The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-09-06
TELL OF CONVEYANCE.
How Treasurer's Deputy and
Kelly Worked.
Warrants Issued Without Ac-
tfOn Of Board.

"hAAe ne was county clerk of Miami
county.
1t has been commonly talked in Miami
county that Kelly was not alone in his
thefts from the county-that he prob
ably had an accomplice in the county
treasurer's office who aided him.
The investigation just completed by
the county commissioners shows that
while Kelly was raising warrants and
otherwise filching from the county as
county clerk, some one in thetreasurer'
office was making little populations
which aggregated $614. 1t would look
as though Kelly and the other man
worked together.
The man who was treasurer of Miami
county during this time was ]. w. Bry-
an, who still lives there. The commits
sioners have just completed the task of
going through the books and records
left by Bryan, and they find numerous
instances where the treasurer has given
himself credit for greater sums than the
warrant called for, amounting in all to
1888, but errors amounting to $40 were
found which should have been in Bry-
ans favor.
The county commissioners do not hold
the county treasurer himself guilty of
theft, but Ahey say his deputy or dep
uties were the guilty parties. 1t was
the name of one of these deputies that
was IlHkeQ WITH lnaI Oh Nelly Ill Ills
thefts. In their official findings the
commissioners say:
I'VE might say in justice to John w.
Bryan, late county treasurer of Miami
county that SO far as we can ascertain
from the records, that none of these
false entries were made by him, that
all of them were made by his deputy or
deputies, but under the law he is re-
sponsible for their acts. and we so hold
him."
Mr.. Bryan has been requested to pay
into the county treasury the amount
which the commissioners find him
short, but he refuses to do so.
There are 25 or 30 instances of false
or erroneous entries given by the coun-
ty commissioners during Bryan's term
of office. Bryan was treasurer four
years commencing October 9, 1888, but
it is a peculiar fact that no apparent
thefts are found in his books until
early in 1891, just about the time KEEL
ly's Irregularities began.
The first one noted by the commits
sionerS was on January II, 1891, when
a warrant for 81 was issued, but later
it appears on the treasurer's warrant
register and cash book as 81, and the
treasurer credited himself with that
amount.
On April IA, 1891. five warrants were
raised, one from $3.50 to $3.50; two
from 1920 to 5000; one from Sc to
1886, and one from $35 to $40
| In some instances warrants were is
sued where there was no record of any
allowance having been made by the
county commissioners. This, of course,
could not have been done except with
the connivance of the county clerk, /.
T. Kelly.
A number of instances were discover
ed where the treasurer had apparently
credited himself with a warrant of a
certain number two months before the
warrant bearing that number was is
sued, to a person and for an amount
wholly different from that named in the
warrant itself. No finding was made
against Mr.. Bryan unless 1t was clear
that the county had lost money through
some one in the treasurers office. The
following is a sample finding:
MAY %. 1892. John w. Taylor en-
tered into a contract with Miamo-co.
near Fontana, for the sum of $545.15.
On July 2, 1892, John W. Bryan ad-
vanced to Taylor on said contract the
sum of 800, by giving Taylor his
Miami County National Bank for the
amount. For this 500 Taylor filed
proper voucher with the treasurer,
and when the board met at the regu-
lar session in July. 1892, it was filed
by Bryan as a paid voucher" and
was allowed in the sum of 500, and
warrant No. 3S6 was drawn and re-
ceipted for by Bryan. Bryan takes
credit for the payment of this warrant
on treasurers warrant register b,
page 1926, and on his cash book, page
PSI. on July IA, 1892, Taylor, having
completed his contract, filed his vouch-
er for the full contract price, namely
S54515 and it was allowed, and war
rant No. SAB was drawn in payment
for the same. Upon Taylor's present
ing this warrant for payment, John
w. Bryan, by his deputy, Ira N. Bryan
gave Taylor his treasurer's check, No.
1924, on the Miami County National
Bank, for the sum of $445.15, retain
ing the 800 he had advanced to Tay-
lor July 2, 1892. But Bryan takes
credit for the full amount of this war
rant. namely $545.15 as is shown on
the treasurer's warrant book b, page
332, and the treasurer's cash book,
page 259. By this transaction Miami
lost one hundred dollars, and
John w. Bryan, by his deputy, Ira
N. Bryan, gained one hundred dollars.
We therefore find that on the above
item that ]. w. Bryan is indebted to
Miami-co. in the sum of 500.
vember g. 1891, a claim was allowed to j. |
II. Rhea for 81 on account Of judge of
siener Ss Journal OF G. on the same date, to
the same person, for the same purpose
and for the same am9qnt duPli eat
county clerk, numbered 2614, and is re-
eeipted for by James H. Rhea. The orig |
Rh f and numbered 1854. for s. on ac-
count of judge of election, is not receipt |
n a rely DE December e g. 1891, j. W, Bryan
county treasurer, takes credit, page 302 |
treasurer's warrant register B, and upon |
his cash book, page ~, for the said num-
for the sum of 81 as Judge of election, in |
the sum of $50 as being paid to Sugar |
Creek township. This warrant was can |
ceIled by the board February 4. 1892, as
so, page 49, commissioners journal G. |
No bill or voucher was filed by Sugar |
Creek township for the sum of 800. No al |
Iowance was made by the board to Sugar |
Creek township in the sum of $50 at the
meeting of the board November 6, 1891, |
when this warrant for g was issued to J. |
III. Rhea, nor at any other meeting of the |
board. either before or after that date.
The manner of payment or to whom this