The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-23
Comments and Criticisms on the Alleged
Forgeries and the Township Trustees
Management of His Office.
A Supplemental Report Presented to
the Commissioners Yesterday
An Itemized Statement of the Indebtedness
Covered by the $40, ,2O6. .45-Whata DEM
0cratic Paper Says About Kitz.
COMMENTS ON KITZ.

COMMENTS ON KITZ.
Expressions of Opinion About the Alleged
Forgery and the Trustees Methods.
The publication in yesterdays journal showing
the name of Ernest Kitz, trustee of Center
township, as it appeared signed to the Pollard
warrants and as it appears signed to the road
tax warrant given by Mr.. Kitz to County Au-
ditor Adams, was generally discussed during
the day. The Journal was in unusual demand
and the comparing of the signatures in stores,
banks, lawyers Offices and elsewhere, showed
that there is large amount of expert talent in
cEirography in this community which has long
lain dormant. "The signatures are as like as
two Dromios" said prominent banker.
There was no end of comment aud criticism
upon the trustee, and the opinion prevailed
everywhere that, whether Mr.. Kitz's assertion
backed by oath, that his signature upon the
Pollard warrants was forged one was to be
believed or not, he had conducted the affairs Of
his Office in such way that only thorough in
vestigation can set him free from suspicion in
the matter.
Said Capt. C. W. Brouse: "Mr Ktz has been
remarkable trustee understand he pays his
attorney $4,000 year. Mr.. Kitz's salary as
trustee amounts to So day. How he can afford
to pay his attorney SO much out of that salary ]
can't understand"
NJ Fl. Mckay: II think Mr.. Kitz is being
crowded very close"
R, E. Smith: 'Mr. Kitz appears to have been
somewhat promiscuous with his signature"
W. W. Herod: 'It looks rather foggy for
Brother Kitz."
Giles Smith: ''Mr. Kitz, if honest and want
to believe him so, has spoiled his reputation in
this community by his lodging and subterfuges."
Ed II. Dean: His conduct has been open to
suspicion from the very first. Instead of max
ing showing as to the exact state of the town
ship finances the first thing he aid was to jump
behind criminal lawyer"
Capt. Eli Ritter: THE trustee ought to have
showed what there was about his business, and
put everybody on guard as to any forgeries that
were out Mr.. Kitz did not do either of these
things; but the Hooser trustee is peculiar"
VIM l.. Taylor: From information that we
have--Mr. Peelle and myself must doubt that
Pollard has forged the name of ahy township
trustee to any of the warrants. He could have
no reason for doing so, and had the best of rea-
sons for not doing so. We are in
formed he has stack of orders ag-
gregating many thousands of dollars
signed by township trustees still in his posses-
tate before the fraud WAS disclosed His oper-
ations were conducted in such way that after
he had crossed the Canadian border he would be
safe. He, of course, understood that if he COM
mitted forgery he could be brought back
here under the extradition treaty for punish
ment By Article TO- of the treaty of 1872 re-
stricted by extradition act CT 1870 persons may
be extradted from Canada for any one Of these
seven crimes: Murder, assault with intent to
commit murder, piracy, arson, robbery, forgery,
or the utterance of forged paper The fact that
Pollard had already bought property in Canada
and had been there before he committed these
frauds, and consulted attorneys there, as he did,
would be proof positive almost that he would
not commit crime that would render him liable
to extradition. / don't believe he has forged a
single piece of paper"
Said another gentleman: "The only way to
prove Mr.. KItZ S innocence guilt is by expert
testimony and collateral facts. Convictions on
forged paper are always made in that way.
Where man is guilty, the assertion that he did
not utter the forged paper would not, in the
opinion of lawyer, be held as an mpregnable
position"
Another attorney said. in reference to Pollard:
"When Mr.. Macdonald, of Macdonald & Ivey
barristers and solicitors at London. Ontario
Canada, was here the other day-he is Pollards
attorney, you know-he informed me of the fact
that his client was fully advised the extradi-
tion laws, and that he would not be safe in
Canada if he had committed forgery in Indiana.
He was satisfied that, SO far as forgery was con-
cerned, his client was safe"
A pointer: You newspaper folks have not
touched upon the question of the amount of
commission that trustees may have got as
whack with agents as an inducement to purchase
school supplies. Many of them bought not
because any supplies were needed, but merely
to get their commission. 1t would be a good
thing in this township, and in all townships in
the State. to get at the trustees books ard OBJ
tain the figures of the furniture and supplies
bought and afterward have expert go through
the school houses and take an inventory as to
the actual value of the stuff obtained and on
hand / think that sort of a proceeding would
rattle the dry bones In a great number of
places"
Another: "'The dates on the warrants signed
with the name of Trustee Kitz and held by the
Cincinnati national bank as collateral are not
evidence that they were actually made and
s gned on those dates. The person who made
them probably wrote them all at the same
time and dated, or had them dated for such
dates as he thought most convenient By the
way, Mr. Kitz was in Philadelphia on the Sth of
July, the date of the 81. 500 warrant in the Jen-
nings county collection
Another: ''It would be exceedingly interest
ing to see what Mr. Kitz would 10 if Pollard
should be brought back from Canada"
Said Judge Norton yesterday morning: when
the next grand jury meets | shall charge them to
make the fullest investigation possible of the
affairs of the township trustees of this county,
SO that if there have been any fraudulent issues
of warrants or forgeries, or anything of the kind
the offenders may be punished