The Delta independent., 1895-02-13
DENVER LETTER.
pENyER. CoLo., Feb. II. 1seE

Inc revelations mat are being made
by the Investigating committee of the
Legislature warrant the assertion that
there is not a department in the State
government that came out OF the last
administration with clean garments.
Not even the immaculate Goodykoontz
escapes. 1t is violation of his oath of
Office for the auditor to permit vouchers
t. so through his Office which he knows,
or efen suspects, are fraudulent. Bui
it was shown before the house commit
tee last Friday night that Auditor
Goodykeontz did that very thing. 1t
appears in tiiss wise-Attorney General
Engley ostcasitsys paid his twQ> assis-
tants, Sale and. Thomas, respectively,
$3.50 and 1925 per month. At least that
is what he promised to pay them, and
that is the way he drew their vouchers.
The law permits the heads OF depart
ments to draw the money for assistants
and pay it TO the assistants in cash.
Attorney General Engley would draw
vouchers according to this example:
ITO Eugene Engley $3.50 for salary for
H. L. Sale for March, 1894" He would
get tho cash and give Mr.. Sale $3.50 of
it. In the same way he would draw
S225 for Mr.. Thomas and give him Sl65
oi IL. This was q straight knock down
of $50 each.
This manner of doing business was
made known to the auditor by Messrs.
Sale asd Thomas, but that official per-
mitted it to go on without a protest.
This was the testimony given by Sale
and Thomas before the house .Lexow,
ers" last Friday night.
Mr.. Engley was in Denver Saturday
and heard of the evidence given by his
two late assistants. 1t is said his indig-
nation knew no bounds The idea that
any man should question his integrity.
Very well. The senate "Lexowers" met
that night. They invited Mr.. Engley
to appear before them AID throw light
upon the matter in his own behalf.
They waited for him, but he did not
appear.
There was evidently bad piece of
.'jobbery" in preparing the journals and
session laws of tho Ninth General As
sembly and special session for publica-
lion. Stanley Stokes testified that he
prepared part of the journal OF the
Eighth Assembly at the rate of y. cents
per folio. But the price paid under
Secretary OF State McClees was 10 ffsnts
per folio for copying and another 10
cents per folio for -indexing. The cost
OF this work under Secretary of State
Eaton was something less than $1,000;
under Secretary OF State McClees some
thing over $4,000.
There have been issued to the state
printers, Smith, Brooks & Co., vouchers
amounting to more than S2s.COO. This
sum includes but little OF the cost of
printing the padded official reports.
That, when all gathered in, will amount
to many thousands more.
But some OF these thrifty printers
may fall short when it comes to collect
ing.
The committees on Finance and Ways
and Means are disposed to insist that
there shall be no money appropriated to
pay any paper which came into cxis-
tence just in time to publish the consti
tutional amendments and went out of
existence soon after that job was per
formed. And likewise the vouchers
held by Smith, Brooks & Co. will have
to pass the closest scrutiny before any.
thing is realized on them. Auditor
Parks has already refused to issue war
rants on them until they are investi
gated.
Tho lower house passed bill on
second reading Saturday making the
legal rate Of interest in the state six per
cent, when no rate is agreed upon in the
contract, and twelve per cent the maxi
mum no matter what the contract
The house also passed bill this week
making legal notices void il published
in paper Of less than tifty-two consec-
utive weeks previous issue, except in
counties where there had been no paper
Of SO long standing.
Tho house is now doing some work,
but the senate seems to be playing to
the gallery. Its committee of "Lexow-
srs" has turned it's attention chiefly to
officials Of Arapahoc county, and the
senate chamber into an arena for ora
tory on Populist memorials to a Demo
cratic congress. G.