Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1889-05-22
THE TREASURY MATTER.

The special committee, G. T. Free
man and A. w. Johnston, appointed to
examine the books Of the county treas
urer during the four years term of John
Rogers, ending October, 1888, last week
filed their report with the county clerk.
The committee found a balance due and
not accounted for amounting to S14,-
s59.63. In concluding their report, the
committee say:
"Your committee further report that Capt
John Rogers claims a list of scrip has been can
Celed of which there is no record, and that the
list is lost. Your committee think it very prob
able that such ia the case and would refer you
to Robt. j. TaliaferrO, ex-county clerk and j.
G. Walstad, his deputy. Your committee be-
lieve that the balances as shown above indicate
that If such is the case that 1t most likely oc-
CURED in the second year ending Oct IA, 1856,
as it shows Il net gain over the balance of one
year before. viz: Oct. IA, 1885 of $25, 2S2 81
while the increase of the balance Oct. II, 1887
shows Il net increase of only 81, 4l2.46."
A special meeting of the board of
county commissioners was held on the
18th inst, all the members being pres
ent. The report of the committee was
received and John Rogers, j. e. Wal
stad, w. T. Rouse, G.. T. Freeman, A
w. Johnston and Charles Butman were
sworn and examined touching the mat
ter and their evidence. in full, was filed
in the Office Of the county clerk. After
considering the report and evidence,
and it appearing that there had been
withheld from the salary of John
Rogers the su9 of $500 awaiting the
investigation, Twas moved by Commits
sioner Youmans that he be discharged
from all liability to the county and that
the $500 of his salary, withheld, be APP
piled to the payment of the expense of
investigation upon the consent of said
said John Rogers thereto. The motion
was carried, Commissioners Fleming
and Youmans voting in the affirmative
and Commissioner Stranathan in the
negative.
On the 18th inst. the commissioners
again met and authorized E. b. Peck,
treasurer, and w. L. Rouse, clerk, to
prepare and complete, within ten days,
a statement based upon the proceedings
had the day previous, and report at the
next regular meeting of the commits
sioners. The clerk was instructed and
ordered to issue his citation to such per-
sons and officers as he may see fit to
appear with all books, papers. accounts
and vouchers and memoranda showing
the state and nature of their accounts
with John Rogers, as treasurer. The
committee, with f, Sample, are author
lied TO examine such persons as to their
relations with said John Rogers.
The evidence in the case is volumi-
nous ard it all goes to show that a large
list of warrants was cancelled, but no
record made on the books of the former
county clerk.
We have not the room to publish the
report or the evidence, and an abstract
of either or both would only be calcula-
ted to further mystify the already mys-
titled tax payers and our readers.
Our own impression is that Capt.
Rogers did not steal a dollar from the
county. and that he does not owe the
county any great amopnt'of money, if
any; but it is nevertheless fact that
any school boy could have conducted the
Office of treasurer ia more business
like manner, and there is no excuse for
his affairs being in such shape as they
now appear under even the most favor
able light in which they can be viewed
And the records of the county clerk IS
Office are none the less incomplete and
| imperfect. That large amounts of coun.
ty orders should be Cancelled and des
troyed without record of any kind
being made of the transaction exhibits
state of incompetency and careless
ness that cannot be excused.
But after ali, the voters Of Barber
county have only themselves TO blame
They have been warned against electine
incompetent men to Office by this paper
during every campaign for seven years
| and they would not heed the warning
Now that they can see what has beer
the result of their ballots, we have n,
sympathy to offer and we may find i
convenient ON many occasions in tn
future toTefer to the little unpleasant
/ ness connected ,yith this treasury mat
ter.