The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-10-01
Democrats Said to BE Investigating
County Omcers' Books I'm search
for Campaign Material.
EXPERTS MH.4- SMITHS OFFICE
A TISSUE OF MYTHICAL IRREGU.
LARITIES PREPARED.
Switzerland County Wants Lieut.. Gov.
Gilbert as Speaker-Mr. Watson's
Dates-Other Political Notes.

Republicans say there is an organized
plan in operation by the Democrats to 'in-
vestigate" the books In county offices in
close counties with view to influencing
the vote for the legislative ticket The
plan seems to be to investigate" certain
offices and then produce a mess of figures
calculated to prejudice the voter and to
do it so close TO the election that there will
be no time to counteract the effect these
things might have.
The Democratic county committee has
investigated the books in County Au-
ditor Smiths office, and the Democratic
organ has printed the alleged result. 1t
was remarked yesterday that the Demo-
cratic organ has a sudden desire to show
up glaring things about county affairs
every two years. For six weeks or more
two men have been mysteriously at work
in the auditors office going through the
books and accounts. These men were
known about the office as experts" and
it was understood they were employed by
the Democratic county committee One of
the men was George H. McCaslin and the
other was E. B. Swift. The result of their
work is to show alleged illegal allowances
by the Board of County Commissioners to
County Auditor Smith. These allowances
amount TO $Sz,S6S.io according to the re-
port of the experts"
DEPUTY SHEPARD'S STATEMENT.
Deputy Auditor Shepard yesterday said
in relation to these charges: For every
cent of the money expended the county has
value received The books are open. and
anyone who desires may investigate. Since
the County Council was created not a cent
he
priated. and ]. E. Mccullough, a Demo-
crat, who is good lawyer, and who had
hand in drawing the law, was a member
of the Council which made the appropria
tions under which most of the allowances
to which the Democratic committee takes
exception were made.
''The real expert" continued. Mr. Shan
ard. could have got all this information
in few days instead of spending six weeks
at it. In fact. they need not have con-
sumed an hours time in getting up this
statement. for / would have prepared II for
them If they had asked me, and would
have been glad to do So"
The items which seem especially to have
aroused the Democracy are the aIlowances
made to Colonel Smith. county auditor for
making records and plats. Deputy Aud;tor
Shepard says the whole question of max
ing these allowances was gone over in the
campaign of 1898.
The Republican county officials. in dis.
cussing the work of the "experts'' vestar
day. could not resist referring TO the de-
linquent taxes owed by McCaslin ana
Swift. The books show that George II
McCaslin owes the county between s7So and
81 600. 1t is said that a warrant for sa01
was issued some time ago to McCaslin as
part payment of per cent. he and O. A
Bookwalter received for examining county
records a few years ago. The deputies at the
treasurer's office say that McCaslin does
not present the warrant for payment az
he knows the county will apply the amount
on his Indebtedness.