The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-03-19
FINDINGS OF ACCOUNTANT.

FINDINGS OF ACCOUNTANT.
Accompanying the report are two
papers OF value. one the statement OF
findings OF the accountant and the 9th
er that of Wilcox, the accused. The
facts of the shortage in the Road Board
accounts are those which have been
printed. These show that the majority
Of the warrants were presented to the
Auditor. ordered paid at the Bank OF
Hawaii. and cashed there by Wilcox.
The report further says that the Ka-
waihau Road Board. s424.10 warrant.
1925, dated August Is. 1902. was drawn
on the Treasury and stamped paid on
November 25. II. c. Hapai registrar.
Is ready TO swear that the money was
paid on that day. 1t was found, how
| ever, that warrants to the amount of
$131, $3.50 were paid out Of the Chinese
fund. between May and November. and
no statement Of dates kept. but all
were stamped as of November rs, when
the Treasury was in funds, so 1t is i'm
possible to locate the exact date Of the
drawings of money covered by warrants
so cashed.
The statement then recites how Will
cox got the money and paid it over to
Wright, the security being an l. o. u,
dated March IS. 1902 from B. H.
Wright, which is said to cover the
Improper transactions. The fact that
such moneys were turned over to
Wright is verified. it is said. by en-
ployees of the office. In an examination !
in September, the copy of which is in
the Governors Office Also that there |
was no legal action brought by the
Governor. The report then says:
II find, further that the amount of |
1855 of these payrolls has been
drawn from special deposit of road tax
to pay same by S. N. Hundley chair
man of the Hawaiian Road Board.
same appearing in the Public Works
Department accounts with this road
board, November and December, 1902,
thereby adding further iIlegality to this
After quoting the report of Super
intendent Cooper as to the shortage,
the report concludes:
Further, that Governor Dole, in spe-
cial message to the Legislature, Feb
ruary IS. 1908. completes the train of
Irregularities by asking for an appro-
priation under the caption of Roads
and Bridges. Fourth District for an
item Road Board pay rolls, $2.S37,S5. to
cover the amount of embezzlement."
WILCOX MAKES STATEMENT.
Accompanying this statement is the
from Charles Wilcox:
of Public Works. Homo
lulu, T. H., March 10, 1908.
Statement regarding moneys drawn
on receiptedl road board payrolis for
abor and not remitted: I was appoint
a clerk in the Public Works Depart
ment on or about the middle of June,
1901. and received Instructions as to
my duties about the office from the ;
chief clerk. B. H Wright. $
Later. after receipt of an anonymous ]
etter limiting that office secrets were ;
eaking out, the superintendent, Mr., !
Boyd, gave us clerks talking to, and
old us that any clerk who would not ]
mind his own business and do his work I
Is told would be discharged. He told |
is that he held Mr. Wright, the chief I
Jerk. responsible for the business in
he main office, as with his own work 9
o look after it was impossible for him t
INT ha Of he ofi | [
hat all the clerks We're under B. H. L
and that any clerk who refused a
o do as Mr.. b. H. Wright desired :
Tould be discharged.
That was the time Mr.. George c. Il
loss was discharged. II
August q, 1901, Mr.. B. II. Wright s
'rote to II. c. Austin. Auditor, that I Fv
ad been appointed disbursing officer a
or the Department. Getter book Is,
age s2) b
After that warrants for labor payrolIs =
ere issued in my name. The custom D
18th Road Boards were to send in pay \
Ills already receipted for any work
ley desired TO be charged to some road II
warrants issued for such Il
ayrolls kept in a drawer until I re- q
lived instructions TO forward the =
oney, or an order to pay over these 9
mounts to the proper parties, as the II
Use may be. Some time later q think
January. 1922 l was called into the
Iperintendent's oElce and questioned =
regard to them and told that 1 must r
sh the warrants right after receiving