The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-10-17
NEW PROCESS OF FINDING" 1T
WHAT THE EMPLOYEES SAW r.. VI.
JOHNSON AND EBERT, SPENCER DO.
Spencer with the Voucher i'm His Vest
POcket-Why the Papers We're
Taken Away.

ing more audaclOuS was ever undertaken
to head off threatened exposure than the
attempt that was made in Auditor Smiths
office last Thursday evening, after closing
hours, when an important document that
had been missing from the files since the
end of the Taggart-Johnson regime was re-
turned. That it was gone was discovered
last week. E. M. Johnson knew the fact it
was missing had been discovered.
With the document In Question gone from
the permanent files there was nothing to
snow that Thomas Taggart when auditor
had not paid himself $500 without the money
having been previously allowed by the COM
missioners. Nor was there anything to in
dicate what he had received the money for.
The only thing the records disclosed was
the bare fact that he had drawn the money
The transaction was had at the time that
II. M. Johnson, now the mayors city con-
troller and his choice candidate for county
auditor, was acting in the capacity of dep
uty auditor to Auditor Taggart. AS every
Body knew then and knows now, Mr. John
son was, as matter of fact, auditor de
facto. Mr.. Taggart was scarcely ever in
the office. He transacted none of the bust
ness. The only hours he spent in the Office
were those when he came in to inquire how
suit with Mr.. Johnson over some matter
OF more than ordinary Importance Know
ing all these facts, the moment it was
known that Taggart had been allowed to
draw from. the treasury $500 without the
sanction OF the County Commissioners and
without leaving any evidence in the records
as to what he had done to earn the money
the public would at once have looked to Mr..
Tnh fz,
to make such an explanation at this time
would have been disastrous to Mr.. Johnson
politically. Hence he, more than any one
else, was vitality interested in the return of
that document to the files. He did not re-
turn it himself. c. H. Spencer, clerk of the
Board of Public Works, did Mr.. johnson
was standing by anxious and uneasy until
the feat was accomplished. They left the
Office doubtless feeling that they had very
nicely hoodwinked the five clerks who were
In and out of the Office while the document
was being returned. But the clerks were
cognizant of what was going on and in
fact, had every reason beforehand to antici-
pate the attempt would be made. Outside
in the nearly deserted corridor of the court
house Journal reporter was waiting while
the candidate and his coadjutor were inside
He was admitted after Mr.. Johnson and Mr..
Spencer went away. 1t is quite proba BILE
that the publication of the story this MORN
ing will be the first intimation either has
that the clerks, who seemed so Indifferent
to what they were doing were in fact on
the alert. Had they not been they could
not have told the Journal reporter Just how
the thing was carried out.
JOHNSON GOT WIND OF IT.
After the publication OF figures by the
Sentinel last week concerning the allow
ances that Auditor Smith had received the
past year, an investigation was begun to
ascertain Mr.. Taggart's allowances for the
last eleven months of his service. The re-
suit of that investigation is given in detail
elsewhere. While it was in progress the dis
covery was made that there was no record
other than the order drawn on the treas
urer for the $500 item. Mr.. johnson learned
of this discovery. He was highly alarmed.
At noon on Thursday he went into the
auditors Office and asked about the missing
voucher, or bill of services Deputy Auditor
Shepard informed him that although a care
full search had been made it could not be
found.
If you could not find it do not suppose
l can," said Mr.. Johnson. But | will
look
Mr.. Johnson first went to the big record
in which are set down all the orders that
are drawn on the county treasurer He
found that April 6, 1895, an order on the
treasurer calling for $500 had been issued
in favor of Auditor Taggart for services
as auditor"
That's in Bert Spencer's handwriting. -
said Mr.. johnson.
at that time. Then Mr.. Johnson took down
the voucher file and looked through it, but
could not find it.
IT'S hardly any use for me to look as
long as you could not find it, he remarked
to Mr.. Shepard, as he went through the
vouchers which were all neatly filed away in
alphabetical order. Mr.. johnson gave it up.
II will come back later and make a more
thorough search he remarked. Il am in a
hurry now
Nothing more was seen of him until about
o'clock in the evening. He came in with
Bert" Spencer after closing hours
II thought Spencer might know some
thing about that voucher" he remarked to
Mr. Shepard, both Of them at the same time
walking rapidly to the big file case that ex-
tends from the floor to the ceiling between
the windows in front of which the commits
sioners' table is placed.
Gould it be possible" asked Mr.. Spencer
that the voucher was filed in the box of the
month before?" at the same time taking out
the March box. The boxes are of green
colored cardboard. The box he took was
labeled bills passed March, 1885, The
voucher should have been in the box OF
bills passed April. 1895.
I'm look through this box" he remarked.
And l will take the April box again, "
said Mr.. Johnson.
CAREFULLY SLIPPED 1T IN.
They walked to the long marble topped
counter above which gas lights were burn
ing. Mr.. Johnson stood close to Mr.. Shep-
ards desk. Spencer was eight or ten feet
away from him. And here is where the
first suspicious movement was observed
The clerks who were sauntering i'm and out
not so Indifferent as they seemed, could not
help thinking to themselves that if every
thing had been open and above board Mr.
Johnson would have said:
Here. Mr.. Shepard / want you to see MS
md this bill If we do This is important and
/ don't want it TO be possible afterward for
any one TO suggest that we returned 1t Our.
selves"
But neither Mr. johnson nor Mr.. Spencer
made any such proposition. Instead, they
did everything they could to keep the clerks
from seeing their actions and knowing what
they were doing They were at a slight dis
advantage Both OF them stood under the
chandeliers that burn above the counter
with their backs to the room, where the