The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-01-26

OF the district and speat some weeks IN
that employ rneZt without. so far as ever
learned. having discovered any ciscrepan-
cies. The books are very simply kept and
easily checked by any one familiar with ac-
counts / think / could safely guarantee
that any competent bookkeeper could
check every item during the four years Mr..
Whitney served as secretary inside OF
three months I believe that all accounts
OF the school district, city or county should
be carefully audited once a year, so all
temptation would be taken away from
parties placed in such positions as that
he'd by the secretary OF the school board
Ex-Pr.-lstent e slketf'~ statement.
Ex-President Colkett said:
II never had any suspicion % Mr.. Whit
ney's integrity. After the election or Or.
Churchill the tanitors commenced 10 Gem
plain about Whitney having borrowed
money and not having paid IL. AS heard
IL second-handed. Whitney borrowed of
Janitor Melvin. OF the Denny school. ana
when pay ment Was demanded whitney De-
came abusive. ! oo5actef on principle 10
Mr. Whitney borrowing money from the
janltors. over whom ne had complete con-
troll After this ne had trouble with one OF
the principals OF whom he had borrowed
money. suit was commenced and whitney
claimed that he did not have more prop
erty than was exempt by law. Appraisers
were appointed. or about TO be, when WHIT
ney caveG. and the matter was settled by
Whitney agreeing 10 give this party orders
OF his salary TO the extent. believe. Of $50
a month. These orders were Endorsed. as !
remember, personally by Mr.. Burwell, as
II was against the policy % the board TO
accept orders.
The ovcrGrayvn Warrants.
-As 10 the overira Rrn warrants. Mr.. Bur-
well and myself examined the signatures
10 the warrants. We believe them TO bear
the genuine signatures OF the presidents
and vice presidents. II would appear from
the records THAI il VIII be a difficult matter
for Whitney 20 explain away this matter.
] understand, however. that he is on his
way here from California 10 vindicate his
character. ] sincerely hope that he can
The boards Acrion.
Director King. who was not much OF
friend 70 Whitney. sad: THE first knew
of this. I was called by Chllberg into his
Office. whore l found Young, Chilberg and
Weiig. Young showed a statement OF the
various warrants drawn by Whitney on
his salary account. BY that statement il
appeared that Whitney had overdrawn
about 800. No action was taken, except 1t
was decided TO have a meeting and ] re-
commended that the matter be placed be-
fore the prosecuting attorney. / also re-
commended that the actual warrants be
hunted up az the auditors Office, 10 ascer-
tain II they had been paid At the meet
ing today Young said this had been done
and the warrants were all duly paid. One
peculiarly about the transaction S. where
Young's statement shows an overdraft in
any one month. part of the warrants were
signed by the president of the board and
part by the vice president. except in the
tho
signed one and the newly elected president
signed one. For instance, on December Z,
1923. Rurweli signed warrant $3.50 for 1885,
Whitney's fun salary. and on December
-. 1899. only two weeks later. Spencer. as
vice president. signed warrant 7.lSs for
sl6G.s5. Mr.. Young also stated that the
books showed a cash account In which
there was a balance of over $500, and that
he had not been able 10 find out what be-
came OF this money or that IL was turned
over 10 Ogden. Whitney had ample oppor-
tunltes TO defraud the district. for It was
not customary TO bring the pay rolls be-
fore the board TO be audited and approved.
Outside of what was called the educational
committee. the members of the board knew
nothing about the employees nor when they
were paid. After I had been on the board
several months. aided by Mr.. Colkett, and
on the advice OF Attorney White that war
rants drawn without the sanction of the
board i
the pay roll audited and presented TO the
board every month, as other bills were.
The board has ordered civil suits brought
against Whtney's bondsmen. While Whit
ney was no especial friend Of mine, I
thought him an honest and capable man.
His general reputation was first class"
3. Il. Burwell's statement.
Mr. Burweli said:
Mr.. Whitney was secretary of the board
l~a
him for number Of years a young bust
ness man OF the city who had occupied
positions Of responsibility and enjoyed the
close confidence of his employers. and was
therefore ready TO accord him the utmost
confidence In the public position which he
occupied. II was sometimes customary TO
split up the warrants into smaller amounts
than the full sum that might be due those
who were drawing salaries from the school
district as il is a well-known fact that n
times the school warrants could not be
readily realized upon. and during the year
while. as president Of the board. IL de-
VolVed upon me 10 sign the warrants. al
ways examined the sum total Of these
small warrants which were issued TO Mr..
whitney as well as others. TO see that
only the properamount went under my hand
each current month. According 10 all the
Information have at present IL seems that
other warrants were issued by Mr.. Whit
ney 10 himseU during some or the months
while / WAS president of the board which
received the signature OF the vice pres-
dent during my absence from the city; the
vice president. Of course, having the right
10 sign warrants In the absence OF the pres
ident. All the Implications during my term
were issued Ia trait way.
Il have been greatly grieved and shocked
70 learn OF this oyerdraft OF salary by Mr..
whitney. for : had unboun9ed confidence
in his integrity. / would much rather at
this time defer expressing any opinion
on the merits Of the case until Mr.. Whit
ney appears 10 speak for himself. While
the amount II the overdraft IS not large
for the term OF years IN which he held this
responsible position. Yet on the face Of the
figures Il looks like decided abuse Of his
trust"
Railroad and Industrial >otcS.
w T Carson. Of Tacoma. travelling pas
senger agent OF the Canadian Pacific, was