The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-18
REMOVED FROM OFFICE.
CJY1UTAU0U4 COUNTY TRRISURER
TuT orr ny THE GOPERNOR.

uc wa. Charged with PocketinE Interest
IN county Deposits and with Accepting
= Present of 500 from Bank in
which He Deposited the County Funds.
I,p,Sy Oct 17-Gov. Roosevelt to-day OIL
,aIv announced that he had removed County
treasurer Hutson Of Chautauqua county. Mr.
I,utsnn ia backed by the leading Republicans
ofthn county and his removal has incensed
many Of them. They declared at the nearing
I,.t night hat Mr.. Hutson. who has been re-
dominated for County Treasurer. would be
,sksd 10 stand for vindication. no matter what
action the Governor might take ne ono
charge upon which tho Governor acted In re-
moving Mr.. Hutson was that he coeptsd sloo
from the Fredonia National Bank IN Which the
county money was deposited
Tonight Gov. Roosevelt made public an
o,inion which he had written in explanation Of
his removal OF County Treasurer Hutson
prom the evidence and report OF Commits
,ioner Thrasher OF Dayton, Chautaaqua county.
,,bo was appointed by mo to review the
charges and take testimony therein. 1t APP
ro,rs that the treasurer. in 1897 and
ISIS enormously credited himself in the
aggregate with the sum 81 SOL 30
excess Of fees on return taxes HIS attent.0n
uas o, lad to this matter in the summer OF 1891
and after some inysstignt on he discovered
That his report did include such excess OF
e ana 'nsF0sse Such 4" sum OF has been
rounded to the county by the treasurer since
the commepcement OF ms pro SsmnpG: ,.rous
consideration relates to the retention OF inter-
est y the treasurer i nPpshhf an S hs rm nS of
IA IN, began, he has received and retained for
his own use sl.505.92 as interest on county
funds The ra et de tns we're made
and some small amounts were received from
other sources In resHing ih b iG,sres5
otthe office. and it IS shown by The evidence
that the county treasurers OF Ihautaulua
county for many ycar- "N Nn centv fnd
have not reported such interest to the Board OF
suuervlsors whether the Board OF SupsTvly,-
ors has made any attempt to collect any such
intnTest or Ipglire into the question OF its re-
tention does cot appear. but the claim OF the
t h a. ,co iI., in by the board
county treasurer is bound To- account Tor all
the interest received by him on county funds.
should have been known by the several County
Treasurers who have been permitted to retain
finds The fact that Mr. Hutson followed the
custom Of the Office IN this respect and that
Rsard S ~ Supervisor- i. some justifcation for
his retention Of Il under the circumstances {:
yet it was his duty, as It is the duty Of every
public officer 10 undertake 70 know the law
eNncsrning Ills Office Mr. Hutson since this
prooeeding was commenced, has paid into the
county treasury the whole amount OF the in
III appears that the County Treasurer kept q
largo deposit in the FredOnia National Bank
that nearly $4,000 was in certificates OF de-
loslt herring interest and according to the
testimony OF Mr. Green. the cashier. tho sum
OF S!i3G SI | was on deposit in what 10 known
a. an open account on which no interest was
raid Mr. Green testines that the bank has
not pad Mr. Hutson any interest except on
these certificates in his dealing with It since
Jan l. 1897. and that neither the cashier nor
the bank had any Arrangement or understand
Ing with Mr.. Hutson by which he should re-
rrve any interest aside from that which was
raid upon these certificates
Mr.. Green further testihes that at ono time
he sent to Mr. lIutson a check for 500. which
Was intended to be received and was received
no a present to Mr.. Hutson by the bank This
Think 10 the most serious fact developed by
the Investigation Of these charges. OF course
no County Treasurer should receive q pressn'
from bank in which he deposits public funds
and when Mr.. Hutson received this check hi
ought either to have returned 1t at once and de
clined To accept II. or II 1t was accepted, 1t ough
to have been accepted as interest asd CREDITED
as such to the county. and the hank shoult
have been notified accordingly. 1t seems t.
have been intended and received as presen
to himself in which the county had no interest
It was evidently regarde ed as reward TO
favnrs which the bank had received from hin
In his official capacity.
,, since these proceedings were begun MIR
Hutson has paid over to the county the amour
o. THIS check OF 500. 80 that the county hal
the benefit OF it; but 1t apparently did not
occur to him that 1t should have been paid tc
menced. The acceptance Of a present unde
tho circumstances indicated implies gray,
afalure to appreciate the responsibility OF hi
office. that 1t cannot be overlooked"