The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1885-11-19
Treasurer CAROLS Accounts.

Treasurer CAROLS Accounts.
/ A DEFICIENCY BOTH TO THE CITY AMI
THE sTATE.-PARTIAL INvEsTIGAT
SHOWS SHORTAGE OF NEAR TEN
THOUSAND DOLLARS.
/ Last week, when the safe containing the
books and accounts Of Mr.. John M. Car.
roll, late City Treasurer, was opened, a
cursory glance at the contents seemed to
bear ont the popular belief that every
thing was right. Since then, however,
Accountant Jno. M. Kinney, who was en-
ployed by the city to make the inyestiga-
tion. has discovered various discrepancies
| between The. Treasurer statement and
the actual receipts and disbursements,
| which leave no reasonable ground to
doubt that Mr.. CAROLS departure was
planned and that at the time of leaving be
had no intention OF returning. This
theory is borne out by the fact that in his
safe were found statements of his accounts
with the State and the city, and a state
| inent also, showing his individual stand
ing. In addition there were some 81 500
in undeposited checks all of which had
been endorsed. There was 10 occasion,
Tor the statements of the city and State
acc cunts at that time. if the Treasurer,
when he left, expected to be absent but a
few days.
Mr.. kinney's investigation, for the
present, extends back to the LIST of May
1885, the close Of the last fiscal year, when
the Treasurer made his annual settlement
with the city. AT that time his report
showed a balance due by him to the City
Of S23 ,634. 10 which was supposed to be
made up of uncollected taxes still in his
hands. Whether that amount was really
in his hands then viii be a subject of fu-
ture inyes tigatiou. For the period coy
cred by the present examination, Mr.. Kin
ney finds that the receipts of the Treas
Hrer since May amount to sS1, ,06l2,
whilst the disbursements, including all
items properly credited to the Treasurer,
aggregate SIC ,S23.43, leaving balance in
favor Of The city of 81 ,SS2.69 unaccounted
for. There is a settlement between the
Treasurer and his deputy which is now
he subject of investigation, the result Of
which viii shortly be known.
In additionto the 50, $50 So thus ascer-
certained as due the city. Treasurer Car
roll S account is 81, 12a.5a short with the
State, but against this last amount there
are supposable offsets of about s., 300
Prior to the 1st Of July last, Messrs NJ.
2. Funkhouser. J. b. Evans and \. If.
Bickle were the securities on Mr.. CAROLS
official bond to the State. Since that date
Messfs. NJ. T. Funkhouser, W. f. Sum-
merson and w. A. Hudson were the secur-
tiles. On the bond to the city Gen.
Echols was the sole security both prior to
and since the first day of July.
As soon as he had definitely ascertained
that.a deficiency would occur, Judge w.
A. Hudson, representing himself and the |
other securities of Mr.. Carroll on his bond |
to'the State, proceeded to Richmond and |
in the name Of the Auditor brought suit |
against Mr.. Carroll and his sureties, and |
had the property, belonging to Carroll, at
tached, viz: Five shares of stock of the |
Staunton Life Association of Virginia |
par value, one hundred dollars per share i
twenty shares of stock of the Augusta Ma
tlonal Bank, of Staunton, a.,-par value, |
one hundred dollars per share six hundred |
dollars in the Augusta National Bank, Of |
Staunton, Va; ten acres of land on the |
west side of the Valley turnpike, in the |
county of Augusta the house and lot in
Staunton, a beautiful place, IN which Mr..
Carroll resided, and house and lot adj
joining. occupied by Capt. Waters.
The. statement. of his individual affairs,
found in the safe. placed the assets of the
late Treasurer at Sc 600 after the payment
Of his just debts. The property attached
viii aggregate considerably more than that |
amount.
On Monday last, the City Council held
called meeting and heard statement from
MIR. Kinney as to the condition of the
Treasurer's office, the substance of which
is reported above, Mr.. Edward Echols,
City Attorney and son of Gen. John
Echols, stated that inasmuch as his father
was surety for Carroll ON his bond TO the
city, he deemed it improper to act in the
prosecution proceedings. and at his sug-
gestion the Committee on Finance had
employed Messrs. Elder & Nelson, who
had instituted suit against Carroll and his
curQty Tho Conno;l ROT ;f;od 4 o :. ~; 49, ~
the Committee in employing Messrs. FL
der & Nelson, and instructed them to con-
tinue in the management of the case
The attachment of the City, which
comes in after that of the State. is upon
the same property and all other 'sestate
and effects of every kind and description
belonging to Carroll.
1t is impossible, until thorough and
searching investigation of all Of his ac-
counts has been made, running back over
a period of nine years, to ascertain the ex-
act deficiency of the late Treasurer. As
stated, the present examination extends
only to May last. Mr.. Kinney is still
busily employed on the books, and until he
has fully completed his labors the result
cannot be known. Enough is known,
however, to satisfy all that the departure
of the late Treasurer was premeditated,
and that he had prepared for a permanent
absence.
Steephill Sweet Chalybeate Spring.
We are gratified to learn that the sug-
gestion We made fortnight since, in re-