Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1890-01-18
SORRY SORT OF SHOWING,
Reckless and U, business Like Method Of
Handling County Fiuauces-
Somr SAMPLES.

Messrs. Bartlett, Prince, Gildersleeve
Wedeles, Staab, L. Spiegelberg, Sim
mons. Berger, Frost, Schumann, Twtch.
ell and s. Spiegelberg were present at the
special meeting of the Board of Trade Yes.
terday afternoon to consider the report OF
the special committee investigating the
books OF the county treasurer. Treasurer
Gavlno Ortiz was also present and re-
sponded in detail to all questions asked.
Mr.. Wedeles had been designated to SUN
up the findings of the committee and pre-
sent them to the board. He reported
that there was cash on hand ia the treas
ury at this time to the amount of 81 ,5Sl.-
54. The Investigation was had with the
special end in view of ascertainirg the
status Of the T., S. f. & N. bond interest
fund and the county school fund.
The committee reported no money in
either of these funds. The former treas
urer, N. Garcia, had paid 5000 IN inter.
est on the T., S. f. d N. bonds, on draft
drawn by Calvin S. Brce on B.
Sell Zman, then chairman of the coun-
ty board, but no coupons had been sur-
rendered III lieu thereof, as there should
nave been. Treasurer Ortiz had paid
and had the co Ipons to show for 1t, but
the investigation brought out the fact that
To,UOO OF the coupons turned over by
Gen. Nelly to Mr.. Ortiz were the identi-
cal coupons which Garcia had paid during
Mr.. Stll-man's administration and failed
10 recover. Thus money had been paid
twice out OF the County treasury on the
same coupons. The county holds re-
celpt from Gen. Nelly for the So 900 paid
hy Garcia, SO that nothing will be lost to
to the county by the transaction, but at the
same time the case serves to illustrate a
very loose and shiflless way of carving
ON county business and it was pretty
plainly commented on during yestei davis
meeting.
In order to straighten out this matter
on motion of Mr.. Glderslpeve the Board
of Trade requested Treasurer ORTIZ to adj
dress letter to the Southern Trust COM
pahy, oil which Mr.. Brice vas president.
stating the lacts in the case, asking the
surrender OF coupons sufficient to square
the account with the county, and intimate
ing that until this is done no further IN
teiest will be paid. Mr. Gildersleeve and
Mr. Staab were requested to assist the
treasurer in drafting such letter.
lhe partial report of the committee
touching the school funds revealed mis-.
The committee reported |
that there was now not cent in the
county school fund. In 1883 and 'SY the
sum OF $9,Sol.2O had been paid out bv
treasurer Ortiz on school warrants. Some I
Of these were legal, being drawn by the 4
school treasnrers on the order OF the q
school superintendent, but large ma -
oflty OF the payments were illegal, being
1rawn out OH cel tlticates, which the dis Il
riot attorney had advised the treasurer
were not worth the paper they were T.
written on" The treasurer admitted
hat he took "leyal al ice" on the sub. 81
ect, but he paid out the money first and p
hen went in search OF lie al advice. &
The lnIestl 4allon revealed the TACT that O.,
aree sums had been paid or certificates ~
'r 1883, signed by B. Seigman, chair y"
nan of the county board that Ex-Supt at
1ilarlo Ortiz had gathered in his back due CT
alary ana that the assessors Mr. Mares -,
Or 1883, and Mr. Yrlssarri for 1889, had - -
cen paid their per centage out OF this I'll
md, all OF which is regarded as out of
rider and contrary to law. One very sim or
lllar item was discovered, Vicente Mares, H.
inner assessor, had been paid $40 a. his ~
er centage on the collection of gambling I'll
cense. What ii hit the asst ssor had to az
lake such All absurd claim, and how he ~,
'uld have carried it through to final pay. r.
ent, Is a my stery. The law directs the =,
ERIK to issue gambling licenses, and the ~
SCISSOR has very lit e whatever to do re-
It'll the matter. Tn
The bove are few samples showing oo
e unbu'iness method prevailing under W.
is administration of county affairs.
The committee WIS instructed to further be-
Vesligate the treasuIer's accounts and "
AXE its final report ea'ly next week. %,