The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-29
ROBBED THE TREASURY
HOW SPANIARDs IN PORTO RICO EN-
RICHED THEMSELVES.
Between 100000 and 100000 Pesos of
Trust Funds Stolen by Macias
and other Officers.
Correspondence of the Associated Press.

Correspondence of the Associated Press.
SAN JUAN DE PUERTO RICO, Jan. 90
The secretary Of the Porto Rican treasury
estimates that the Spanish authorities made
away with between 800, 900 and 400 900 pesos
Of trust funds that were deposited in the
treasury here. These funds consisted of de-
posts made by foreign life and fire insur-
ance companies, by public contractors and
officers, Itigants and judicial officers and
others. The amount continues to swell.
Senior Coll Tosta, the present secretary
of finance, appointed by General Brooke on
Nov. Is, makes the following statement:
when 1 took charge of the Porto Rico
treasury 1 found that trust funds deposited
in the time Of the Spanish domination had
not been delivered over to me. All that
received was seventy-six centavos in bronze
coins and one Venezuelan gold piece worth
three pesos and eighty centavos, the bal
ance of a judicial deposit. The Spanish
system of accounting allowed such moneys
to be mingled with other funds, and applied
to the payment of government expenses,
but the penal code punished him who should
dispose of such deposits. 1 at once insti-
tuted proceedings to investigate the mat
ter. Formerly the treasury of Porto Rico
was independent of the Spanish treasury,
parture from here, carried with him to
Madrid $1,000 pesos, and General Vallarino
took $500 pesos from these funds, claiming
them improperly, as an oversurplus due to
Spain. This money belonged to the Porto
Rican treasury. The war and navy depart
ment of Spain in Porto Rico drew without
reserve upon the local treasury. That money
should return to Porto Rica, as we'll as the
money which the island advanced to the
treasury of Spain for the expenses of the
Cuban war in order that all arrears might
be iquidated."
officials here appeared to have complaCent-
ly regarded this spOliation of the local
treasury, until the foreign insurance compa-
MES and other depositors began to deluge
the local treasury with their demands. The
foreign companies have made their de-
mands the subject of negotiations with
Spain and Washington. BY the records of
the Treasury Department it appears that
on Oct. r. 1898 General Macias ordered the
secretary of finance to publish a notice in
the Official Gazette notifying all parties
having claims against the treasury to pre-
sent the same by Oct. II, thus giving five
days for the disposition of this most impor-
tant matter. OF course, the foreign COM
panieS had no knowledge Of such proceed
ingS. After the expiration of the five days,
which was the last day of the Spanish rule
Judgment and held that, as no claimants
had appeared, the deposits belonged to his
sovereign. He carried the money to Spain
to present to his royal master as an evil
dence of the economy and thrift of his ad-
ministration in Porto Rico While the for
elgn companies are looking after their Gin
terests through diplomatic channels the
private people, whose funds are gone, are
thrown into CONSERVATION at the prospect
of their losses "Wili America nav these
people, is the question asked by those in