The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-24
HIS removal SUGGESTED
Report Of the Council Committee on
tho Affairs OF Treasurer
Walker,
The Matter Laid Over Two Weeks
to Accommodates tho
Bondsmen.
Clore street latter Reopencd and tho
Women win Remai but onaer
r0llce Surveillance

Treasurer James b. Walkers affairs wsr'
before the city council last night. Asyol
Curtin recommended that tho hond OF IN
city treasurer Be increased from $2"'oW tt
275.OOO. He said the p esent bond was en-
tirslv too small for an ofhcsr who rscslvec
and disburssd $685. 900 a year. Ihs county
t~r,asurer,s bond, the mayor said, was $l5o,'
OOO. and that officer handled 100000 .
xear. On motion Of Alderman Fuller II
vas ordersd that the bond be increased 70
e75.OOO. TIL mayor also recommended tns
n.ssacs of m ordinance directing the can
ISOLATION OF all warrants In the OF the
oitv treasurer for a period of ons year. sas
work 10 DO lone under the supervision OF
the MAYOR and the committee on auditlnR.
nh. ordinance committee VAS directed to
prepare An ordinance 70 that enso'' 40.
next thing was The report OF the omm's's
APPOINTED on the work OF the expsts'' W.
n. Dollivsr and W.. j. Beckett, VINO OK
amined the city trsasursr's books. " 10
signed by Mayor Curtin and Aldermen
Daniel Hanlsy, Thos. p. Fuller ana T.. D.
Howell. and il as follows:
To ths Honorable City Council OF the
Citv of Helena: Gsntlsmsn-Ws, your
committee, to whom WAS referred tho re-
ports Of Experts Beckett and Dolliver' OF
the treasurer's office. with lnstrucsiohs TO
..,ert.ip the balances in the banks TO the
.-.a;t NJ tho CITY. beg leave to submit ths
following.
In the Merchants National bank, Aug;
- 1seo-General fsud, 81, $50. o.; fire fund
lover draft, 81 ,023.69); street tunS; ~
III. ~. interest and sinking fund. $a'e46'oe;
redemption fund, 81. $50. 63; sewerage 1uno'
In the First National bank.Gsneral
fund, e., 1863. ~; redemption fand, Sl'ooo.'o
We found these amounts In she agRrsea'e
far short Of the amount as shown by she
exnorts report, to-wit: S42.3 57.3s. We then
visited tho trsssursr's office, where We
fonnd \ largo sum of money in the safe.
consistinQ Of checks for IS, 1885, soms OF
the checks bearing date ~ Tar BACK az hey'
currency 81. Oss; gold coin. $4S5; SILVER COIN.
$l1s.70 and other Fash Items S4lo. msA adnaR
posted with the Merchants National bank
after which. ON Aug. ID. We obtained a
statement from said bank howln bal
anoes as follows: General fund. S11,4eLo9;
FIRE fund, (ovsrdraft. $1.O23:59); street
fund, sc, III. %; interest and slnkinR fund'
IS, s46.3s redemption 1una, sl.Jo':oo'
newer fund, $3.50. 50; less checks in the IN
TERM against the general fund. 81 .le4.y
fire fund, $50. 25; redemption fund. $62o.5a
Wa also found w%arrants and coupons re-
deemed since experts report in trsssure''s
Office a%ggrsgatine $5,667.45 which We gave
the treasurer credit for. We then counted
cash in tbs safe, funds that hsa 1uss come
the receipts of the office since Aug.'3. the
close of the experts report, were Sl,4lo.3o,
and by giving the treasurer Credits as fol-
lows:
Balance in Merchants National bank as
per statement August IL. $50. 934.6'; balance
in the First National bank, $4.ol1:s9; war
rants and coupons redeemed in office since
August 3. $5,65 .45; warran'st taken IN as
cash for ~licenses and in Office. $4le.2 20; cash
in safe August 10 at close OF business,
81, O25. At. Total, $3s, 053.O4.
And charging him with cash receipts OF
office stint e August 3, $1,41O.3S. We have a
total OF $50. 642.s against 42'357.3s as re-,
quired by the experts report or So''lf''2
shortage.
Your committee has carefully examined
the experts' report and have found the
same to be correct and Its
adoption. We recommend further that tbs
city attorney be instructed to take the
necessary steps to collect the balance aus
the CITY from the treasurer and his bonds
men. Your committee further report that
their investigation of the affairs of the city
treasurer's office has convinced them TINT
the business OF said of1ic CO has been conduct
ed in a manner careless and negligent in
the extreme and that they are of the opin-
ion that the present incumbent 10 1neom-
petent and wholly unfit 10 perform the
duties of treasurer OF the city of Helena,
and that he should be removed therefrom
and Il suitable person appointed IN his
place.
Treasurer Walker sent = letter to the
council, in which he said: Owing to the
fact that the examination OF my books has
not been completed, and that further time
is necessary to compare my accounts with
the reDo ts of your experts, | would request
that you allow me two weeks time to finish
the in %vestigation. I have employed Il. B..
Palmer, an expert accountant. to conduct
the investigation in my behalf, and will
promise that the report will be forthcoming
At the time stated. ! make this request In
Justice to my bondsmeu as we'll as myself
Alderman Mortls asked. in justice to the
bcndsmen, that the consideration Of the
committee report be postponed for two
weeks. 1t would give the bondsmeu time
to make I'm examination OF the trsasurer's
books ON their own account. After some
discussion a. to how much time should be
given, it WAS decided to lot the matter &C
over until the next regular meeting. three
weeks of.
The unfortunatss on Clors street also re-
csived some attention. Mayor Curtin
stated that the city marshal was uncertain
as to how far the council wished him to go
in the enforcement OF the section Of the
city ordinances that forbids tbs existence
H. 1.-1 - L- So I-rAa