St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-03-25
Public Examiner Kenyon and
Hennepin's County Treas
upep'S Books. g
Failure to Trace $1,278 the
Groundwork for a -
Roast.
Auditor Ledgerwood Makes
an Explanation on the
Treasuper's Behalf.
Matter Left With Assistant At
torney General Childs
With Power to Act. -

Public Examiner Kenyon yesterday
made report of the examination into
the affairs of the Hennepin county
treasury. The report is a "scorcher"
for. County Treasurer Peterson. practl-
cally accusing him of maladministra-
ton of his Office, and limiting that the
only remedy is for the governor to ex-
ercise the power of suspension. One OF
the errors of Mr.. Peterson cited by the
examiner is the failure to account for
81 ,27S received from the city of Mime
apolis in June, 1891, which. however,
County Auditor LedgerwOod attempts
to explain; another error was the fail
ure to compare the tax lists of 1891 with
the receipts issued; still another is
where Auditor Ledgerwood allows Mr..
Peterson to draw his salary nearly
month in advance, while the final error
cited is in allowing bills Of the sheriff of
Hennepin county. The public examiner
furnishes report OF the Hennepln
county treasury when examined Feb.
"a, and proceeds:
ceipt of $l,278 received by the treasurer III
June. 1891, from the city of Minneapolis, for
which Mr.. Peterson had not accounted, nor
charged himself with, on date OF the examlna-
ton; hence at that time he was short that
amount enclose herewith q copy OF let
ter from MIR. Ledgerwood in regard to this
matter which is the explanation Mr.. Peter
son offers as to the transaction.
Accepting the explanation as true. the
fact that so large an amount could be paid
and not appear on the books in any form is
hardly compatible with proper and busl-
ness-like administration OF an office OF the
magnitude and importance of the treasury OF
the largest county in the state: Much
tenn of payment of taxes. under the
present law, and this incident but
emphasizes the great defect Of the SYSTEM
which permits the treasurer to receive money
without the knowledge of the auditor, and
thus leaves it to great extent optional with
the treasurer to account for IL at the time OF
receipt, or when it comes to the knowledge
of the auditor in some other way, as in this
case.
Under the present law there is no remedy
for such a condition unless the governor
should exercise the power of suspension as
provided by chapter 10S, General Laws OF
1881.
In checking up the receipts, this Office did
not examine the books prior to Nov. 1. 1891.
and inquiry at the auditors office ELECTED
the fact that no comparison of tax lists with
the receipts issued has been made in that
Office. 1t is claimed in the reasurer's
and carefully done, and confidence expressed
that errors of amounts and omissions OF
marking paid. on the tax lists are corrected
at all early date; but as the treasurer admits
in the instance OF the payment by the city,
that clerk may have secured the money, the
unpleasant feeling remains that there may
have been similar transactions in relation TO
the ordinary daily receipts. rs
A further matter of criticism OF the treas
urer also involving the auditor. is the factor
ti,raf nht inJ11 ri n
1891 a warrant for the greater part of his sal
airy for that month, the'warrant bearing date
Dec. "a, and appearing to have been paid on
the 9th. While perhaps there is no objection
to payment of any part Of a months salary
after it is earned there is a decided objection
to any material advance payment to any Of
ficer. -
Excepting possible omissions by the treas
urer, the books of the treasurer and auditor
appear to be accurately and methodically
kept.
In looking over the bills allowed by the
commissioners, there were found bills for
summonlng juries by the sheriff, in which
mileage is charged for each juror. and not
summoning said jurors, which is the statu-
tory provision. Also in bills for serving
subp9nas, there was apparently disregard
of the statutes. which provide that where
ton mileage shall be charged only for the
furtherest.
LedgerwOOd Explains.
A letter from County Auditor Ledger
wood to the public examiner under date
of March IL, reads:
The item of something over $1,000 board
bills from the city by the county treasurer.
II. o. Peterson, and which had not been ac
counted for him at the time Mr. West, your
deputy, visited his office recently, was yester
day placed in the bank to the credit of Hen
a history M m
ter Is due MIR. Peterson. At the time his at
tention was called to this matter, by this
Office, some time in January last Mr.. Peter
son was apparently very much surprised to
properly entered on his books, and asked
for time to have a further eXami-
nation made of the books, in an eff
fort to discover the missing entry, with
the distinct understanding that II the entry
could not be found he would at once make
the amount good out of his private funds.
This request was granted by me- and Mr..
Peterson has since caused such examination
to be made with result that the entry could
not be found OH his books although 1t was
clear that the money had been deposited in
bank. Mr.. Peterson at that time had dep.
uty Mr. Monroe who has since left his en-
ploy and also left the city. This deputy was
also bookkeeper, but as he has gone away,
no explanation of the transaction could be
secured from him. Consequently Mr.. Peter
son made the amount good yesterday, as
stated, but he did SO under protest, that is. he
reserved the right in case the entry was ever
discovered, in some fund to which it did not
properly belong, that he should be entitled
to recover the money without recourse to
law?
l beg leave to say in this connection that I
am perfectly satisfied that no Intentional
wrong was done by Mr.. Peterson, as ever
since his attention was called to the matter
he has taken most willing and positive ac-
ton to discover how the error occurred. and,
failing in this he has taken the amount from
his own funds and reimbursed the county to
the fullest extent. have no idea, of course.
what your report on the matter will be, but l
deem it my duty to give you this statement
of facts as know them to exist, so that you
may have fuller understanding of the
transaction that you could perhaps get from
a single examination of the treasurers books.
/ trust you will pardon the liberty l have
taken in addressing you on this subject,
which pertains only to your Office, and which
am satisfied you will give all the attention
it deserves.
Gov. Merriam. before leaving for the
East last evening, stated that he had
referred the report of Examiner Kenyon
to Assistant Attorney General Childs
with instructions to act in the matter.