The record-union., 1897-12-22
FUNDS HONESTLY DISBURSED
WHAT THE STATE EXAMINERS
EXPERT FOUND.
He Recommends That Sacramento s
Claim Against the State
be Allowed.

Examiners declined to approve num-
ber Of bills sent in by Sacramento 20
County for the support of orphans ana
half-oTphans until the matter should
have been looked into by the expert
of the board Thomas A. Lewis.
The maximum amount allowed by the
State for orphans is $50 for each six
months, and for alf-orphans, $31 30.
In examining the bills presented by the
county, which aggregated $3.50 %. the
Board of Examiners found that in the
case of each orphan and half-orphan
cared for the maximum allowance had
been granted, and this, owing to the
fact that most counties take care or
Their orphans for a much less figure
and scarcely ever put in bills for the
maximum amounts allowed, created a
suspicion that everything was not as
it should be, and that suspicion was
the ground on which Expert Lewis was
sent to report.
Mr.. Lewis entered into the work
about two weeks ago, and his report
was before the meeting of the State
Board of Examiners yesterday 1t is
a clear and concise statement of what
he found, and his belief as expressed
in the report, that everything was done
honestly, if not in business-like man
ner, will no doubt carry weight with
the board.
The fact that the expert could find
no vouchers or receipts for most of
the money expended, gives rise to a
doubt in the minds of the members as
to whether or not the Board of Ex-
aminers have any right to allow the
claim, and his recommendation that
the entire claim be paid in full, to
say the least, reflects honor on those
who handled the funds
The examiners, however, decided to
refer all the data in the case to the
Attorney and request that he
furnish an opinion as to the course to
be pursued. Follow is
EXPERT LEWIS REPORT.
Gentlemen: In pursuance to your in
structions made an effort to check up the
claim OF Sacramento County against the
State of California for care of orphans and
half orDhans.
In this county 1 find a unique state of
affairs The Board OF Supervisors have
to $500 per month for this charity, and
turning the amount donated over in
lump sum to one Richard Dale, Esq, who
is the President of the Howard Benevo-
lent Society. and Mr. Dale uses this fund
together with all other funds coming 10
his credit in common, meeting cases of
wants in his own peculiar and successful
way.
Il looked over his accounts, and l am
satisfied of his honesty and faithfulness to
his trusts, and that the orphans dependant
upon the State under this law receive all
II not much more, than the amount al
lowed. | visited his warehouse on his dis
tributon day, and found the place crowded
with all kinds of suffering humanity, from
the decrepit old woman to the bright-eyed
baby. all under the most thorough control
of this whteheaded philanthropist 1t sat
isfied me that the State was not being
robbed al that place, and that the county
was paying out honestly the amount
claimed
Mr.. Dale's monthly reports are flied
with the County Auditor, and vouchers
show the amount of money that passed
through his hands during that month, but
they do not show that such an amount was
expended on orphans. and receipts taken
for said expenditure and placed on file sep
arately, to show the facts as the law in
all in common, orphans. indigents, way
farers and all, and he feeds them and cares
for them all in common, in the most eco
nomical way.
Mr.. Dale informs me. as do the county
officials. that the Board Of Examiners has
been paying on his statements for the past
ten years. and my conviction, after look
ing into the matter for week, and giving
it my careful attention and best judg-
ment, is that it would be an injustice to
claims and give them only such credits as
they would be technically entitled to. 1t
would be impossible to give them credit
for the amount given each month by the
Board of Supervisors, as that goes into
Mr. Dale's general fund. and he distributes
it as have endeavored to show you,
I'm the other counties I checked up,
7 find allowances made by the Supervisors
and receipts on file in the proper place for
an equal amount, but in this case the
Board of Supervisors intended that Mr.:
Dale should take care of all this class of
charity for the county for the reason, as
they stated to me- he could do it so much
more effectually and economically.
''I have suggested to the Board of Super
visors and also Mr.. Dale, that a separate
account be kept of the money expended
on orphans, so that in the future this en-
targlement will not recur.
Believing as do. that the county would
not receive more than 40 or 30 per cent. of
this claim if checked up technically, and
believing also from my Investigations that
the claim is a fair one, would recommend
the payment of the same as It stands. |
base this recommended ton on my expert
ence in other counties. in all of which
have found many receipts paid out for
orphans, etc. for which the county made
no claim in it's statement. Respectfully,
THOMAS A. LEWIS"