The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-18
BARNES HANDS CLEAN
Territorial Board of Education
Settles Charges
AGAINST THE GOVERNOR
Regarding the School Funds
in His Custody.
AGAINST THE GOVERNOR

Guthrie, o. T, May 17.-CSpeciaL)-Ir
compliance with a request of Governor
Barnes, addressed to Territorial Auditor
Hopkins, for a report from the territorial
board Of education on the manner in which
the governor has handled school funds OF
which he is custodian, the following re-
turn has been made, and is maze public
as refutation Of charges against the
probity Of the governor in relation to the
funds. The report in full follows:
To Hon c. NJ Barnes, Governor:
Sir-In compliance with your request CT
date May 18th, 1899. to-wit:
Guthrie, o. T., May g. 1899.
f'Hon. S. n. Hopkins, Secretary Territorial
Board Of Education, Guthrie, o. T..
Dear Sir-In view OF the fact hat 1
have had personal custody Of the funds
arising from the rentals OF public LANDS
IN the territory for schools and colleges
end public buildings for the past tNo
years during which time I have had IN
custody large sums Of money, amounting
at times TO over one hundred thousand Do
9ans and in view Of the fact that under
me new rules recently adopted oy the
board for leasing school lands l nave oeeii'
ct my own request, relieved 10 some eA-
TENT OF this personal responsibility ana
have closed my personal account L 7oeeHi
Il. proper TO request that you call a meet
ing Of the territorial board OF education
at an early date and request said ooaro
10 make a careful examination OF the
hooks. cash accounts and bank accounts
pertaining to my custody Of said funds
and make report to me of their findings
IN the premises. Very respectfully,
(signed) &C. NJ. BARNES, Governor"
The undersigned members of the terri
sorial board of education of Oklahoma
have examined the foohngs Of the several
books in the school land Office, the treas
srer's receipts and the books in the treas
alrer's Office, and the bank books and can
teIled checks for moneys disbursed, ana
we find the total receipts Of the school
land office from May IS, 1887, to May l,
1899 to be SS29, SO So, of which amount S2S,-
n1593 were disbursed for expenses, Slo5295
was returned to applicants and tn esum
Of SSO5. so 80 paid over to the territorial
treasurer, leaving $1407s belonging to the
funds Of sections Is and SO in Greer
county, which was checked to the account
of the school land board, VINO by the re-
nently adopted rules are made the custo-
dian Of the school and public building
funds.
From a full examination of the books Of
the school land Office. the hank books and
khe cancelled checks, we have ascertained
hhe financial transactions of the Office to
10 be as follows. Receipts and expendi-
lures from May 26. 1897, to May l. 1893:
Common School-Receipts 1929 So. 1G; ex-
penses. $16.1O1.55; money returned, SSl6.45;
paid to treasurer. s222 451.16; total. $685.
EC9.16.
Coneg-Receipts. S43,63S.74; expenses,
S3179.17; money returned, $3.50; paid to
treasurer, $40, 3GO07; total $3,62S.74.
Public NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., S44.O0O.33; ex-
penses, $917LO7; money returned. $500;
paid to treasurer. So .25; total. S44,O003S
Greer County See. 1S)-Recapts, $1.5O44O;
expenses. S33207; paid to treasurer, S1,11S.44;
on hand. $3.50: total. SL5O44O.
reer County CSec. 83--Receipts, s1,9OZS5;
expenses. SS32O7; paid to treasurer, $SSS.S9;
On hand, $S6S9; total, S1,3O7.35.
Total-Receipts, 1929 S19.9S; expenses, S23,-
1883: money returned, $1,O5295; paid to
treasurer. 1906, 5lO.S2, on hand. SHOTS
The system of bookkeeping is well
adapted to the business conduct of the
office and a monthly report is always made
at the close Of each month and semi
annually, in July and January, a serial
balance Of the books is made which thor
pughly tests the correctness of the month
5y reports and proves the correctness Of
hhe footings on the books.
The money was regularly deposited in
the bank TO the credit Of the governor.
rs agent, and the amounts necessary for
expenses checked out by him. Every ac-
rount and item Of expense was paid by
check upon duly verified accounts, sworn
no, approved by the secretary and allowed
6y the board and an examination of the
hank books and every check drawn on
these funds shows that at no time in a
single instance was dollar Of these funds