The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-11-01
THE. PENNSYLVANIA Plan
Illustrates by n Razaical City
Treasurer.
ADDEErssS AND DIVISION,
But Not n Suecesssal SiIence-sais S3OO..
OoO Steafs Caznes TO Ifsfss,

Harrisburg Special TO Cincinnati Enquirer
Facts We're developed several months ago.
showing that this state had been swinded
by county and city treasurers, out of thou
sands of dollars which these officials 7eceiyed
as fees for licenses. The city treasurer of
Scranton, who swindled the commonwealth
out of 5000, knowing that his crime would
be detected, confessed his guilt to the state
authorities with the understanding that he
should escape punishment A Republican
treasurer of the same county, who was in a
similar predicament. admitted that ne had
dishonesty withheld S2o 800 from the state.
Several other treasurers- were discovered TO
have been prosecuting y similar business
These rascally officials swere aided by clerks
in the treasury and auditor generals
departments. and nearly all the
frauds were committed under Republican
administration. In view of these discove-
ries of fraud Attorney General Temple
Democrat requested his clerks To make a
thorough investigation OF the settlements
made by county and.city tysasurerS. An eX-
animation of the accounts of Treasurer
Widener of Philadelphia, revealed a diserep-
ancy of fearful magnitude. Messrs. b. y.
Mead and John McMurray, clerks, have
made report 10 the auditor general, in
which it is set forth that the mercantile ap
praisers' lists of Philadelphia for 1874 and
1875 filed in the auditor generals office and
on which, by law, the account of the treas
urer should be settled, show that Widener
has returned to the state S30S640 so less
than the amount represented in the lists. Mr..
Widener first became treasurer in 1871. but
the lists for 1872 and 1873 were so mutilated
that the clerks could not examine them in
telligently, land they were consequently
passed over for the present. Mr.. Widener
has been notified OF the discrepancies III
his accounts, and has had several weeks to
explain them. He pretends TO be innocent
and expresses his Willingness to straighten
any crookednesS that may be found.
A few weeks ago Auditor General Temple
sent n clerk To the internal revenue depart
ment ut Washington, witlia polite letter TO
the commissioner, requesting. permission to
examine the lists of the United States IL
censes paid by Philadelphia liquor dealers
The object was TO institute comparison be-
tween the returns made totlse internal rev.
enue department andto the auditor general :
office. r. c. Rogers, acting commissioner,
refused the clerk access to the lists, but
directed him to Collector Elliot, of Philadel-
phia This official also refused, but informed
the clerk that he would write to Washington
for instructions. In reply, Commissioner
Rogers stated that the revised statutes re-
qured that the lists be open to public in
spection. but that they did not contemplate
interruption of public business for the pur-
pose of furnishing copies or allowing tran
scripts to be made therefroIn- The auditor
generals clerk guaranteed that the business
of the office should not be- interrupted, and
that the required clerical fore would be fur
nished by the state, but the solicitor would
not allow the proposed investigation to be
made under any circumstance. Widener :
accounts as settled by the auditor general,
have been transmitted to the state treasurer
for approval.