The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-06-10
Will PROSECUTE NO ONE
COUNCIL COMMITTEES ARE NOT Or
CANNED FOR THAT PURPOSE.
Chairman NegIey Has Not Replied to
Letter from Citizens League
League Offers witnesses.

Harry E. Negley, chairman of the COM
mittee selected by Council TO investigate
the books of City Clerk Elliott, says the
committee is one of investigation not of
persecution. The committee intends to find
cut whether Mr.. Elliott owes the city any
money, but does not intend to split hairs
over motives for any man or any organiza-
tion of men. The committee will do its full
duty, he says, and then when the expert
makes his report it will decide what shall
be done.
The executive committee of the Citizens
League sent a letter to Mr.. Negley yester-
day offering TO furnish witnesses to testify
as to alleged alterations and erasures made
by Mr.. Elliott in his cash book Mr.. Neg
ley has not replied to the letter and has
not made up his mind yet whether a reply
is necessary The letter, signed by Thomas
c. Day. William Fortune, Francis Henry
Gavisk, Theodore c. Griffith. DIR. George
Edwin Hunt, Augustus l.. Mason and Luz
cius Il. Swift, follows:
Dear Strive have noted in the public
press the statement made by the city
clerk that his failure promptly TO turn over
public funds which came into his possession
was due to mistakes in bookkeeping. The
total mistake thus far amounts TO about
$1,000. This was made up of small sums
collected in perhaps 500 cases in the Police
Court This would be about one mistake
daily from the beginning Of the city clerk s
term of Office. and always against the city
I'm the judgment of this committee this
explanation should be thoroughly verified
1t may be found that the amounts now
noted upon the books as received have all
been turned over. but a report that such is
the fact will not entirely cover all questions
We request that the clerk be put under
oath and interrogated as to the circum-
stances under which individual mistakes
were made. We also request that your ex-
pert be required TO make note of all altera-
tions and erasures in the books and that
your committee make inquiry and examine
witnesses To such alterations and era
sures and other pertinent matters, and TO
that end the undersigned are ready to fur
nish you with the names OF four persons to
give evidence. We request that Judge
Stubbs. from whom ii appears the money
was withheld, be examined under oath as
To all that he knows about these matters,
including any communications between him
and the city clerk regarding shortages.
I'VE further request that your expert be
required to classify according to the charge
in each case, all cases where the fines and
costs have not been paid, or where they
were not paid when the judgment was rem
view Of determining whether the city
clerk has favored any particular class Of
lawbreakers.
I'VE make these requests before your ex-
pert has completed his work because we
gather from the public press that the only
result sought by your committee is to de-
termine whether the amounts received as
now shown by the books, balance the
amounts paid over. This is only one OF the
questions which the citizens of Indianapo-
lis desire to determine. Respectfully sub
mitted."