The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-18
the current expenses of my township, and hence
the necessity for the due-bils above stated.
ERNEST KITz Trustee Center Township.

the necessity for the due-bils above stated.
ERNEST KrTZ, Trustee Center Township.
The report is remarkable for its adroitness and
the wide latitude it gives for reading between
the lines. The inference quite naturally is that
there is more in the predatory statement that no
debt or debts have been contracted ''the aggre-
gate amount of which will exceed the amount on
hand, and the amount to be derived in January
next from the last half of the tax levy due the
township for the year 1884" than there is in the
report which follows. This statement covers up
the precise Indebtedness which the public is now
interested in knowing all about The amount
may be little, and it may be much. What tine
amount now on hand" is the trustee does
not state. but supposing that it is the
sum for which he is required to account semi
annually, it would be about $ll 900, and the
amount ito be derived in January next from the
last half of the tax levy due the township for
1882 is probably about $13, 900 more Accord
ing to these figures and the statement of the
trustee. it is possible that the outstanding
Indebtedness which Mr.. Kitz does not report
will aggregate $24 000 1t is equally possible
that it does not amount to 81, 900, or even less,
but from Mr.. Kitzs report there is no means OF
ascertainlng which of these amounts Is nearest
correct. 1t is of some significance, also, that the
Indebtedness reported by Mr.. Kitz shows
that he has anticipated the tax levy
for 1885, which he will not receive
until after the spring settlement. The con-
nection in which the words Except the follow
ing are used in introducing the Indebtedness
which he does report, leaves but one inference,
and that is that the due-bills aggregating $751;
11132 given for the purposes stated, are in ex-
cess of 1.-The amount on hand and the amount to
be derived in January next from the last half of
the tax levy due for the year 1884" The show
ing which the report makes, therefore, is that it
is possible that the outstanding Indebtedness OF
the township at the present time is
Amount reported road fund due-bils- -. Sc 9O6 6S
Specific fund duebills IL 2O4 GA
Possible amount not reported -.--..-.--- "a, 100000
Making the total indebtedness - $40, III 80
The tax levy for 1885 is about -$27 700 90
And the amount which the trustee is sup
posed to have on hand is . IL OO0 90
Making the limit which he should not
and can not safely go beyond. $3S, 10000
Which shows that the trustee has out
standing Indebtedness which exceeds
the limit calculations. Observation-Disclosures. So 411.32
All the odds in these calculations are in Mr..
Kitz's favor, because it is improbable that there
is $l1, 600 in the trustees hands at this time,
and it never happens that all of the tax levy is
collected. 1t is evident. therefore, that the
administration has been extraordinarily ex-
pensive, if not extravaganza When Captain
Harvey went out of Office the townships indebt-
edness was about $4,000, and, although three
years have now elapsed since Mr.. Ritz became
trustee no unknown warrants issued by him
have been discovered. If the Indebtedness of
the township 10 three years has increased from
about $4,000 to $42 1l1.32 it seems that there
is good reason for the County Commissioners
and the public desiring better understanding
OF Mr. Kitz's method of conducting the affairs
of his Office. A Democratic county officer, in
looking over the report yesterday, could not re-
frain from remarking that the itemized state
ment showed that Mr.. Kitz had been rather ex-
travagant in his purchases, and had been making
some unnecessary investments One item shows
that 800 was paid for hand grenades for the
schools another that $500 was paid for music
charts, while the e-bills which were issued are
divided among few men, some of whom seem
to have received very large sums for the amount
of work and supplies needed by the schools of
the township
''What do you think of the report made by
Mr. KitzW was asked of the county attorney,
yesterday afternoon, after he had examined the
document.
IL think that the language used in the report "
he said, lis very unfortunate for Mr. Kitz, if his
affairs are all right; but if there is anything that
he desires to conceal it is probably about as
favorable statement as could be made 1t
would not satisfy me If l were a commissioner,
and l should think that it would not satisfy
the public. 1t really gives no informa-
ton. The debt or debts which do
not amount in the aggregate to
more than he has on hand, and the amount to be
only S. and may be $4,000. The very informa-
ton that is desired he does not give. Mr. Span
is very shrewd lawyer. and he would be as
quick to see any flaw in the report as any man,
and can't see why he should have put the mat
ter in the form that it is without he had some
very good reason for doing So"
Mr. Kitz appeared to be at ease yesterday
after having filed his report and seemed to think
that it effectually put quetus upon all ques-
tons regarding his official affairs.