The herald., 1894-10-15
PIRATICAL POLITICAL PLUMBER.
Boss Burns and the Way He
Bodied the State.
An Official Showing of the Colonel's
Defalcati0ns.
Extracts From John z. Dunn's Report
to the Attorney General - He
Terms 1t Patent, Unblush-
ing Fraud.

The following is copy from John p.
Dunn's report to Hon. E. G. Marshall,
attorney-general:
SACRAMENTO. October 8. 1884.
The investigation shows that during
the incumbency OF d. NJ. Burns, from
January 5, 1880, to January s. 1888, the
total sum of the deficiency was $751;
1889. mot one OF the books in
which were entered the daily transac-
tions OF the office can be found, and the
fee and cash books, which were left
behind, contain 30 many false and mys-
tifying entries, as to show that the de-
termination was to make detection all
the more difficult. But, through an in
conceivable oversight on the part of
Burns Office, yet most fortunately for
the state, some thousands OF letters were
left ON file, from parties in this and
other states, ordering work to be done,
inclosing currency and money orders in
some cases for the payment of the work,
and in others, requesting that it be sent
@. D. D. These letters furnished clew,
which. when followed up, developed q
systematic embezzlement of the states
money"
'Notaries public were appointed, quail
but no record of such appointments, or
receipt of the money appears on the fee
or cash book. The same state of affairs
exists in regard to commissioners of
deeds anc other appointments"
THE books OF ]. w. Shanklin, survey
or-general, show that every month of his
term he paid to the Office OF the eecre-
fnry OF state sums varying from s25 to
S554; and the receipts in possession of
Mr. Shanklin, eignsd by Burns and his
clerks, confirm Mr.. Shanklin's books.
Yet the first entry on Burns books, and
the first sum OF money turned over by
him to the state as coming from this
source, was in December. 1880, when
$50 was paid, although he had been in
Office eleven months, and had received
prior to that date the sum OF $142O.
The receipts held hv Mr.. Shanklin show
that the sum OF $37S9 WAS paid the aec-
rotary OF state, whilst OF that sum but
$653 was paid to the state, leaving de-
ialcation of $685."
In the sale OF the California reports,
the defalcation amounts to $19I2.50.
In the sale OF ballot paper, the de-
falcation amounts to $6,545. .45.
Reynolds, Burne' deputy. Bays he re.
ceived all money when present, kept
the fee and cash books, and made all
monthly reports; that he had private
cash book in which he would enter all
money received. but at the end OF the
month, Burns would direct him to nav
ont certain designated amount into
the state treasury. This amount would
then be entered in the cash book of the
Office.
The difference between the amount
received and the amount turned over
being represented by tags, these tags
being placed in the safe during the
month in lieu of money borrowed by
Burns and others in the Office. Reyn-
olds stated he understood Burns would
make up these monthly deficiencies in
one lump.
This system Of patent, unblushing
fraud began almost at the hour of
Burns incumbency. reaches in unbroken
line to the end of Reynolds deputy
ship, and in less bold, though scarcely
less corrupt manner, continued to the
end OF Burns term.