The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-01-25
Cronkhite, the Williamsport Defaulter.
Made Free Use of County Money.
Plunged Into Reckless Extravsgance with
Never Thought of the Future or the In
evitable Exposure That Must Follow.
His Estate Will Yield Perhaps Half
Enough to Make Up the 100000.
A Brazil Widow After Pension Finds Her
Husband-Wreck on the Big FOur-Queer
Epitaph-The Explosion at Anderson.
SoT BIG ENOUGH FOR THE OFFICE.

NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR THE OFFICE.
Facts About the Defsication of Treasurer
Cronkhite, of Warren County.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal
LAFAYETTE, Ind. Jan. 24.-There have
been so many reports about the defalcation
of Treasurer Augustus CronkhIte. of Will
Transport, Warren county. that q Journal
reporter to-day visited the thriving coun-
ty-seat of Warren to gather a few facts
from the mass of chaf and cheat that has
been flying about. Treasurer Cronkhite
left last Friday and the Journal represent
alive was given to understand by his
friends that the treasurer could be ha6
when needed.
The auditors books show tnat Cronk.
hIte's liabilities are $50, 0,924.12; that much
is certain. In addition he had issued a
number of checks to the township trustees
for their January allowance and several
of these have been protested. Their exact
amount Is not known. but the best esti-
mates place the sum at between $1,000 and
$4,000. Accepting the latter figures as
correct, the present shortage would be
SEQ, 92412. To meet this Cronkhite has $50
acres of as fine land as there Is In Warren
county; he has seven hundred sheep. q
large number of cattle. hogs and other
real estate other than that included In the
$50 acres. He himself claims. In q letter
left behind. that he was worth $4,000
Conservative estimates cut this down at
least $4,000. On his farm there Is a mort
gage of S12, 600, which must be met before
his bondsmen can hope 10 realize penny
ON his property.
There does not appear to be have been
any method in the officials madness He
offers. in letter to his old friend and
bondsman, Dr. fentOn county AUDITORY 10
turn over every thing he has 10 help bis
hondsmen out. To the relief of the sure
ties Mrs. CronkhIte. who could. If she
chose. claim her shares (most of the prop
erty Is In their joint namesl. has sIgnlfed
not only a Willingness. but desire TO turn
over all the property they have, Jointly or
severally. except homestead In Wllllams-
port. valued at g, 900, $1,000 worth of stock
in some Californs lumber company and
figuring that they will realize about $780,
0O0, perhaps SS5. 900, from her estate.
HAD NO HEAD FOR BUSINESS.
Statements have been made that the
books of the treasurer had been msnipu-
lated; that he accepted money for taxes,
gave receipts. but did not mark off the tax
on the duplicate. This is not true. The
books from casual examination. show
lleved there will be any difficulty in reach.
ing the facts. Cronkhite. when he went
into office, was heavily in debt. There
was mortgage upon his farEl of $4,000.
1t is claimed. and it seems to be borne out
by facts, that he wiped out this mortgage
with moneys Temporarily borrowed" from
the county, no doubt intending to pay it
back III due time. he made improvements
to his fine farm, built expensive fences,
erected splendid barns, bought cattle,
oh b,vh fAw
the money, or nearly all of it,
was apparently derived from the county
treasury. One of his bondemen said that
he could calculate mp where 600 had
beeu used in paying off old debts, buying
new farms and making improvements. No
one expresses belief that Cronkbite was
Intentionally dishonest On the contrary.
every one says of him that the whole
trouble was that his business was too big
for his financial ability. and. there being
no demand for the money by the county,
he kept taking O little at a time, intending
to realize upon his real estate when
needed.
Last August he borrowed $40. 600 to tide
over his accounts. This he paid out OF the
November collections, which left him
cramped for money. He tried TO negoti-
ate q new loan. and as late as Friday was
at Attica trying to do this but failed. That
afternoon he left on the train. Some of bis
friends think he has gone to Marion, this
State. where he has brother residing.
Mrs. Cronkhite and his attorney both say
Cronkhite took but $500 with him.
LEFT LITTLE BEHIND HIM.
The commissioners at the instance of the
bondsmen. have taken possession of the
treasurer's Office. They demanded the
keys of Deputy Porch Monday night, and
Sheriff Powell now has charge of the Office.
An inventory of the safe to-day revealed
about $3.50 in cash and q few postage
stamps. The office Is closed and no business
is being done. Of the thirty bondsmen tf-
teen will have to pay nearly all. eight OF
the remaining being unable TO pay any
thing. and the other seven will be penDi-
less before their proportion is paid. Cronk-
hIte is credited with $4,000 worth of prop
erty subject to go 600 in mortgages. but
part of this property is in his yIfe's name,
and other In their name jointly. His lndi'
vidual property Is worth about
$4,000. HIS flight was preoipi-
tated by the commissioners order
ing S200 600 indebtedness paid and he had TO
carry out the order. He was not a specuis-
tor in any sense, but had a mania for buy
ing property on partial payments, and put
ting on 1t lavish improvements. His
whereabouts are known 10 his family and
the probabilities are that On arrangement
Will be made for his return. In which case
the 900 of unincumered property held
by him and his wife will be decided to the
DOuuQOlQeFB.
Peter J. Fleming. the treasurer elect, has
been appointed treasurer to fill out the un-
expired term. HIS representative, MIR. Os-
borne. went to Indianapolis Tuesday to
secure his commission, and he is busy get
ting up his bond. which Is in the sum OF
S2C0,00O. Mr. Fleming Is one of the sureties
on Cronkhit te's bond. as il also Sheriff Powell
and Auditor Fenton. Ii Is expected the new
treasurer will take the Office about Friday.
The county is out of funds. and the oom-
missioners will at once negotiate n loan of
$40, 600 S25, coo tide over affairs until
the bondsmen have time TO shape them
selves around and realize little money.
It now looks as though they would have TO
put up from 5000 10 $4,000 according 10
the way the property OF Cronkhlte pans
out.
What Mr. Hunter Knows of Cronkhfte.
Representative Hunter. of Warren coun-
ty, who resides on q farm adjoining that
of August CroL khite, the defanlting treas
urer of Warren county. throws some light
on the causes leading TO the treasurer's
shortage. He said that Cronkhite
had made three contests for the party
nomination before he was chosen for the
Office. and in each campaign he spent con-
siderable money. When no entered upon
his duties. nearly four years ago.
he was in debt some sl2000.
and he bought other property and
went deeper in debt. paying Hunter eaid.
twice as much as any other man wonid