The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-06-17
Who Had the $I,199.6s Sent
to State Treasury.
Absent From It's Place Nearly
Two Years.
TOLD TWO STORIES.
Mr.. Kelly Said 1t Was Credited
to Another County.
Treasurer Grimes Said It Was
on Account of Bonds.

In the light of developments in Miami
county and the facts unearthed down
there by the board of county commits
sioners concerning the record of Thomas
Il. Kelly, people are beginning to Won
der again about the true inwardness of
the explanation about the disappearance
OF $ll99-6S that was sent to the state
treasury by Bourbon county and was
never. credited on the books OF the state
treasurer for nearly two years. 1t would
not nave been credited then had not
State Auditor Cole made a report to the
Bourbon county officials which enabled
them to discover the facts in the case.
and they made fuss which resulted in
MI Kelly, as assistant state treasurer,
giving the county credit for the amount.
Bourbon county would have been short
$l,19y.5S IN its state taxes to this day
had not Auditor Cole made a report TO
the coJUlty of the amount that had been
paid as reported to his Office by the
state tFeasurer's Office
Mr. Kelly claimed in letter to the
treasurer Of Bourbon county. that the
amount had been credited to another
county. State Treasurer Crimes not
knowing Of this explanation, said there
had been some controversy over the
payment of some bonds and that the
amount IN controversy had been lost
sight of in the great amount of bust
ness transacted in the Office. After Mr..
Grimes had made an investigation ne
found that while the bonds had been
held up temporarily, their payment had
become legal a short time later, and the
officers of Bourbon county supposed the
county had received credit for them on
its state taxes
The question now is, where was this
money during all the time that 1t should
have shown on the state treasurer's
books but did not?
Was it another of those ''irregulari-
ties" due to Kelly's lack Of expert
81, 300 from the county treasury of Mi
ami county which did not belong to him
while he was county clerk. and which
he kept for ten years2
If he made a little ''irregularity'' of
$1,199.6S in the state taxes of Bourbon
county, how many other irregularities
are there likely to be in the state treas
ury now which have not yet been
If he succeeded in making Irregular
tiles which enabled him to get $1.3z4.99
out of Miami county in four years.
when he had no direct connection with
the treasury, how much would his '-ir-
regularities'' enable him to get out Of
the state treasury in eight years when
he is directly in charge of the millions
of dollars OF state funds?
Why did he say the amount had been
credited to some other county and try
to cover it up in that way. when it was
grossly untrue?
Have these things anything to do with
Senator Burton to have Mr.. Kelly sue
ceed Grimes as state treasurer?
The following is the letter which Mr.
Kelly wrote to the county treasurer OF
Bourbon county in explanation of why
the county had not been given due
credit:
Topeka, Kan. Jan. 9. 1902
II. 3. Hart, County Treasurer, Fort
my Dear Sir: You will find enclosed
receipts to the amount of $4,000 to
comply with your remittance of a re-
cent date. You will also find enclosed
receipt for s1,19968 to cover remit
tance sent here some time In Decem-
ber. 1899. This remittance was made D.
H. HeheboWer, and it is that amount
about which there has been some cor
respondence with the auditors office,
also between you and this Office.
In some way the amount was cred
tied to another county, and, coming in
as it did about the time Mr.. Hef1ebOwer
was retiring and our advent into Office,
there has been some confusion concern
ing it It seems strange that it. was not
caught before this, but it is one Of
those things that you sometimes go up
against that cannot be explained
7 send you the original receipt, to-
gether with a triplicate to the county
clerk, and have filed the duplicate
with the state auditor which l hope
win finally close the matter up. I am
very truly yours, F. E. GRIMES,
state Treasurer:
The TX" after the signature of Mr..
Grimes indicates that the letter was
really sent by Mr.. Kelly.
The following is the receipt given by
Mr. Kelly and sent with the above let
ter 1t will be noticed that while the
letter was not written until last Janu-
ary, 1902 the receipt was dated back
to February 25. 1899. Here is the re-
ceiDt:
Copy. of receipt sent H. B. Hart, treas
urer of Bourbon county in letter of
January 9. 1902:
No 2ss1k.
State of Kansas. s11ss IS.
Office Of Treasurer Of State.
Topeka, Feb. Is, 1899.
Received of Chas. Love, treasurer of
Bourbon county, eleven hundred and
ninety-nine and 6S-100 dollars, due from
said county on taxes for the year 1885
and on sale of school lands.
On taxes. viz:
General revenue .-................$9 1913 81
Interest fund .---------.-----..-..- 24.Sl
Total on taxes ....--..#.. q. sS33-1S
On school lands. viz:
Principal ...--..--... s.--...-.-- S15S.O0
Total on school lands. ...........s s2o1 AZ
Interest .--.......-.- -...-......... 4S.44
F. E GRIMES, State Treas.
By T T. KELLY, Asst. State Treas
Gun Test March Completed.