The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-10

The Extent of His Operations Not Xet Def
s.nitely Determined.

The swindling operations of r.. B. Pollard and
township trustees in various parts of the State
are even more extended than was at first sus-
.pected. The amount of fraudulent warrants
issued in. Daviess county will probably exceed
100000. Governor Gray is of the opinion that
the extradition treaty between the United States
and Great Britain would not allow Understanding
trustees in Canada to be- brought back. The
only means of relief seems to Ito bring civil
suit against Pollard in Canada, and attach his
possessions. Mr.. John P Frenzel, of the Mer-
chants National Bank, of this city, stated yes
tereay that by his advice the Hancock. Mutual
Life Insurance Company, of New. York, with
whom he is in constant correspondence, refused
last .Iay to buy warrants of Coffin d Stanton,
New York, issued from Fountain. Harrison
Davless and Park counties. aggregatlng about
: $ll,000 1t is believed that there many vic
Tins. to the: swindle in the East. as kilograms
have been received from Baltimore. Philadelphia
ard New York to that effect
r. B. Pollard did his banking with Fletcher &
Churcbman. of this city. Mr. Fletcher says that
Pollard had been doing business with the bank
for about year, and kept an account ranging
from $40, 900 to $l8 000 Drafts for large amounts
were frequently sent in to him, and he bought
large quantities of New York exchange. During
the year his operations with the bank amounted
to about $50 000 and about three weeks ago he
drew out his entire balance. presumably because
he was offended at the banks charging him for
exchange.
There is no telling how extensive Polard's
operations have been A Jennings county bank
purchased 81 600 worth few days since.
MIR. Nathan Morris, of this city. returned from
Chicago yesterday, and is inclined to think that
s the Chicago schoofurnishin2 house is of ques-
tionabe reputation, and stood in with Pollard in
the swindle helping him to cover up his opera
tions. Several years ago Pollard was engaged in
the lightningrod business, and had very large
trade.
The County Commissioners Have Little to Say
Yesterday afternoon Journal reporter
dropped in upon the three County Commissioners
and propounded to them question or two with
intent to discover just what supervision and
control they had over the expenditures of the
township trustees Said Mr. Ostermeyer, satri-
cally: "We have so much control that when
bill comes here from one of them we have to pay
it. Seriously, have very little control. We
can sometimes advise them not to do certain
things and then they take our advice or not, as
they see fit. AS to control. lido not think we have
any. When they want to borrow money they
come to US for permission, but when they have
any work to let they issue their warrants
for it without consulting at all. And they do
it, too
Can you not demand that they show just
what the township indebtedness isl"
Commissioner Clinton-"I don't know that we
3 can. / think the law on that point is obscure.
The township trustee can do about as he pleases;
the law is very lame"
Commissioner Ostermeyer-"We think the
srusteesin Marion county are all right. but we
10 not positively know that they Mr.. Kitz,
of this township, showed up in March, 1884,
what orders were out and what paid, but we can
not tell certainly to his report. think Center
township all right but we cannot positively
= know
Would it not be advisable to demand the
trustees to make a showing of their affairs now,
in view of the Pollard swindle which appears to
be far reaching2'
Commissioner Clinton-"The question is, can
we do it9"
Commissioner Ostermeyer-s9The chief of the
swnde, Pollard, had his headquarters in this
city, and it would be advisable for us to- know
how township affairs in this county are"
What is Center townships indebtedness"
Commissioner Ostermeyer-"In September
1884, Mr.. Kitz made loan of $4,000 of the
Mutual Life Insurance Company for which he
had the boards permission, as he had for another
loan afterwards of $4,000. That is total of
600. If there is more, we do not know any
thing about it."
An interested spectator-"If number of
heavy Taxpayers would come before you with
a. petition demanding examination of town
snip affairs here what would you do9"
AommlsSloher OSterfneyer- w would De
pleased to have such demand made upon US.
That would give Us proper backing, aud relieve
us of any charge that the showing was made for
trivial or political reasons Our county and town
ship affairs should be made as clear to all tax,
payers as the light of day"
The interview then ended, the Commissioners
leaving on an afternoon train for Cincinnati,
whittier they go to visit the workhouse and ex
anime its rules and management, and to see the
occupations of city prisoners, with view to
adopting such things in our workhouse here, as
may seem to them to be good.