The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-06
SQUANDERED THE TAXES
ELKHART COUNTY REPUBLICANS DE-
MAND AN INVESTIGATION.
Treasurer said to BE Many thousands
short, and Queer Doings Of Com
missiOners-state News.


Special to the indianapolis Journal.
GOSHEN, Ind. Oct 5-The rumors which
have been flying thick and fast through
Elkhart county for the past week or ten
days regarding irregularities in the offices
of the county auditor and treasurer and
commissioner seem to be at last coming to
a head, having been brought before the
grand jury to-day. Regarding the alleged
shortage of 49, 900 in County Treasurer W.
H. Holdeman's Office, the County Commits
sioners, in session to-day, ordered that an
expert accountant should be employed who
should examine the books of the auditor
and treasurer from the beginning of Mr.
Holdeman's term to the present time and
report to the board. In addition 10 this in
vestigation, the Indemnity Company which
went on Mr.. Holdeman's bond when some
of his bondsmen withdrew, viii employ an
expert TO go through his books. also.
Mr.. Holdeman still claims his absolute in
nocenee as to the shortage, and public SEN
timent is about equally divided in it's opin-
ion as to his guilt or innocence. He is pre-
pairing a statement to be presented to the
County Commissioners, which he claims will
fully explain the claimed shortage in his
accounts. 1t is said by some of his more
ardent friends that the entire matter was
started by the County Commissioners to
distract attention from their own actions.
The vague rumors regarding the irregu-
larites connected with the letting of bridge
contracts by the Board of County Commits
sioners for the past two years seem to be
taking definite shape. The rumors have
grown so persistent of late that the Repub-
lican county central committeeman yester-
day. in order 10 purge their own party's
tod n tc
order an investigation of the Board of
County Commissioners before the grand
jury. This has accordingly been done, and
the legal talent secured by Judge Wilson
to assist in the prosecution is sufficient
proof that the investigation will be thor
ough. The firm of Baker & Miller, attor-
neys for the Lake Shore Railway Company
the most prominent in northern Indiana,
will conduct the examination of witnesses
before the grand jury.
The irregularities of which the Board of
County Commissioners stand charged by
the public and by the papers belonging to
the same political party as the Com
missioners are that for the past two years
the Board of Commissioners of Elkhart
county has awarded a large number of
bridge contracts TO the firm of Brumbaugh
Bros, now Frank Brumbaugh, without al
lowing any competition in the bidding and
without advertising the fact that such con-
tracts would be let. The general public
was never let into the secret that a con-
tract was to be let until after it had been
awarded to this firm of contractors.
John Brumbaugh, who left the firm last
March has made an affidavit that up to
March. 1897. the firm. of Brumbaugh Bros
paid to County Commissioners E. w Kinni-
son and Charles Valley sums aggregating
$l,OSO as commissions for bridge contracts
awarded them. In support of this affidavit
he brings forth books of the company in
which entries appear, showing commissions
to have been paid to commissioners at diff
ferent times, but not stating 10 whom.
These rumorS and claims are denied in toto
by the commissioners. But the public feels
that whether or not there has been actual
bribery practiced, the commissioners
have not properly guarded the county's
interests in the letting of bridge contracts
during the past two years If the case
keeps on growing one-half of the entire
Elkhart county bar will soon be engaged
on one side or the other and long legal
battle will ensue, the expenses of which win
probably be paid by the iong-suffering tax
payer