The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-18
e. NJ. Johnson Auditor de Facto While
Raid Was Made ON County Treas
ury-Covered by "for Services
$4,000 PAID In TWO YEARS
MIR. JOHNSON DISCUSSES THE LEGAL
PHASE OF ALLOWANCES.
And Makes n Rather Feeble showing
A Year which Cost the County
$3O,5SS.JO In Good Money.

THAT we demand that the books of
the several county officers shall be
opened and thoroughly examined, to the
ehd tnat the taxpayers of Marion county
snail be fully advised as to the manage
ment and application Of all funds, fees
and accounts under their control"
democratic Township Platform.
The books have been opened. The Jour-
nal yesterday showed some Of the things
they disclose
First, 1t was shown that under the thrifty
management of Auditor De Facto e. NJ.
Johnson, Auditor De Jure Thomas Taggart
made out of the office of auditor in the last
eleven months of their regime $39, 1894 The
News reminds the Journal of 81, 900 more
that ought to have been added, the sum
that the city pays the county auditor for
doing the citys business. This had been
overlooked Including that sum the amount
paid for administering the auditors office
in the time mentioned was $40, 1853 a..
Second. it was shown that of this i'm
mense sum for less than one years work.
the regime received $10.779.4s ''for services .
according to the records. What those serv-
ices were cannot be determined. The vouch-
ers are gone. On this subject E. M. john
son was silent yesterday when expressing
himself through the mouth of his herald.
en-
titled to the $40 779.43? If so. why were the
vouchers spirited away? These are ques-
tons that were asked yesterday None was
found to reply. But the figures given above
were only for the last months the admins
tration ran it's course The record for these
closing months was but on a par with the
seven years that had gone before Below
the Journal shows what it cost to bear the
burden of Taggartism the year previous.
From Nov 3, 1893, to Nov. 3, 1894 Taggart
and his regime cost:
Managing school fund .............. 4675. as
7Miscellaneous allowances ............ 12.2S5. 0S
Fees, estimated .................... 100000
Paid by the city ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. i 600 90
Total, one year ............S35 $50. AZ
MORE MISSING VOUCHERS.
In going through the records of the bust
ness of the year mentioned to find what
sums had been allowed Taggart it was
learned that number of vouchers, those
for large items in the miscellaneous allow
ance account are not in the files. Vouchers
for the year ending Nov 3. 1894, are miss
ing. They amount to $1O,010.Os. They are all
lowed and warrants drawn on the county
treasurer as follows:
Dec. 2, 1893, for services as audi
tor .:.::....: .......:............... 100000
Dec. 2, 1ss3 for services as audi
tor ........................ 2,541.S4
Feb. IL, 1894 for services as audi
tor ..:................ 4,ssS.24
June IL, 1894, "for services as audi
tor ........ .......................... 1,1OO0
Total. which the records do not
show what Taggart did to earn $40, ono OS
1t was shown yesterday that the vouch-
ers for s10779.4S. paid to Taggart in the
last eleven months, were missing. This
added to the year ending Nov. 3, 1894, as
shown just above, makes a total of $780,
1881 paid out in one year, eleven months
and seven days, for which there are no
bills on file to show what kind of Services
were rendered the county that were so val
liable and worth such high price.
But" the Democrats say "Taggart got
the money"
E. NJ. Johnson knew he was getting it.
Was it unlawful? If SO, did Johnson pro-
test? If it was not unlawful, why were the
bills and vouchers all struggled away?
These are the counter questions taxpayers