Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-10-12

verted Into n formal and formidable al
fair as well as a unique and interest
ing one The great dignity OF the
members OF the committee, Messrs- u.
A Spoonts. y. II. Iassiter and +.
w Williams, all wen known att0r-
news. added no little to the awe in
spired BY the presence Of the quasi
court. the prerogauves Of which were
fully respected by all parties, though
from time TO time some objections were
made TO the freedom allowed in the
questions and the vide range taken
BY the investigation
Rut Chairman spoonts ruled persist
emily In favor OF allowing the greatest
latitude in order that the committee
might get at the facts as far as pos
slbie- -,
James 81. Collier, the city auditor. VINO
testified as follow;
~ am auditor Of Fort worth. Have
held that position since January 10
last. Ny duties are to examine all re-
ports. receipts. books and accounts
to check up all the accounts and books
OF each OF the department. 20 800 $50
that the funds have been collected
and what has become Of them. have
checked up the police department
There Is a shortage in that department
OF s7iq.e5. as far as I am able 10 state
at this time. The deposits have been
ever since my connection with the
city a week behind For Instance the
report that is hled by the marshal
on Tuesday goes before the council
Tuesday night. It is acted on by the
council and referred 10 the finance
committee. and Is sent TO me by the
secretary When he gets through
writing M his minutes saturday us
ually. sometimes Monday | take mat
report and check II on Monday usually.
The deposit slip never Accompanies
that report: has never acco'npa MED II
since my term OF office. Taking the
deposit slip that / get usually on the
Tuesday with tina; on the same day
that this report goes TO the councn
this date. the first Of April shows that
the accounts balanced, but this report
was out: u was IN the hands OF the
secretary. taking Its turn to get check
cd W. and that ls always the case
has been since ] have held this posi-
tion. The deposit slip Is the certificate
OF the money being deposited with the
treasurer by the marsh7Vs ciiice.
When / say deposited ] mean depos-
tied with the treasurer. As / stated,
on the first OF April the accounts bal
anced. Then on the 23d of April there
was 2 deposit made ~ S225 which COW
ers the amount u the three reports
for the weeks ending March 30 April
and April r.. Now on that date the
DHINNH AfA my fNIl'f VIII Ha4Nm "a RnN-
ance on account Of the report Of April
~. still being with the secretary. he
not having finthcd his minutes and
gotten Il out 10 be delivered. on MAY
u there was deposited the sum Of
S2sl / have stated that there was
report on the 20th o. Si63. That added
to these Others showed shortage
Of sl69. the exact amount Of the 20th
report. The deposit Of April p, 1925.
covers the three reports that ! have
Just mentioned uf March 20. April 6
and April 10 on MAY Il there was a
deposit made % s2si, which covers the
reports of April 90 and April = Of {lGy
and SIG. The report of May II would
not have gotten In on the litE--ihe
week ending May 1l-which was Sat
urday. The marshal had tho money
in his hands a. that time. on June 4
there was a deposit mnde Of S5Gi
which covers the reports Of May 4, II,
is and Jane !, leaving uncovered the
report OF May o. which was S5s5.50.
The depnsit did not cover the amount
| due by i5s550, which was the report Of
| May 25 The report of May -, the
| large amount Of S5sjj0, they both
reached me the same time on the
| day OF this deposit with the reports
/ that should have been made there was
/ due tho city S5sl.50. That was on the
| FIRST day Of June, since which time the
the reports at all. That discrepancy
4 began right thereon the report OF
/ May 20. which did not reach me until
possibly June or T. The marshal
mnile his deposits irresularly after
/ that time The shortage Increased
/ after that time. when this lnvegtiga.
ton began, on the 18Th Of August, the
! shortage was utlG / first discovered
that shortage on the day that ! check.
ed up this report. along about the FIRST
| Of Junc-that there was due the city
| Sis550. / Immediately chilled the mar.
shars attention TO It, What he said
on that occasion l can't remember now
He did, l think. on that occasion as
he did on numerous others. tell mo
he would see to ~. and See the deposit
was made. After that ! spoke 10 him
and Mr. Matkin ana Mr.. Ferguson al
different times OF course MIR Fer.
guaon, as l understood had nothing &c
do with this at that time. bat he being
In the Office he and / talked the matter
over on several occasions After
called the mnrshals attention to d
the amount due the city was not de-
posted they would now and then max,
a deposit to cover the amount that wa,
accomplishing all the time. When thl,
Investigation was first set on foot IN,
amount OF the shortage was SlalG. Par
OF that amount has been mnde goot
since the investigation started on tn,
18Th Of September Mr.. Matltin deposit
ed s239 10 and on the same day by Mr.
Matkin 49,. and ON the same day h,
Mr. Maddox t590.95, Those were ali
the deposits that were over made.
Since the Investigation commenced
have discovered further shortage o
Sli3. l discovered that at dlncren
times. That consists OF differen
amounts due the city on cases tina
had been at different times reported
10 the city for fines being worked out
Q. Now you say there were n numho
OF cases on the mGrahal'a report tina
were reported worked out that YOU as
ccrtained the cash had been colecte,
In.
A. Part cash and part fluc. amount
ing to Sl23. and two cases amounting Il
$50 that had not been reported. | as
covered that $li3 Mt different times
The greater portion of 1t was discover
ed after the Investigation began.
Q. State what evidence you had tina
these fines had been paid IN part n
money that were reported worked out
4. From an eXamlrNt inn Of this bool
kept in the city marshal's office whlcl
purports TO contain the names Of al
the persons convicted and locked up Ii
the caiaboose who had not pal dan,
cash at the time OF the fine. on OK
animation OF that book L remembe