Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-12-13
THE LOUISVILLE STEAL.
The Investigations Reveal For
geriss, Is Well as False In.
tries and Fraudulent
Credits.
The Con.Pira.or. spotted.
oOurlsf-t Oarnal. II.

Oourief-Joarnai, II.
The worst feature of the tremendous
robberies being uneartteii in the r Q
ords OF the city's finances is the dis
cOvery that certain~tax bills; amount
ing to $4,000, which we're duplicated,
ale found to be ~iorgeries, and that
these forged bills were put into the
Tax Receivers Office in 1879 as so
much assets, Taking this $4,000,
the $4,000 Of head tax for 1877, the
$4,000 in tax bills Of the Bridge
Company aud the two street railways
Tor 1879, and the discoveries in the
Assessors Office, SO far, which amount
to about $4,000, there is a bill for some
bondsmen to pay as follows:
Deficit for head tax Of 1877. $4,000
Bridge. aud street railway bits for 1872
duplicated and used as assets.~...... $1,000
Falss cr;dltI in Assessors oaioe....... sue
Otat''."'...'"s'...'... wv
This is only as far as the investiga-
tons have gone, and it will take weeks
yet to complete them. Wild guesses
are made as to the amount supposed
TO be stolen, some placing the figures
as high as 100000. A gentleman
who Is we'll yersed in the inside his.
tory Of the workings Of the committee
assured the Courier Journal reporter
yesterday that there was no idea
among the seven gentlemen who com
posed the committee that the deialca
tons would reach 500, 00n.
There is no evidence" said he.
that the minor stealings, which we're
carried on by certain employees Of the
Assessors and Tax Receivers office,
extended beyond the period included
10 the last half OF the year 1879.
However. it is the determination oil
the committee to go back through the
records Of the Tax Receivers Office to
the year 1874, when MIR. Ferguson first
assumed the duties OF the Office. |
understand that in this pursuit
the committee have reached 1873, and
lam told the deeper they 90 the darker
appears the showing"
lis it not an easy thing" was asked
Tor employees Of the Assessors ofic,
TO rob the city by collision with tax
payers?"
Decidedly easy; why there is nc
knowing TO what extent these sam,
cOnspirators may have done this kline
If thing also. The very omission of
terminal naught in an assessmen.
makes q world Of difference. For in
stance: A man is assessed $50, 900, To,
last Daught is dropped, and dowr
goes the assessment $72, 900.
To-day DR.. Krack, who is the maj
that first discovered the conspiracy
will employ an expert, and in compan,
with his Deputy Assessor, the tire
will go over the Assessors books TO
years back. Dr.. Krack is determined t,
trace the robberies to the last dollar
and it is said he knows just where Il
place the thief in every instance. TIL,
discovery is a terrible shook TO him
and he is said to have remarked tina
no matter how the thing will inall,
result, much of the odium Of the dis
closures will attach to himself. II
had Aattered himself, the same gen
tleman said, that the system OF hi
Office was a check upon dishones
employees, though in 1879 the presen
system of the Assessors Office was no
perfected. DR.. Krack expresses un
bounded confidence in the presen
employees of his office.
Last Saturday Captain George Levi
Deputy Assessor Of the Second dis
trict in 1879, and in whose handwrit
ing all the false entries for that distric
we're made during that year, called OIL
DR.. Krack and informed that gentle
man hat he had been before the Join
Finance Committee. He said that
when called upon to explain tn
entries, he responded that he hat
made them in obedience to i~nstruc
tions from DR.. Krack, or Mr.. Hinkle
who was then in the Assessors Office
DR.. Krack pronounces this utterl,
absurd, and a mere pleading Of tn
baby act. The Assessor told Captain
Levi, to use his own words, that hi
books looked decidedly bilious. T,
some Captain Levi has declared tina
the disclosures in regard to his book
are the outcome Of a conspiracy h
r,so L.