The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-31
CHARGES MADE BY HART
DEPUTY STATE AUDITORS ACTION
REGARDED WITH DIsFAvoR.
Auditor Daily Talks of the Charges
His Deputy Is Alleged to Have
Made-Candidates Gathering.

contained an interview with Capt. William
H. Hart, deputy auditor of state. which
caused much unfavorabie comment among
Republicans. Captain Hart is candidate
for the nomination for auditor of state by
the Republican convention. In his
alleged interview he was quoted charging
the officials OF the state institutions with
having attempted to steal $4,000 a year
since he was appointed chief deputy by
State Auditor A. c. Daily. He goes on at
great length to show how he has stood as a
bulwark of honesty and integrity and has
protected the money of the people, COM
pletely ignoring the fact that he is but
deputy and casting the reflection on his
chief that if he had not been appointed, the
efforts Of the pirates as he styles them,
would have been successful Mr. Daily was
himself a business man, and for thirty years
was at the head of bank, where he had
reputation for competency-enough at any
rate to protect the interests of those who
confided in him.
Mr.. Daily did not have much to say about
the interview yesterday, but in quiet, I'M
assuming way showed plainly that he felt
the humiliation and embarrassment of the
position in which he had been placed by his
deputy's interview. Mr.. Daily. from con-
was greatly surprised at the wholesale
charges of attempted looting made by his
deputy.
The most pronounced indignation was ex-
pressed by men who have been associated
in business with James r. Henry, one of
Mr.. Harris opponents for the nomination.
for years. In the course of the interview
Mr. Hart was quoted as saying:
Mr.. Henry will not be nominated. That
is certain. The Republicans of this State
realize that the tendency of popular senti-
ment is strongly in favor of honesty and de-
cency in the administration of public af-
fairs. and not in the opposite direction
The imputation that Mr.. Henry was man
opposed to honesty and decency in the adj
ministration of public affairs was regarded
as an outrageous attack, by an opponent
for the same Office, on man who has for
years stood prominently before the business
men Of the State without his personal in
tegrity ever being so much as questioned
Mr.. Henry served as State bank examiner
of Indiana for four years, and no one ever
questioned that under his administration
affairs were honestly and efficiently man
aged. For four years he was treasurer of
the Republican State Central Committee
That is a position that can only be filled by
men whose honor and integrity can be re-
lied on implicitly. A former member of
the State central committee, who was in in
innate touch with everything that occurred,
said that in all that time there was never
question raised as to Mr.. Henry's ac-
counts, and that when he retired he had ac-
counted for every penny to the proper off,
Gals.
Captain Hart" said he, SIS not only the
first Republican, but is also the first man
to cast any reflections on the financial
honor and integrity of Captain Henry. He
might Rave continued treasurer of the COM
mittee this year. but declined TO do so when
he decided to become candidate
Mr.. Henry is at present cashier of the
State Bank, a position of trust and response
bility.
MIR. DAILY ASTOUNDED.
The utmost establishment was expressed
at the deputy auditors assertion that the
Office could be so run that the State could
be robbed of such an immense sum, while
not wrong figure will be found on the
books" Comment was made on the facts
that the officials of the public institutions,
even if they were inclined to the widest ex-
travagance, could not take a dollar out of
the state treasury that had not been APP
propriated for the purpose to which it was
applied. As a matter of fact, every one
knows that the last Legislature did not
make extravagant appropriations, and that
the boards of all the institutions have had
to economic in every direction in order to
get through the year on the money which
they could draw. Mr.. Daily was astound-
ed when he was shown the article in ques-
ton, and shook his head doubtfully.
Il can hardly believe that Captain Hart
used the language that is attributed to
i'm 10 no M n Of
tempts to rob the State. The affairs of this
Office have been conducted under my per-
sonal supervision. Captain Hart was made
the treasury at Washington, and / knew he
had had experience in such matters. Under
the last administration Democratic( there
Mr. Hart was appointed deputy and MIR.
Martin was made settlement clerk, l in
get just what was due him. l have been
consulted on some occasions, Captain Hart
calling my attention to some items that he
thought were not correct. In such cases
directed that he ascertain their business be-
fore allowing them"
How much did the deductions made
Il could not tell without reference to the
''If they had been anything like $50 900
would you not have known it?'
II have been in the banking business
thirty years, and have always been accus-
toned to knowing what goes on around
me-"
Mr.. Daily went on to explain that the con-
troversies were generally of a trivial char
acter in themselves. For instance, in some
cases county sheriffs had sent convicts TO
the prisons i'm the custody of two deputies.
Captain Hart contended that one man could
have performed the duty and refused to al
low the expenses of more than one al
though they said others had followed that
practice. Other cases where deductions had
been made were in the county tax settle
ments. "Ferrets" went to county officers,
claiming that the State owned the counties
- rrri7i faf1 ha fnd
The County Commissioners agreed to pay
the 'ferrets" about per cent for all money
recovered from the State. When asked how
the claims of the counties against the State
could have accrued Mr.. Daily went into de-
tails of county and State business, which are
interviewer. Sometimes after making a
semi-annual settlement, for instance" said
he, the County Commissioners would be
confronted with claims from property own
ers who claimed to have unknowingly paid
more than was due. On q proper showing,
the County Commissioners would give the
property owners warrants for the amount
of the erroneous assessment. Meantime the
full amount of the States proportion of the
overpaid taxes had been turned over to the
state treasurer. AT the next settlement il
would have been the county'S right to claim
a credit for the amount. AS far back as
twenty-five years ago there were cases
where the counties did not get what was
due them. 1t was the business OF these fer
rets' TO trace such claims, The county Off
GERS in making their settlements. asked 70