr.. RoSall: Don't say what you pre-
suule. .-.@- 80
Mr.. TAYLOR: The result is asccrtalned that
there Is deficit Of $4,000.
Mr.. Wise: How did you get at that s.:
Mr.. TAYLOR: Well, sir, there were SlO,oVU
turned over by the Board of Public WORKS
to the sinking fund. These bonds were
turned over. L believe, some time in lS'
the new bonds were gotten ont for them III
the name Of the sinking fund. This intorma
I ton was received from the records.
| At this point the names of John \. Wor
sham, Henry Hungerford, John g. Davis
Mr.. Branch, and one or two other wit
nesses, were called but they did not re
spond.
tinued: !,
!. Mr.. Wise: What have you found the
whole amount Of loss to be: r..
Mr.. Taylor: Fifteen thousand nine hun
dred and odd dollars.
Mr.. Wise: Did you ever authorize any
exchange of consolidated bonds for peel
erS? ,,,
MIR. Taylor: Never, sir; | have authorized
!. 50 far as | was concerned, the purchase o
; pcclcrs, but never any exchange ot cohsol
: dated bonds for peelers.
. Mr.. Royall: The fund which has beer
testified to as being the amount belonging te
the sinking funds that all:
Mr. Taylor: There are old bonds belong
ri ing to the old sinking fund. Don't know
how much the old sinking fund is. Dou
, know how many OF the bonds there ough
y TO be unless reference is made TO the Doot
and warrants. ..
Il MR.. F. G. MORRISON.
Nr,F.G G.. Morrison, who is clerk in tht
Secoud Auditors Office, was next called ant
=. sworn. ~
MIR. Wise: Do you keep that book! ire
2 ferriny 10 the sinking fund book which has
been spoken of several tines.
Mr.. Morrison: Yes, sir.
The witness then proceeded to explain the
fact that this book is balanced occl>lonai'!
with the Treasury book, and also how II oc
curred that there were several erasnres. ii'
entries referred TO had been crossed out ny
: him for reasons which were satlstactofy-H
some cases when he bad inadvertently pu
tbe figures in the wrong place, anu ia lux
oIJ,or cases the entries had been made by
mistake.
. Turning 10 the entry and erasure or l1tl
November. 1878. said he couldnot explain II
The entry was for SlS, 10O.2o. The warrant
: was for that amount, and was SO Tepor,cu