The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-08-25

CURED, and In order to do so intelli-
gently he is required to keep full and
accurate account of the finances of said
city in regular books of account which
shall at all Tires show it's precise fnan-
cial condition. He is required to keep
accounts with all receiving and dis
bursting oficels showing the amounts
received and disbursed from different
funds, and he shall not sign any con-
tract the expense of which exceeds the
yearly revenue for the fund to which
such expense is chargeable. He is re-
quired to report to the common council
on the LIST of January and June of each
year all funds by him collected from
fees and fines of the municipal court
and licenses and fees from any other
source, and the amount turned over by
him to the city treasurer.
These reports are on file in this Office
up to December, 1898, and it was plain
to be seen that the recorder was not
turning the money over to the city
treasurer as required by the charter.
This neglect was apparent as far back
as December, 1897 when his report
showed some S11S more collected than
was turned over to the treasurer, and
from this date down to his retirement
from Office the receipts were partially
withheld in nearly every month and
the last two months the receipts with
held amount to $25S.S0.
If the council had taken this matter
in hand when the first portage was re-
ported, the entire amount could have
been offset by the bill bought by Mr..
Brown against the city in 1898 for SER
vices rendered in unearthing monies
not assessed This bill was at the rate
of $40 per day and railroad and hotel
expenses, or $40 80 per day net. At the
sane time his salary was going on as
city recorder. do not consider the pay
inadequate for the services rendered at
this time, but the bill aside from the
expenses should have been charged to
his apparent shortage and not hastily
paid from depleted treasury, which at
this time was borrowing money at eight
per cent to pay it's legitimate current
expenses. find as far back as August
LIST, 1896, that the council passed reso-
luton which was duly published re-
qulrlng the recorder to pay over to the
city treasurer every day the re ceipts of
his office. 1t is evident from this that
the council were satisfied at this time
that the monies were not being paid
over II the treasurer as REQUIRED by
law. These irsviuctions were appar
antly followed for year when the old
system OF paying at intervals was again
returned to. By reference, however,
to the ocorcer's actual receipts, it will
be seen that at no time was the whole re-
ceipts turned over as required by said
resolution herewith attached to this re-
port and marked Exhibit No. l." will
be found the actnal receipts and
amounts turned over to the treasurer
during the period covered by this in
vestigation. the total samount retained
by the recorder being 81 $50 95. To this
amount should be added 1871. 80 of other
receipts marked paid" upon the calen-
der and cocket of the municipal court
which 60 not appear on the cash book
and memors ndums kept by the recorder
of his receipts. but which were no doubt
collected by him.
A separate statement is herewith at
tached covering these amounts. In
this same exhibit is an amount of $50
which represents deposit made by the
plaintiff as surety for costs in the case
of Rihaini vs. Kouri, February 10th.
1898. The calendar shows that a check
on a New York bank was received by
the recorder. and other evidence shows
that the check was cashed by him.
And as the case has never come to trial
the amount will sooner or later be re.
quired to pay the costs, and as such sum
is not in the hands of the city treasur.
er the city will no doubt be called upon
to refund the amount so deposited.
There appear two other cases wherein
the lines and costs were secured blythe
deposit OF two watches and chains with
the recorder. The cost in one case was
% 90 and the other 1880. No entry
appears in settlement of these cases
and the watches are not among the
assets of the city. Another case of
fines and costs was secured by the de-