Omaha daily bee., 1897-12-09
DOOLITTLE CUTS IT DOWN
Puts in Some Remarkable Figures on the
City Treasurer's Office.
REDUCES BJLLwS SHORTAGE TO THE CITY
Expert Employed by Bondsmen
shows his Schedule, Bringing the
Sum fer which They Can
he Held Very Low.

The seventeenth day OF the trial of the
case Of the City Of Omaha against the
bondsmen Of Henry Bolln, ex-city treasurer,
wherein the plaintiff seeks TO recover from
the defendants the sum OF SSi.25973. alleged
20 be Bollns defalcation during his first
term Of Office. beginning on January l, 1892,
and ending on December 30 1898, was COM
meneed yesterday with Expert Accountant
Doolittle on the witness stand for the bonds
men. The direct examination was short and
tended to show, according to the testimony
of the witness, that instead Of the alleged
defalcation being S84 25973 It is but s6,52754.
The witness began his testimony by say
ing that an item OF SSt VI charged against
Henry Bolln and in the general fund was
not proper. He next said that the $500 fees
paid in by the druggists and charged against
BollH during his first term was deposited In
Board OF Education repositories, and conse
quently the bondsmen could not be held for
this alleged shortage, as 1T was Board o,
Education money. The witness found an In
stance where Bolln had transferred the
sum of $50,000 school money to city de-
posNories and as a result the bondsmen
were not holden Cor this amount
Expert Dooiittie had examined the sched-
ulcs made by Expert wettling for the city,
IL which 1t WIS said that an attempt had
been made 20 distribute the assets in the
city treasury at tho end Of Bollns first term
and found az item Of 1863 "a which Wettling
had deducted on the theory that it belonged
to tho Police Relief Association fund. This
amount the witness had traced and ac-
counted for. He said that the account should
havo been designated as having been short
just that sum. Witness also said that he
found $1,000 more in Bolln's cash drawer
than had been accounted for by Wetting.
In looking up the items of advances made to
tho Board of Education by checks drawn on
the city repositories, witness said that he
found several sums that were not Included
by Wettling in making up his schedules In
relchhg his conclusions witness had used
the stubs OF the books and the warrants
paid.
PRESENTS HIS SCHEDULES.
Expert Doolittle presented but one sched-
ule during his examination and this showed
that Bolln received from John Rush, his
predecessor the sum Of $l,2S3, ,024.33 cash
for drawer, S40,5O0; deposit of November,$1,-
239.62; licenses not entered, $101 900, a total
OF 81, ,425, 762.95. The deposits in the Beard
of Education banks aggregated, St,221 S42 80;
clsh as per exhibits s197 ,5S990, a total OF
81 ,f19 ,732,S6, leaving a difference OF &c.
Loo. The schedule showed the undis-
trbuted funds on December 30 1898, to be
S115, ,5S9.73; worthless checks in the cash
drawer, $6,s43.41; duplicate bond sale, So
O41.67; schedules, $19,941.37; due Board of
Education, $603l09, a total of $77, 1872 10 due
tho city funds.
The defense contends that the sum OF
S77732 10 should be taken out of the amount
claimed by the city, $S4, 73, which would
leave the amount Of $652754 due from the
bondsmen who signed for Bolln as city treas
urer. The balance of the alleged shortage,
S66, 475 II, is thrown from the city to the
Board of Education account.
Witness said that the sum Of $1,250, library
coupons paid, had been charged to Bolln
twice. but that this had been taken into con-
sideration in reaching the figures given in
his schedule.
This ended the direct examination of Ex-
pert Doolittle and he was tuin ned over to City
Attorney CDnnell for cross-examination.
Witness said he came to Omaha from
Cleveland, o. in 1896. coming in the interest
of stove comCany Of that city. He denied
that he came here for the purpose of getting
into the case against Bolln.
Did you not say to me shortly after you
arrived here that there was a shortage in the
office of the city treasurer and that the city
would have to look out for breakers if it won
its suit against the bondsmen?" asked City
Attorney Connel.
Witness denied ever having made any such
statement.
Did you not say to me that the bonds
mon would try to run this shortage into the
school fund.-" continued the city attorney
mo. | talked with Judge Ives in your
Office" added the witness.
did you not come to me and refer 10
this shortage?"
Yes" answered the witness.
WHAT He DID ADMIT
Did you not tell me that there was a
shortage in Bolln's accounts prior to the
time when the city hired an expert to make
the eNaminatiOn?"
Witness answered that he had had such a
conversation.
AT later date and after you had gone
over Bollns books did you not say that
there was a shortage?"
Yes, after had examined the books with
Mr' Lembeck, the expert for the bonds
men"
AT this time were you not working with
Lembeck to show that there was no short
age?"
Witness said that he was helping Lem
beck.
Asked how long he had been helping Lem
beck when he offered his services to the
city, witness said that he had worked some
eighteen or twenty hours at odd spells.
DO you now pretend to tell the jury
asked Mr. Connell, "at the time that YOU
talked with me that you had not formed an
opinion relative to Henry Bolln's shortage?''
II was no. positive then, and don't pre-
tend to say now that there was shortage "
replied the witness.
'At the time that you came to me and
offered your services. were you In the en-
ploy of tho bondsmen?"
mo, sir; | was not. / was helping Lem.
beck, just as matter of accommodation"
Asked when he entered the employ of the
defendants, witness said that 1t was during
last December. He refused to say how much
time he had put in on the books of the
treasurer's office, insisting that he could not
do so without consulting his diary that was
not in court.
SAYS HE WAS HONEST.
Al the afternoon session OF court the cross
eNamination of Expert Dooltte was resumed
by City Attorney Connell asking: did you
know that l was the city attorney at the
fist interview with me?"
The witness stated that he was acting hon
estly and in good faith when he said that he
would prepare the case for the city and try
TO establish a shortage, At that time wit
ness knew that Lembeck was in the employ
OF the eordsmen. Witness was assisting
Lembeck in getting on to Lembeck's theory
that there was no shortage in the Office OF the
city treasurer"
"Did YOU consider that you were acting in
good faith with Lembeck and the bondsmen
when YOU came to me and offered your sery-
ices?" asked the city attorney.
II did, for | told Lembeck l did not re-
celve any pay for the services / readerel
Lembeck and don't expect any" answered thS
witness,
Expert Doolittle said that he had no feelinl
against the prosecution or any witness con
NOTED herewith He said that he had work q
for the b0ndsmen and had tried 10 ascerta lc