The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-03-23
KENTUCKY'S BIG SENSATION
DefaIcatiOn of Tate Ascertained To Bein
the Neighborhood of s250,000.
An Attempt to Impicate Judge 7. F. Hargis
Calls Ont from that Gentleman State
ment Rejecting on Auditor HeWett.

LOUISVILLE, March 22.-The defalcation of
State Treasurer Tate grows in amount as the
experts examining his. accounts progress. 4ester-
day afternoon Auditor Hewett announced to the
Governor that the amount Of the deficit was
$197, 964. GO, but later this was increased by
SIC, $50 and it IL now thought that the total
shortage Will not be far from s250,OOO. The
books OF the Treasurer's Office show extreme
Iooseness and neglect and it will be weeks before
order can be brought out OF the existing chaos.
Where the money went is still as much mystery
ns ever That Tate accommodated his friends is
adnoittsd but that he loaned such sum as this
Is hardly believed. His private papers have not
as vet been looked into. story told to-day IL
Illustrates the extremely careless methods which
obtained with Mr.. Tate in his administration of
business affairs. In 1888 the State finances ran
low. aud it was found necessary to borrow $780,
D0O On Dec. go 1894, the interest on the loan,
amounting TO $4,000, fell due. When bank Off
cial arrived with the claim the Auditors Office
slosad il being after o'clock in the evening,
but Treasurer Tate was still at headquarters.
He knew that the amount was due, and the
banker pretended TO be in a hurry about the
matter, Mr.. Tate offered to obIige him by fur
nighluR his personal check for the amount He
laid away the receipt and only week 50 ago
ran across il. He had forgotten the transaction
entirely, and remarked that he considered him
self just that much better off
The special committee appointed to ar
range articles Of impeachment TO be
lodged against Treasurer Tate is in
session this morning, finishing up its
business preparatory 30 submitting its report to
the Legislature. The report was adopted. and
prosecuting committee named in accordance
with the recommends tion.
It is now In order for the House 60 appoint q
committee TO frame an indictment containing the
full charges, to be addressed to the Senate.
Upon receipt of this the Senate will fix day
when it will resolve itself into high court of
impeachment. A precept will either be servAd
upon Treasurer Tate. or left at his house with
some white person over sixteen syears of age.
Then reasonable time. till about Wednesday of
next week, viii be given to him to respond, and
IL he fails to do this IN person or send repre-
sentative. it is probable that Speaker Bryan. as
In a case in the courts, will appoint some one to
appear in his behalf as for nonresident On
the day fixed for the trial, each Senator will be
required to take an additional oath, and in the
name of each member OF the General Assembly
and of every person in the Commonwealth, the
mittee from the House serving in the capacity
OF prosecu tors. 1T the impeachment stands,
then the Office of Treasurer of State will be de-
clared vacant
The Announcement has caused to be issued
attachments against the known assets of the alb
scondire Treasurer
special from Frankfort saws: GA Demo
cratic caucus was held last evening which acted
on two very important matters. Resolutions
were offered requiring the Democratic party 10
thoroughly investigate the accounts of all State
officers and the administration of the affairs of
all State institutions. This the caucus consid-
cred absolutely necessary to the interests of the
party. 1t was further resolved that a commit
tee be appointed TO act 10 the matter and pre-
cent resolution before the House requiring
examination Of the State Offices by expert
countants."
The public interest now centers in the investi-
CATION to be made IN the Auditors Office. Aud
itor Hewett is man of high character and ac-
knovled ability, but the feeling prevalent is
that he must have been too lenient or derelict
in the matter of the monthly settlements with
the Treasurer required by the statutes. Many
openly declare that he must have known of
Tates's shortage long before his fight. In
speaking of the defaultiug Treasurer to q re-
porter. this afternoon, he himself said: II told
him over and over again that he would
himself If he did not learn to say mo-
60 borro wing friends. OF course. did not
know he was lending, the States money, but
Knew he was being largely imposed upon, be-
cause he would come 10 me and says Has so
and-so ceshed his check got his warrant YETI
and would tell him yes. Why he would re-
ply, Il advanced that man his money or a large
part Of it. When this happened often warned
him to Quit it, that he could not afford it; but
he would only laugh in his good-natured way.
and say: oh, well, that fellow will pay me
some time guess"
morning paper published the statement that
Judge Thomas F. Hargis formerly the Su-
preme Bench OF the State, was one of the off
eials in high place who had borrowed money
from Tate. The article went on to specify that
the sum of 81, 900 was now due the absconding
Treasurer from the said Judge Judge Hargis is
of the bestknown politicians of the State,
and the article caused great deal of comment
This afternoon the Judge publishes a card, a
half column in length, in which he makes the
following statement:
Il do not owe James w. Tate or the State of
Kentucky any sum whatever. 1 would call for
my salary as judge sometimes before it pay
able, and Tate would take l. o. u or brief
memorandum and pay me the salary, and when
the warrant was issued by the Auditor it would
be delivered to Tate and he got credit for it.
Why should Hewett single me out, under such
circumstances, and have my name published as
one OF the list of those who got the money, but
mention one elsef He knows that do not
knows his own evasive methods. Hewett may
deny putting my name before the public to
crafty his malice, and he may get some bench
men or tool 70 take tie responsibility of doing
30; but that will not change the fact. Can he,
however, say truthfuly that he was not at any
time engaged in speculation in mountain lands
never was aud has not recently beer in
whisky speculation with Tate9 The Auditor
must know of all the money that is paid in or
drawn out of the treasury he is the check
balance aud guardian of the treasury. If the
Auditor folowed his duty closely, how could the
Treasurer steal during Hewett's long incumbency
In office, he being now q third termer himself!
Fayette Hewett lS the last man on earth that
should be allowed to investigate Tate his bosom
frend-Tate at whose Preside and in the bosom
Of whose family Hewett has ever been well
it would be more seemly for Hewett and his
brother To stand out of the way until both OF
the financial departments, the twin sisters. the
Auditors and the Treasurers Offices are fully
investigated. No harm can come to honest men
from so doing, and the servants of the people
ought to be prudent enough to do all things we'll,
openly and fully at this time. az a failure TO do
will leave uneasiness, at least, in the minds
of MANY"
Mr. Thierunan. Of Louisville. arrived home
from Canada last night, aud says that he saw
Treasurer Tate In Canada.