The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-02-08
GRIMES EXPLANATION.
Story About Treasury Printed
in Fort Scott Paper.

The Fort Scott Tribune publishes a
story that $1,315.24 which was sent to
the state treasury just before D. H. Hef-
lebower turned the Office over to State
Treasurer Grimes, has not all been ac-
counted for. and an attempt is made to
mix up in it T. Il. Kelly, assistant state
treasurer
The story says that the above amount
was sent by the Bourbon county treas
urer to Mr.. Hef1ebower, $115.56 in Price
Raid script and the balance in check.
Hefiebower turned the amount over to
Mr.. Grimes. 1t is stated that 1t was nm
ally discovered through correspondence
by State Auditor Cole that Bourbon
county had never received credit for the
amount from the state treasury but
that after the attention of Mr.. Grimes
was called to it he recelpted for the
check but not for the script and had
not done so, and he had not made any
explanation concerning it. Mr.. Kelly IS
connected with it by the statement that
he receipted to Mr.. HedeboWer for the
check and script
When Mr.. Grimes was shown the
story today he hunted up his letter files
and found correspondence that he had
had with the county officers of Bourbon
county on the subject He says that the
Bourbon county clerk credits. credited the the
amount to the state treasurer before the
state treasurer receipted for it, That
instead of being in Price Rail script the
partial remittance was in Quantril raid
bonds, which the statute allowed to be
taken for taxes for the year they were
due some following year.
The bonds. sent were for 1897 said Mr..
Grimes, land they wanted me to take
them to pay 1898 taxes, which L couldn't
do. After We had some correspondence
sent the bonds back to the county treas
urer and asked what disposition he want
ed made of the balance of the funds. The
funds in the check were not entered be-
cause we did not know to what to apply
them until we heard from the county
treasurer, and he did not reply. His books
clerk had wrongfully given him credit for
paving the tax to us before he had re-
ceived our receipt. In the thousa nds of
letters which came in upon We lost
while waiting for the county treasurer
reply, but we knew We were long that
amount. AS soon as our attention was
called to it we knew where 1t belonged
and gave the Bourbon county people re-
ceipt for the amount of the check, but not
for the bonds which we had sent back
That's all there is to it: +"
Mr.. Grimes was wrathy over the story,
and especially the attempt to connect
Kelly with it,
Tom Kelly had nothing to do with it at
ALL" said Mr.. Grimes. Il receipted to Mr..
Hefebower myself The error all came
about because the county clerk wronglully
receipted to the county treasurer before he
received our receipt, and because the coun-
ty treasurer did not tell us how to apply
the money after sent back the bonds. =
AS the Bourbon county treasurer appar-
emily did not receive his credit until re-
Gently for his old time remittance, Mr..
Grimes statement that we We're long
that amount shows that the state treas
urer has held about 81 200 cash surplus in
his vault for almost three years and did
not know where it belonged.