The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-18

Moonev on account of bounty on wolf
scalps during the term Of office of T. I.
Kelly. but having forgotten how to write
ne again makes his mark and in only
two Instances is his mark witnessed
We find other vouchers for wolf scalp
bounty filed by other parties, signed by
mark, no person attesting the mark
January 2. 1894, warrant No. z163 was
issued for $46.25. The stub of this war
rant shows that it had been raised from
sac. "a to Sl4625 and is in the handwriting
of Thos. 7. Kelly. The back OF TINS
voucher is also changed in like manner,
800 being added, and Miami county
thereby being defrauded of this amount
This report of the administration OF
Thos. T. Kelly as county clerk does moi
include the irregularities of his office as
shown in a former report, wherein he
was found to be indebted to Miami
county in the sum of $1,324.99.
This report was prepared by Capt.
Smith. a member of the county board,
and in addition to the foregoing items,
which were acted upon by the full board
before ne was taken i'll Tuesday con-
tains the following further important
items drawn up by Capt. Smith:
on August %. 1888 John f. Merrill
furnished a car load of lumber to Miami
county for bridges and by agreemen-
the county treasurer, ]. P. Hiner, ad-
vanced him as full payment of the same
the Miami County National bank.
October 6, 1893, a claim for material
furnished Miami county was filed for
s27.66 by J. F. Merrill which was al
lowed and warrant No 1882 Changed on
the stub in ink to No. 2923) was issued
covering the sum advanced August 25,
1898 Of $253.01, as well as the claim OF
s27.66 allowed October 6, 1898, making
total of $2SO67. The stub of this warrant
is not receiDted.
John F. Merrill states that he re-
ceived payment on his claim of the
amount allowed him October 6. 1898, for
s27. IS by Thomas t. Kelly giving his
private check on the Peoples National
bank for the amount. The treasurer
takes credit for the full amount, S2S0.6I.
There is no record whatever upon the
commissioners blotter or journal of
bill being filed for the sum of S252.01 a
second time and for which the treasurer
takes credit twice.
Thomas T. Kelly, county clerk. was
the lawful custodian of the seal, records
and papers of the board of county COM
missioners. We find that a warrant was
fraudulently issued by Thomas T. Kelly
for the sum of s252.01, that corresponds
in number with one of two blank stubs
marked destroyed. We also find that
the warrant stubs preceding and fol-
lowing the two blank warrant stubs are
in the handwriting of Thomas T. Kelly
BY this transaction we find that Mi
ami county has lost 1852. Oh by a fraudu-
lent warrant issued from a blank stub.
to whom paid being concealed for the
pOSG VI CONCiiAS q AAeA00 0ROAA Liz
county.
We therefore find that on the above
item Thomas T. Kelly. late county clerk
of Miami county is justly indebted to
said county in the sum of s252.01.
We find a voucher made out in the
handwriting of Thomas T. Kelly, county
clerk, for S160 in favor of the South
western Bridge company. This voucher
is dated March 1, 1888
There is no record whatever of the al
lon M of fe- .f7aT-
commissioners blotter nor the journal
of the proceedings show that this
voucher was ever presented to the
board.
On the same date of the voucher. the
treasurer, J. p. Hiner, by his deputy, l.
n. Bryan. issued treasurer's check No.
1918 on Miami County National bank for
$3.50 in favor of Thomas T. Kelly.
In looking for the warrant upon which
| this voucher was paid we could find no
record of it upon the warrant stub
book. But we found a blank warrant
stub NO. 1882, but without date. the
stubs preceding and following being da-
ted April IA, 1898. Referring to record
of warrants paid we find that warrant
upon which this $3.50 was fraudulently
obtained corresponds in number. 1852,
with the blank warrant stub.
From the above facts, based upon the
records. and made solely from them, we
find that Thomas T. Kelly. ex-county
ly indebted to Miami county in the sum
of $3.50.
This closes the term of office of Thos.
T. Kelly as county clerk. The record
made by him speaks for itself. Errom
it we find that his administration of the
affairs of the office of county clerk for
four years is characterized by careless
ness and dishonesty.
There will be two things this year
| x4rbio oh fc holi will anCplPraf0 the
counting of the ballots on election
night, and it is believed that the result
ought to be known several hours earlier
than usual.
One of these things is the fact that
the state and county ballot will 'be
separate from the township and constl-
tutional amendments. and will all be
counted first, and the other reason 1s
that all the straight party ballots viii
be counted and recorded by Single
stroke Of the pencil, thereby taking per
haps only one-twentieth of the time
that would be required to go through
the entire list Of candidates from COVER
nor to road overseer as has been neces-
sary heretofore.
There will be three sets of ballots and
three different ballot boxes this year
When a voter goes into the booth he
will be given three ballots, one of each
set. One viii contain the state and
county tickets and will. of course, be
the most important. Another will be
the township tickets. and the third viii
contain the two constitutional amend
ments. This will be the case every
: where except in cities Of the first and
second class, where there will, OF
course, be no township ballots.
When it comes to counting the state
and county ballots will be counted first
Every ballot that is marked in a circle
will be counted as a straight vote fol-
that party. provided there are no Other
marks on the ballot. and will be re
} on HlnI cfr, ~41r Tho ~
the poll books. If there should happer
to be any other marking on the ballo
the whole thing would be thrown out
This ought to make the counting oi
, the ballots a comparatively swift job
? The straight ballots will not be so nu
Z merous as may be generally imagined
= but there will be good many of them
especially where there are no loca