The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-09-14
REPORTS FAIL TO TALLY
Treasurer Walker Sends One to the
Council Making His Ac-
counts Correct
It Was Gotten Up One Month AT
tor That Indicating Quite
q Shortage.

C0c 10AC G&NALO
q Shortage.
The Whole Matter Sent to tho Special Com
mittce for Investigasion-City
Licenses and Levy.
The affairs of City Treasurer Walker were
again before the council last night. 1t will
20 remembered that when the report OF the
experts. W. J. Beckett and w. NJ. Doliver.
was submitted about . mont ago. they
stated that they were unable TO verify the
balances that should have been in bank, a.
the banks declined to let them know. When
Mayor Curtin and Aldermen Fuller, Hanley
and Howell were appointed q special COM
mittss to look into the city tressursr's AZ
fairs in connection with the experts report,
they got the balances from the banks and
what The treasurer had on hand. Then, at
the last meeting in August, they reported
that there Was . shortage apparent In
the t%reasurer's accounts. and recon-
mended that he be removed, that
the city attorney take steps to collect the
balance due from his b%ondsmen, and that
the bonds Of tho officer in that position be
increased from $4,000 to $4,000. Last
night Treasurer Walker made u report
which showed that at the close Of business
Yesterday the funds on hand and in the
bank represented what balance the books
called for. This report was referred to the
same committee that had the matter III
= - 49, A. ~ Avr 5v1n J SN m
ton with their own report and that OF the
experts, and 10 report at a special meeting
tomorrow night. Treasurer Walker, l.. II.
Hershfield, one of his bondsmen, and II. Is.
Palmer, under whose supervision the last
examination and report were made, were
present during the early part OF the even
ing. They heard the treasurer's report
read. but did not wait for the subsequent
proceedings. Experts Beckett and Doliiver,
however, sat through the session OF the
council
The first thing in connection with the
matter was when Treasurer Walker sub
mitted q report for the period beginning
examined and testified to by II. b. Palmer.
The city treasurer said in his letter accom-
panyinQ the report: Il have heard it men
stoned, but have not been officially notified
that the council intends to increase the
bonds Of the CITY treasurer to $4,000. l am
ready and willing to execute such a bond,
or any other the council may direct, at any
time. Whatever your honorable body may
decide upon, 1 will agree TO furnish not
later than tomorrow noon. and refer you to
L. b. Hershfeld for = guaranty to that
effect"
Accompanying the report were statements
by the tellers Of the First National and
Merchants banks. as to the balances in
those institutions. In the First National
there was stated to be 49, 1928 SO, and in the
Merchants ga, SOC. 49. The city treasurer's
report showed that from Aug. "a, 1891, to
Aug. 20, 1892, the receipts were $456, 379.5O,
the principal items being cash balance
from B. W. s. Folk. $12. 1901; licenses,
S22.S27; building inspector, $4,000; city
a, 464. n; dog catcher. S476; Lawrence
street assessment, SIG, $50. 70; sewerage per
mits, 81, 1873 IS; street fund, $69o.4O
fire fund. 1854, %; sale of war
rants, $10s. 443; tax collections. STA
2.45; sale of funding bonds. SOL. 400.
The disbursements were $424, 1853,
the main items being warrantss surrendered,
interest on warrants and interest and sink
ing fund for bonds 1885,, 4e3, Lawrence
street fund $14.8 1862. 10. library fuud
sc, SOC. 43; leaving a balance of 49,. 253. 70.
Receipts since Aug. 20 last have brought
this up to S35, O7S. &c. which tallies with the
disbursements since that time and the bal
sASSO IA ~ oAh - VI" &0ies AO ~
port was referred at thet time to the mayor
and the committee on auditing. City Clerk
Mclntire reported the amount Of warrants
drawn on him during August. $31, 130. "a,
The CITY treasurer returned to the city
clerk 1913, S49.O OF. This made the amount of
outstanding warrants, according to the olty
treasurer's reports, 1921, 521. A.
Considerable other business had been
transacted, and it was late in the evening
when the report of the special committee,
laid over from the previous meeting. to-
Gether with the report of the experts, was
called up. The CITY treasurer and his prin-
cipal bondsman had gone by that time.
The council had sat in awkward. silence for
a few minutes after the reports were read
again for the benefit of those who had not
heard them at the meeting when they were
submitted. AS the committees report had
shown a shortage and recommended the
remova of the treasurer. and AZ tho one
was not short. there was natur-
ally some hesitation. The silence
was broken when Alderman Fuller
arose witt a small strip of paper in his
hand. He stated that Expert Beckett had
been told at noon that day by the man who
was examining the treasurer's books that
the balance on hand WAS about 1927, 100.
The treasurer's report showed ths balance
on hand to be about S34. 600 at the close of
business. THE ouncil can draw its own
conclusions" added Alderman Fuller. Ex-
pert Beckett, being called on, confirmed
Alderman tuller's statement OF the matte.
Mayor Curtin said the examination made
by Fl. B. Palmer, on which the treasufer's
statement wss based, showed the condition
of the books a month after the report of
the special committee was made. The two
reports, hs thought. should have been made
on tho same basis; that is. they should have
both shownt tho condition of tbs books at
the same date. The city treasurer told
me as late as five O'Clock this afternoon
that the report of the experts was practi-
ce!ly correct" the mayor added. In reply
to u question by Alderman Fuller. the
mayor stated that when the committee
given him a check for the amount of short
check be not presented until the following
Monday. The mayor sad he presented the
check on the day designated, and the bank
threw it out. He still had the check.
Alderman Fuller said there WAS but two
things for the council! to do, either to adopt
or reject the report of the special commit
tee. A motion to thHt effect WINS made,
when Alderman Weber bsked that the
whole subject be referred back to the speciaI
committee. AldaImau Collina asked If the
treasursrs statement could be checked III
with the one made by the experts. Elk
pert Beckett promptly answered that il
could not, as one was inauo Aug. - and the
other sept. -. 1t was finally agreed &c
refer all tho reports back to the committee
to report to q meeting called tor that
special put pose to- morrow night.