Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1896-10-29
BUREAU OF IMMIGRATION.
Report Of the Auditing Committee
severely Reflects ON Transactions
of Ex-Secretary Frost.

Mr.. A. j. Loomis and Judge Francis
Downs, of the auditing committee of the
New Mexico bureau of immigration, to
whom was referred the report of ex-Sec.
Max Frost, have submitted an exhaust
i've report to Hon. j. j. Lesson, president
of the bureau and chairman of the execu-
tive committee thereof.
The report begins with an explanation
that, on the 9th of last January, formal
demand was made on j. X. Livingston,
ex-treasurer of the bureau, for full
of his accounts as such treas
urer, together with the vouchers and
books in his possession; that on the fol-
lowing day Mr.. Livingston wrote that he
would comply with the request in few
days; that, after waiting a month, another
demand was made on Mr.. Livingston for
the books and papers; that in reply to
this second demand Mr.. Livingston wrote
that his annual report and all his papers
as treasurer of the bureau had been turned
over to G. G. Blodgett, chairman Of the
auditing committee, at Albuquerque, and
had never been returned to him; that the
other papers pertaining to. his office had
been turned over to the former secretary,
Frost, this letter ending with the extra
ordinary statements: "It has always been
the custom of the secretary, for conven-
fence, to receiv and disburse the m oneys."
The committee reports that no further
communication has been received from
Mr.. Livingston on the sub ject; that sub
seq uently ex.Secretary Frost wrote the
chairman of this committee that Mr..
Livingston had turned over to him
(Frost his accounts and vouchers for
1895, and that the same would be turned
over to the new secretary as soon as one
missing voucher was received from Wash
ington; that Secretary Ross informs the
committee that ex-Treasurer Livingston
has turned over no papers to him (Ross),
and that all he has received from the for
mer secretary is the book containing the
minutes of proceedings of the bureau;
that the present treasurer Of the bureau
says that his predecessor has turned
nothing over to him except a check for
the balance reported by e1-Secretary
Frost as being in the hands of ex-Treas-
urer Livingston; that there is not single
voucher relating to the past transactions
of the bureau to be found in either the
Office of the present secretary or the pres
emit treasurer Of the bureau.
Being thus denied access to any books,
vouchers or other papers pertaining to
the financial transactions of the bureau
when ex-Secretary Max Frost and ex-
Treasurer j. X. Livingston had charge of
its affairs, the committee continues that
it felt in duty bound to make search for
such information as would shed light on
the subject.
1t found that, on June IL, 1889, Max.
Frost and J. K. Livingston were elected
secretary and treasurer Of the board ard
continued to occupy those positions until
the meeting at Santa Fe in last January.
1t further found from the minutes of the
bureau that the bylaws of the bureau
were suspended until such time as they
could be revised, re-adopted and reprint
ed, but it does not appear that any such
new bylaws were ever prepared or pre-
sented.
The committee continues that, at its
request, the territorial auditor has fur
nished statement from the records of
his office of the amounts expended by the
bureau Of immigration from June IL,
1889, to January 10, 1896, including the
amounts paid the secretary for salary.
"These official statements, when COM
pared with the positive provisions of law
creating and regulating the management
of the affairs of said bureau of immigra-
tion, show that during the period just
mentioned warrants were issued by the
auditor upon the funds of the territorial
treasury for the different sums aggregat-
ing to the amount of $8,257.65, and the
further sums for salary of secretary
amounting to $4,000, or total of $780,
307.65. Every warrant issued for this
sum was issued to Max. Frost, and there
is no voucher on file in the office of the
territorial auditor for single dollar Of
the above amount, but the simple receipt
of Max. Frost, secretary. Except the war
rants for salary, there is not anything in
the office of the territorial auditor to show
for what purpose these amounts were
paid, and, contrary to the positive pro-
visions of law, many of these warrants
were issued to Max. Frost upon his own
certificate, although Sec. 1903, Rev. SITS. N.
NJ, 1884, provides that these sums shall
be paid by the treasurer of the territory
on warrants issued by theterritorial audi
tor upon certificates signed by the preei-
dent of said board
$50 far as the official records show, not
a dollar of this $1O,3O765 ever came into
the hands of the treasurer of said bureau
of immigration, but secretary of the
bureau, without giving any bond OF surety
Of any kind, and in manner as shown,
to law, receives into his posses
sion the sum of $lO,3O765 and does not
turn over to his successor any vouchers
10 show what became of said money.
"Since this examination, the present
secretary has called to the attention of the
committee certain accounts, which he dis
covered in the back part of the book of
;he minutes of the proceedings of said
bureau, from page 200 to 209, inclusive.
Said secretary states that it was discov-
sred by accident and that this book was
Ill the records turned over to him by his
predecessor, who made no mention either
10 said secretary or in his letter of Feb
:uary 10, 1896, to the chairman of this
that statement of these 40.
counts could be found in the back part of
said minute book. The statement is
headed, Max. Frost, Sec'y, in account
With Bureau of Im.'
"From this statement it appears that
5he further sum of $1,000, donated by the
A., t. 8. F. and A. & P. railways, also
same into his hands, making a total of
f11, 5O765 that was received by him dur
ing his period of Office as secretary"
The committee adds that this state
ment of Max Frost, secretary, in account
with the bureau of immigration, makes
very interesting study. 1t appears that
1t meeting of the bureau, held April 8,
1898, resolution was adopted authoriz-
ing the preparation, printing, binding
Ind distribution of q certain volume, and
he SECRETARY was directed to "enter into
, controCk for tho nrinkino If Tho m mo