Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-03-18
No CONUNDRUM
ABOUT SHORTAGE

mere mas Deen no mystery, Otner
tnan that specially manufactured with.
in the past few days, regarding the
omission of any criminal prosecution
on account of a deficiency of $2,337.S5
In the funds belonging to pay rolls Of
road boards. The matter was reported
in detail by Acting Auditor II. c.
Meyers to Governor Dole In a letter
dated September &c.
It was shown that the warrants for
road boards cashed amounted TO 49,.
S75.4O, but that of this Clerk Siemsen
had paid to the parties entitled there.
to, out of current receipts coming into
his hands, s1,53735. as he stated. un.
der instructions from Chief Clerk y.
II. Wright. This left a balance to be
accounted for of S2,S3S.O5. as the An
ditor's records have 1t, being differ
ence Of 20 cents from the amount about
which the present discussion has been
raised. Mr.. Meyers explained that this
slight difference arose from the fact
that in Cashing one of three warrants
for as many road boards 30 cents short
700 hdih'u ONN NllbuSl llllSNdhllb ~
cents written for ~ cents.
Mr.. Cathcart stated in his first in.
tervicw mat something about road
boards was mentioned in giving him
the Public Works defalcatiOns for
presentation to the grand Jury. As the
matter now in controversy was tho
only one relating to road boards given
to him, then II is an erroneous state.
ment which has been made that this
particular deficiency had never been
brought to the attention Of the grand
jury through the Deputy Attorney
General.
Mr.. Meyers was asked this morning
why he had not sworn ont an indict.
ment for the deficiency In road board
cash.
Against whom" he asked In reply
There was a short in the drawer OF
he had paid the money over to %. II.
Wright. the Chief Clerk On the 18th
OF September the Electric Light defal.
cation was reported and n warrant was
sworn out for u. II. Wright's arrest. It
was not the policy OF the Government
tC swear out a warrant for every def.
cheney as 1t was discovered. The first
warrant was considered enough to hold
Wright. Afterward bond was given
By him for appearance. Then II was
feared he might get away on his bond
and that other matter was sworn to-.
L. -, Ia, 10 "a,
book the notification OF the road board
deficiency to Governor Dole. Auditor
Fisher. who was present at the inter
view. remarked on the difficulty OF
making out case against anyone In
roOmful Of clerks using the same safe
in common and all Of the subordinates
supposedly acting under the direction
Of the Chief Clerk.
II was further stated by Mr.. Meyers
that there was nothing strange about
the lapse of time in entering the cash
from the warrants. When the Govern
mcnt was short of money. warrants
were deposited In banks and money
advanced on them. AS the warrants
were paid their amounts went into the
cash account. The money paid or
the three road board warrants men
toned came from the loan out Of the
famous Chinese Fund.
II. Il. Cooper, Superintendent o.
Public Works, who took office subse'
qucnt to these events, stated that hC
had discussed the matter with the Gov
ernor at the latter's home yesterday
Governor Dole's recollection was that
the Auditor informed him at the time
OF the discoveries that the road boarC
shortage was not a defalCatiOn, bu
simply transfer of funds from one
employe 10 another.
Mr., Cooper said to the reporter tina
the o L held by Clerk Wilcox agains
payments alleged to have been made tC
Wright was for Il larger amount thar
the shortage, but of an earlier date, an(
that, according to Wilcox. 1t was ;
sort of continuing o L taken for hi
own protection.
There is no COnundrum about thu
natter" MIR. CoOry concluded. "th
whole thing was reported to the Gov
ernor both by the Auditor and myself
u