Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-04-24

All these original bills to which the num-
bered voucher refers, are dated, you perceive,
previous to the date of approval and oath,
the last one bearing date March Ii, lsSj, two
months previous thereto.
This IN the case throughout and | cannot
conceive of greater injustice than your public
accusation of carelessness, much less the in
sinuatiOn Of fraud.
Again, I am accused of equal neglect in
accepting clothing accounts for the school
year ending May, ~, 80, which contain bulls
dated in the previous year, under the intima-
ton, ] suppose, that said bills must have been
counted twice. This IL the language: "Bills
amounting to g, $50, ~ Tor clothing bought in
other years have been improperly charged
against the year lSSi."
With only two exceptions these bills were
for the purchase of goods near the close of the
school year ending May 81, lsSI, but not dis
tributed until after June ], the opening OF the
new school year. and therefore, were properly
mot 'improperly," as you see tit To charge)
included in the school year 1855, and were so
sworn to by the managers. The two excep-
tiOns refer to two bulls OF January ., 1854,
where there was clearly a clerical error in the
year date, not making it 1855. Indeed, the
evidence of this clerical error was so OConNinC-
ing that the inspector could not mistake 1t.
In no case can there be found single bill
entering into any clothing account twice. 1t
would require a system OF perjury impossible
to be carried on without prompt detection.
USRECEPTED BILLS.
Another charge is made Of admitting unre-
ceipted bills. All these bills, with two eX-
ceptiOns, are the running accounts of the
school for mending boots, etc, aud max ing
articles of clothing, all done by the school
itself, and examined on the spot by this in
speCtor to see If the regular rates are allowed
were followed, and the work actually done.
Many OF the schools, indeed the larger part
of them, have followed the practice suggested
to form nj int ~ har,g lima hn
amount to the superintendent and Teceipting,
in view of the regular quarterly payments
by the state.
The two exceptions referred to are one bill
of the tniOntOwn school aud one of Mans
field. The goods were on hand aud distr-
buted, and found to lie so by the inspector
and sworn TO by the managers, aud no claim
on this account could possibly be brought
against the state. Tho receipts, however,
have been secured.
Again, | am made responsible Tor the fact
that bills amounting To S5i,0i7,17 out of a total
of Si7, ,766.7i, have not been approved by the
inspectors Al of these bills, footing up these
amounts, have been approved in the general
summary, from the audit oi the several sep
arate bills, and sworn to. | required, in the
new arrangement, that, when the separate
original bills were examined and checked
of, each individual bill should also be ap-
proved by signature, as we'll as the general
summary. The inspectors, inasmuch as it
was the first year Of the new practice, did not
Tor a while understand this. Indeed, it is
almost an unnecessary caution, not usual in
auditing accounts but desired ii to he done
out OF extreme caution only. Any one can
see that this charge of carelessness is trivial
and hardly worth notice.
You further make charge that travelling
expenses in the purchase of goods have
been allowed and approved by the inspec-
tors. This has been done only in one case-
a bill OF SO for two trips to Philadelphia Tor
the purchase of clothing by Mr.. Moore, OF
White Hall school. | told the inspectors not
to include any bills of this kind, and only
this single bill of ten dollars has crept in,
contrary to my directions.
Space iorbids following this matter
further.
The accounts, with all the original bills,
| and oaths, aud approyals, are open to the
ireest inspection oi all, and with a little eX'
PLANTATION from one familiar with the
soldiers orphan school accounts, they will
| be found tn be remarkably correct.
Another charge is made against me on the
| score OF having changed the rates for maxi Ing
| clothes and mendiDg boots. | here insert
| the old and new rates, side by side, that the
| extent of my misdoings in this direction may
he seen, stating beforehand that the change
| WAS placed before you in the report before il
| went into force in tho schools.