Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1888-03-23

without suspecting the design. The
Assistant Treasurer, Mr.. James Haw-
kius, was as obliging as he knew how,
aud furnished all the information at
his command. Mr.. Hawkins, who is
entirely innocent of any completely,
had not thought of what was going
on. by comparison of accounts, ten.
Hewitt was enabled to take his bear
ings properly, and Sunday night he
called upon the officers of the Branch
Kentucky Bank and the Farmers
Bank TO know what balance remained
with them to the credit of the State,
as deposited by Treasurer Tate. lie
found that the amount aggregated in
round numbers 100000. Adding
this to the fund in the Office vault,
and producing other records requisite
to the calculation, he was able to dis
cover the shortage, if any existed.
A DISCREPANCY
against the Treasurer to the extent
of $l20,Sl0 50 was readily apparent.
After he had computed to his own
satisfaction, Gen. Hewitt, on Mon
day, laid the facts before Coy. Buck
ner, Secretary oft State Matt Adams
and Attorney General p. Watt iar-
din. All the records were again ira
versed and the conclusion was unde-
niabe. The conference continued
until midnight, when the documents
which were communicated to the
House and Senate to-day were draft
ed, and Gen. Hewitt, who did the
writing, stated that he would rather
have parted with his right arm than
have performed the painful duty.
The result of the investigation was
kept secret until the information
was brought to the notice of the Cen
eral Assembly in the orthodox way,
the Governor sending the following
message to them:
"GENTLENIEN OF THE SENATE AND
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: 1t is
my painful duty to announce to you
the fact that for reasons which appear
in the accompanying act of the Gov
ernor, Auditor and Attorney General,
the Treasurer of the State has been
suspended from the exercise OF his
official duties. The hasty examina-
tion which has been made OF his
books induces the belief that there is
A large deficit in his accounts. This
examination was made yesterday.
The action reported TO you was taken
last night as soon as the deficit was
exposed. The fact is communicated
to YOU at the earliest moment for
YOUR information and action. 1t is
believed that the bond of the Treas
urer will fully cover any possible de-
felt that more complete investi ga
ton may reveal. In the meantime
the Auditor and Secretary of State |
have been directed to take temporary
charge of the office of the Treasurer,
Respectfully, S. B. BUcKNER.
"Mach 20, 1885,
Legislation was paralyzed 1tfescruss-
time 6ei Hnaggssatfo EQUAL development of
he day, aud the expression on all
tides W as one ofthe deepest sympathy
or the defaulter and his afflicted
'amily.
|
Scores of people were in the habit
If going to him regularly for loans
These ranged from few dollars into
thousands. Experience has taught
how frequently it occurs that loans
are never made good. With Treas
urer Tate, the rule held good. Peo-
pie understood that he always had
cash at command, and they never
scrupled aboutapproaching him. For
this reason, il is thought that when
the papers.on file in his office are
brought to public notice, some racy
developments are to be expected. Ii
is claimed that he has advanced in the
ueighborhood of $4,000 TO several
friends in the whisky pool. Several
prominent Frankfort people are said
to be in his debt heavily. Until the
papers are examined, however, it
would be little better than spccula-
tive gossip to name them, or attempt
to describe the amounts.
For the present no one can say fol-
how long the shortage has been grow
ing. Two years ago his accounts
we're examined and found correct
But experienced heads say that thu
premises as then stated were falla
| cious.
The fact that his books have bal
4, anced correctly at the end of eac|
| month with the accounts kept by tn
D Auditor, and that a deficit was all tn
while accruing, is explainable in tw
= ways. The Treasurer either with
/ held money from deposit or he dre'
e it out of bank without making an en-
e try. In the absence of the bankin
r. ledger, there was no means of detec
d ing such discrepancy, no matte
3 how fragrant the swindle.
<, lie was under 100000 bon
Ie which the State Treasurer is requi
4, ed to give, to be renewed every tw
t. years, the following gentlemen beir
bondsmen: j. Stoddard johnson, !
w. Macklin, Thomas j. Megibbe
w. j. Chinn, Steve Black, Gen. SEQ
ID Brown, G.. w. Robb and w. ii. Ba
he bee, their combined fortunes beii
ID placed at a million dollars.
L. lie wasnot a poor man, being repol
a ed to be worth from $4,000 to vi
m 600 dollars.
al The Auditor and Secretary of Sta
ID have charge of the Treasurer's ofiit
10 Azz1znHllaHllllnHl-l