The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-11-06
IRREGULARITIES IN DISBURSING
APPROPRIATIONS.

IRREGULARITIES IN DIsBURsING
APPROPRIATIONS.
When Warden Hert came into office
at the southern prison Aug. /, 1895, there
remained a little over s ,4OO Of the $751;
900 appropriated for the fiscal year, one
quarter of which had not then expired.
Considering that the ordinary running
month, or SIS, 500 for the last quarter Of
the year, $2,4O0 was a scant measure.
How did this happen? For the rea-
son that during recent years, and par
ticularly during the past four years,
the managers Of institutions have been
Of the next fiscal year for money for
their maintenance the last quarter Of
the fiscal year preceding. Instead of go
ing to the Legislature and asking for an
appropriation to make good a deficiency,
the managers have been permitted to
break into the appropriation made ex-
clusively for the next year.
Take the southern prison.. When the
fiscal year closed Oct. 81, 1894, the war
den required about $14, 900 to pay the
bills Of the year, and the appropriation
for that fiscal year had been expended.
That he might pay the bills due for the
last quarter Of the fiscal yea the war
den was permitted to draw against the
appropriation specially voted for the
fiscal year which began Nov. /, 1894.
The result was that the prison entered
the fiscal year which ended Oct. 81.
1895, with $4,000 Of the $50, 900 expended.
Warden Pdtten further increased the
deficit during the three-quarters Of the
fiscal year that he was in Office, so that
instead Of leaving his successor, Mr..
Hert, about 500. 900 for the last quarter
OF 1895, lie left him but about $2,4o0,
thus increasing the deficiency to ST.. 500.
Thus, at the close Of the fiscal year
which ended with October, the deficit
of the southern prison, which has been
accommodating for several years, was ST.
500.
When Warden Hert went to State
Auditor Daily with his bills for the
last quarter Of the present fiscal year,
Ou lhOuQdy, lie 1Ouuu tudI lHeTc was
but $1,000 standing to the prisons credit.
The demands against the prison were
l 1900 more. which he called for,
but the State Auditor took the
ground that an appropriation made
for the fiscal year beginning Nov. /.
tracted in the previous year. It was
vain to plead custom or precedent to
Mr.. Daily. He quietly but firmly held
that it would be a violation of the law
and subject him to loss. in the event Of
a suit, to pay out for the expenses of
on year the money expressly voted for
another. Encouragement Ketcham full
ly sustained the Auditor. If State Off
cers-can expend money not appropriated
for a special period, regardless Of the
act OF the Legislature, what use can
there be in limiting IN appropriation?
If an act of the Legislature setting
forth hat within a given time a prison
board shall spend only a given amount
is so far ignored as to permit such Off
GERS to draw o~ne-fourth of this years
appropriation to pay last years ex-
~penditures, why may these officers not
draw the whole of it and spend two ap-
preparations in one year?
What was to be done? Warden Hert
could scarcely turn the prisoners loose
and close the prison, and he is bound to
pay current bills. The board of the
southern prison. with the State officers.
held a consultation and concluded that
the only thing to be done was for the
directors to borrow the 81, 500 needed
and ask the next Legislature to vote
been accruing since 1890. This the trus-
tees did yesterday. The claim for the
money will be presented to the Court
of Claims, consisting of the judges of
the Superior Court of this county. which,
If they find the loan regularly made, will
enter their finding for the amount,
which will go into the next appropria-
ton bill without question or ~explana-
ton.
1t is currently reported about the
S~tatehouse that it is more than prob
able that a suit will be brought against
Mr.. Daily's predecessor by one of the
State officers, who, on coming into
office, found that a pc rtion of the ap-
preparation for the year which began
Nov. /, 1894, had been paid out to his
predecessor.
The important feature in this matter
is that the nag of the southern
prison during the past six years have
been spending more tina their apprO-
p~riations-the aggregate of such ex-
penditures being the $1i 500 which the
trustees of the prison borrowed yester-
day because Auditor Daily would not
continue in evident violation of law.
NATURAL GAS, OIL AND EARTH