Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-08-30

1882, Smith issued warrant on a
mandamus to pay s2,550 10 Judge II.
T. Parrish on account Of his salary.
Auditor Allen, intending to appeal in
the mandamus case, questioned the pro-
priety Of Smiths issuing the warrant in
his (the Auditor's) absence, and thus
precluding the possibility Of an appeal.
Smith undertook to make the sum good
out Of his own funds, and did deposit
the amount to the credit Of the Com
monwealth. Bat an investigation by
the committee Of thi, deposit on the
books Of the bank shows that
s1,543.91 Of it consisted Of check. be-
longing to other parties, and only
sl,OO6.09 was currency belonging to
Smith. subsequently, by a warrant
dated May G, 1882, the whole $3.50
was refunded to him by a warrant
drawn by Auditor Allen on the Trea-
sury, and Smith thus realized I,j43.9l
by the transaction.
THE SHORTAGE $40. 900.
So careless had Smith become in the
management in the matters intrusted
to him that money (as is shown by tho
testimony was found in small sums in
papers sent by him to the book
binder to be arranged in packages.
The amount Of the defalcations or
losses in the Auditors Office charge9bls
against William Il. Smith. 50 far as as
certained by your committee, are as
follows:
In the case Of clerks OF courts. sl0l6GG II
10 ihGaasa 0f l4.7e4 80
other losses as shown by pay
in ' WaTants.................... 28,74l 80
Aggregate .193 10
The additional shortage, which could
probably be shown if a further inyes-
tigation were deemed practicable, has
already been discussed under the head
ing Of the several subjects embraced in
the above aggregate.
Itisproper to state that scarcely any Of
these irregularities occurred under the
administration Of the present Auditor,
as they were discovered during the first
year Of his term Of office. and before
the time at which clerks Of courts
usually make their annual settlements.
IR.HUME.
The irregularities TO which the atteu-
tion Of the committee was first callcl
were those discovered by DR.. q. r.
Hume. clerk Of accounts in the Trea-
Surer's Office and Mr.. W. II. WaIdll,
late clerk Of accounts in the AUDITORS
Office. DR.. Hume was clerk Of the
county Of Greene, and knew Of pay
ments made by himself which he saw
were not credited to his account on the
Trcasurer's books; and Mr.. WaIiill
had been deputy clerk Of Charles City
county, and knew Of payments from
that Office which did not appear as cre-
dts on the Auditors books. These
matters. together with the step; taken
by the Auditor to set am investigation
on foot. were set forth in detail ID 'he
first report of your committee. These
gentlemen are deserving Of credit ,or
the protection. through mean, OF them.
afforded 90 the interests Of the STATE.
The Auditor has rendered cycrvp1s-
sible ali t. The committee in ta-ir
work. and without his assistauoc the
investigation could not have been e4-
tended over tie ground covered by it.
lie has been active in bis ,ndeayor' to
bring order out Of the confusion hereto
fore existing in the Office.
AMOUNTS REALIZED FROM ARREAR-
AGEs or TANES AND CHICKS
FOUND u TIE OFFICE.
Scattered through the papers lately
in charge of William r. Smith in the
Auditors Office and among a numborof
others sent by him 70 the committee
from his house were found checks
amounting to s3I,3g3.22, which bore
date from l,tG to 1888. Those first
found. which all bore date Subsequent
to 1915, amounted 10 <27,o9I.7-i, and
upon these has been collected 52l.-
1887 through correspondence con-
Quoted by the accountant of the COM
mittee, under the direction Of the Audi
tor. Those found later in an older mass
Of papers bore date prior 10 1875, and
amounted to Sl0, ,3lI.4s, and upon these
-, ,G41.C1 has been collected. Some Of
them cannot he collected because Of the
failure Of the banks on which they were
drawn, the fact that no money il now
TO the credit of the drawer to meet
them. and other causes. The collection
Of them. or Of the Indebtedness to tn.
Commonwealth represented by them. is
still being pressed by the Auditor, and
a large proportion Of the amount sill
there viii in al probability be realized.
The accounts Of the clerks of courts
and others, a stated by the com
mittee in the book Of accounts
herewith returned, show large
amount Of arrcarage' Of taxes for past
years due to the Commonwealth at the
commencement Of this investigation.
Many Of these arIearage, have becl col
.ectad rot only through the checks
before mentioned. which were nearly .
al drawn by clerk, Of courts. and /
when collected were passed to their /
credit, bat also through new remittance, /
brought about by the settlements made I
~ the committee anl their accountant. |
The amounts so collected through |
means Of ''.s investigation from all the |
debtors OF the Commonwealth are az
follows:
From clerks of s....-.......... $50 343 6l /
From notaries putiic................... e7l Is |
From hanks s-............ ............ - 40 80 |
rom Insurance companies. l,345 a. |
Whole amount collected ssl.7so 81 !
\ detailed statement giving the |
amount collected from each person or |
is herewith returned. Th.
will not be ordered to be printed By |
he committee on account Of its great /
ergth. the details Of it not being con- /
iidered important.
The Auditor IS continuing to make |
additional collections on these arrear-
lges, and more will be realized there
rom.
As before stated. no systematic al
smpt seems 70 have been made for
'ears to have regular settlements with
heSe debtors Of the Commonwealth or
o enforce the payment Of what might
,e due by them.
ALLOWANCES DUE CLERKS.
There were found among the papers
atelv in chsrge of William p Smith