The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-09-11
THE TOWNSHIP FRAUDS.
Provisions for Investigating Trustees Affairs
Center Townships Indebtedness.

PROVISIONS for Investigating Trustees Affairs
Center Townships Indebtedness.
When the final accounts of Pollard's transact
tions with his township trustee felow-conspira-
tors is to be reached is decidedly uncertain.
Daily the names of investors in the fictitious
township orders are being ascertained They
are held by small:moneyed men. as we'll as by
banks and capitalists. John S. Spann 81 Co., of
this city, have purchased about 81, 600 worth of
the orders for customers, but it is claimed by
this firm that the orders they dealt in were for
goods actually furnished. 1t is reported that
trustees in some counties striving to partially
meet the effects of the swnde by having large
Judge Viehe, of Vincennes denies that
he ever gave an opinion holding that
the notes were legal and enforceable.
1t is stated by John M. Butler, of this city,
that his opinion only in regard to the form
of orders, which he considered as correct and
legal, but that to give them a value they must
be for goods actually purchased. Hon. Stanton
j. Peele, who is as conversant with the matter
peril APPS any one in the State, said to a
Journal reporter yesterday: ut is my deliberate
judgment that all these matters have been
worked up by that man Pollard; that he took
notes payable to himself for the express purpose
OF dlscountlng them, and in many
cases furnished neither school furniture
nor supplies l understand that where
he would take note payable to furniture or
supply dealer. that he would turn right around
and take a duplicate note payable to himself
There is no doubt that brides have been given
by Chicago houses to corrupt trustees and in
duce them to make purchases. think these
frauds have. been mostly perpetrated in the
southern part of the State, but numerous other
localities may be heard from. The county trus
tees here ought to make an order requiring the
township trustees to report their Indebtedness
Not that there is any suspicion against any
trustee OF this county In this Chicago swindle
but that the taxpayers may know how the
township accounts are. County commissioners
have general control Of township matters
Under Sections 4454-5- of the Revised Statutes
of 1881, we read:
"The county commissioners have the right to
summon before them any trustee, and require
the production OF books, papers and accounts,
and. 1t any fraud appears to remove him"
Said another gentleman: 81 see the trustee of
Center township admits an Indebtedness loans
shown by the county commissioners records
amounting to over $22 900. This even if nothing
remains behind. is an exceedingly bad showing
When Smith King retired as township trustee
after term necessitating a great outlay of
money he left Indebtedness of only SIS OOO
His successor, Captain Harvey, also Republican
reduced that indebtedness to about 81, 600. Now
Nir. kitz admits debt of 1922. 600 l
make no reflection On Mr.. Kitz.
merely give the figures. There is
no occasion for Center township, of this prosper
| GUS county, to owe cent We ought to be able
to pay as we go, and with proper adininistra-
ton of township affairs we could have no debt
The people do not pay enough attention to town
ship matters. Our valuation for taxation in
this township is, exclusive of the city, about
six million dollars. A levy of FIVE cents on the
hundred dollars for special school purposes ought
to be sufficient The levy in this township is
perhaps six times that amount for special school
purposes believe that reform is necessary [
believe, too, that as soon as the county commits
sioners return from Cincinnati. they should
issue an order requiring every trustee in this
county to show the entire Indebtedness of his
township"