The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-08-25
therein, bat in other respects it was a


, the filing and entering Of chattel
mortgages. / found some seventy
!, five to eighty mortgages that were
, not entered upon the files, and where
examiners of records were depending
upon the indexes for proof of leins Sc
rious results might have followed this
lax method.
4 l also found that the recorder paid
no attention to the law requiring rev.
enue stamps to be affixed upon mort
cages, leases, etc., which on certain
amounts required stamp. Some of
these mortgages have since been
stamped as required, but there still
remain others requiring stamp.
i Another matter which was unable
to satisfy myself in was the large
number Of time checks issued for Ia
Dor and which appear upon the pay
roll. These time checks were cashed
at the various stores and brought in
for payment on pay day by
the holders thereof. On the
face of the pay rolls these checks
would appear to be regular, but they
were in so large proportion to those
drawing their money in person that
it caused great suspicion as to the
genuineness Of them all. The prac-
tices became so frequent that the
council evidently thought something
was wrong, or that it was too good an
opportunity for duplication of &C.
counts and the order went forth that
no more time checks should be issued.
That the laborer should either wait
for pay day and draw his money per-
sonallY or go without.
These time checks were in large
measure cashed by the former re-
corder at the various stores and
saloons and it was no doubt on this
account that the council issued the
order prohibiting their further use.
l do not accuse the recorder Of OBJ
!; tanning funds on these orders dis
honestly, but do say he was open to
suspicion in doing business in this ir-
regular way. The business of the
city does not require any such duties
of the recorder. His time can be
better employed than chasing all over
town for money with which to pay
} persons in which he would have no
interest.
have heard it stated that have
: used the former recorder as Escape
} goat" IN my report to cover up the
) shortcomings OF others. l have not
; laid to his door any charges that do
/ not belong just where they are placed.
He was the city's trusted servant,
[ and If he thought fit to prostitute
5 the Office for his own uses the conSe-
3 uuences must rest with him. Even in
l the instance of the shortage made
good since this investigation COM
r menced he was cOgnizant of it's with
, drawal from the citY's funds, and by
| hi no %
. fund to deceive the council.
y This is not the first time in the Of
fetal career of this officer that it was
found necessary to examine his &C
counts The records show that an ex
8 animation was made in the early part
? of 1898, at which time the amount of
3 collections made in 1892, not paid over
3 to the treasurer, was $S56.S5 This
' amount was made good in March and
] Sept. of 1898 by payments to the treas
2 urer of 1928, and 1928 So respectfully.
The second in registration was made
? later and resulted in same manner, only
the shortage was not so great nor the
2 time intervening so long, but long
; enough to amount TO shortage OF
S435 o. This second amount was made
3 good by payment of $3.50 in November
2 of that year, and the balance was set
tied on April g. '94, by note of S1S1.77
{ and cash 1923, 1S; the whole amount be-
| ing entered as cash, the inference being
! that the note was turned into money.
. The third investigation covered the per-
. iod between the last and the advent of
I of Calvin j Smith, as recorder, and re-
, suited the third time in a shortage of
1892. 90, which appears to have been
scaled down to $10O.65, and was settled
by note. The note appears to have been
paid in two in stallments: one on Aug.
20, '95, of $4250, the balance of $58. 10
on Jan. 10, 1897.
The Smith term had not continued
long before an investigation was made
as to the methods employed by the new
) incumbent, and the record shows but
little if any Improvement. The short
age. however, was not placed at very
high figures, the amount claimed being
S119.09. This amount is subject to a
discount of S54 of collections that may
not be chargeable to his account, leav-
ing the shortage 1854 09, which has not
been accounted for. This former evil
dence of irregular transactions does
away with all Escape Goat" ideas, and
places the burden where it belongs. |
also found among the files of the court
confession of judgment for S107 in
the case of l. d. Webster VS.. III W.
Brown. This Judgment is filed Dec.
: IA, '97, and fees paid, but no entry ap-
pears in any form upon the records of
the court as evidence of such case.
: There is no question but what the for
: mer council had the utmost confidence in
the ability of the recorder to keep the
books of the city in a proper manner.
They depended on him for everything
touching the wants and requirements of
! the various funds and in fact left every
, thing of this nature in his hands, and
, there is nothing to show that he was not
! willing to be thus consideredthe Napoleon
of the city.
In closing my report / would like to
, thank the mayor and common council for
, courtesies extended in allowing me time
, to attend to certain matters requiring per-
, sonal attention during the progress of the
, work, and for their patience in awaiting
results of my investigation.
Il l would ike further to express my
thanks to the present officers of the city
for the assistance rendered in the various
ways, and to Mr.. D. v. Williams the
present recorder, for his able assistance
during the whole of this investigation the
, results of which trust will save the citv