The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-02-28
The Committee Finds that the Secretary and
Assistant Secretary Have Drawn More
Thap They Are Entitled to Receive.
Hore Employees on the Pay-Rolls than
Are Authorized or Needed.
The May Claim RecoRsidered After It's Defeat
and Passed-Probabilit that the Metro
pOlitan Police Bill Will Be Abandoned.
THE SENATE INVESTIGATION.
The Committee Presents a Report Substan-
tiating the Journals Charges.

The Committee Presents a Report Substan-
tiating the Journals Charges.
The report of the committee appointed to in
vestigate the disclosures made in the journal, on
Feb IL, regarding the Irregularities OF the OF
ncers and employees of the Senate, was submit
ted yesterday morning. The disclosures by the
Journal which caused the investigation were,
summarily stated, that there were more en-
ployes than were provided for by statute; that
there were several moro than there was any
need or authority for employing, and that the
assistant secretary of the Senate had drawn
within one month an amount of money in excess
of what would be due him at the end Of the
session.
WHAT THE COMMITTEE FOUND.
The committees report fully substantiates all
that was stated, and besides, discloses other
irregularities They state that they find that A.
J. Kelley, the principal secretary, has eleven
employees, and of these eight are authorized by
statute, two by special resolution of the Senate,
and one is without authority. Tt is found that
Mr. Kelley had drawn, up to Feb. Z, the sum of
1891, which is $25 in excess of the amount that
would be due him at the end of the session. The
excess of $25 is explained as being an uninten-
tional overdraft caused by an omission in posting
the ledger Of the assistant secretary, and was
returned to the Treasurer on Feb &c. The com
mittee finds that II. G. Hufstetter, the assistant
secretary has nine employees, seven of whom
are authorized by statute, and two are without
authority, one of the two having drawn pay
from Jan. 8, and the other from JAN 16. In ad-
dition Max Dembufsky was employed one week
and drew $50. at is explained" the report
states that this $50 is to be taken from the
L.. ~lNa
the week that the amount was paid" The com
mittee found that Mr.. Huffstetter, on Feb z, had
drawn $441-an amount $50 in excess of what
he would be entitled to at the end of the
explained as being an unintentional
overdraft caused by an error in the assistant
secretary's books "and was covered back into
the Treasury on Feb. IT," j. w. Cope, the door
keeper, the committee reports, has twelve en-
ployes, seven of whom are authorized by statute
and five by special resolution, passed Jan. %.
The five whose employment authorized on
Jan. 90 have drawn pay from Jan. 8, although
the concurrent resolution of JAN 30 stated that
all who had been placed on the roll should draw
pay only from the date actual service began On
account of objection by a majority of the com
mittee, no investigation was made OF the charge
that the number of employees was in excess Of
the number required to do the work. The report
mentions the statutory provision that en-
crossing and enrolling clerks shall not
be employed until the actual work of
enrolling and engrossing bills shall make it
necessary, and such clerks shall not receive pay
for any day prior to their actual service" The
committee found that three bills had been en-
crossed previous to January q, namely, one on
the 18th, one on the 18th, and one on the 2lst.
The seven clerks however, have drawn pay since
the 9Th of January.
The report was signed by all the members of
the investigating committee-Senators May,
Willard, Duncan of Brown, Campbell of St.
Joseph and Huston; and after it was presented,
on motion by Mr.. May, it was made special
order for consideration this morning. The re-
port is simply in the nature of statement of
Its discoveries, without comment and without
recommendations At the time Secretary Kelley
had drawn 1891 the amount was $205 in excess
of what was due him. and when Assistant Secre-
tary Huffstetter drew Sal it was $3.50 in excess
of the amount due him. According to the com
mittee's statement regarding the work of the en-
crossing and enrolling clerks, the engrossment of
these bills cost the State $675, while at most it
should not have been more than $95
The Democratic members of the Senate were
considerably disturbed over the facts reported by
the committee. and at caucus for the consid-
GRAFTON of the matter, last night, it was decided
to request the resignation of Assistant Sec
rotary Huffstetter, but to continue Kelley.
The reason for the discrimination is not APP
parent, as Kelley and Huffstetter were found by
the committee to be equally guilty. 1t is under
stood that Assistant Journal clerk Carter will be
elected as the successor of Huffstetter for the
remainder of the session.