The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-01-03
MIR. Todd Had to Make Per-
sonal Arrangement to
Pay Teachers.
RETIRING OFFICER LEFT
NOTHING IN THE OFFICE
All the County Tax Books and
Records Removed Along With
Tax Bills and Thousands OF "
Dollars The Common
wcalth's Attorney Is
@ Called Upon. 5

During yesterday the treasurership
nlud,1lc which has been daily assuming
a position OF paramount Importance In
the county, reached It's most Intricate,
and complete stage. III
A treasury swept bare OF funds, and OF.
other usual paraphernaliaai in tho way Of
looks. recorus, ETC., all OF which have
been removed by the outgoing officer,
compels a curious spectacle, and Walter.
j.. Todd newly elected BY the people, is,
moment nrly, at least ,#running the affairs
OF the Commonwealth out of his own
pocket. ;:@E
Thousands OF dollars in money and as
much more In the way OF unco'lected tax.
bills cannot be touched, because Dir.
Brauer holds them in his Gus tody, claim
Ing a legal right for the proceeding
Formal demands from tho new treas
vrer$ receive absolutely no attention, and
Mr. Todd Is beginning to prepare for
scme drastic movement Il 1t becomes
necessary. t4S sa s #
..s A Complex Situation.
Meanwhile. a pcrplexcd public IS seek
ing tos,lnderstandFth the show. Taxpayers
leave the court house with tic money s till
I III their pock ct, because there IS nobody
Isl receive II. citizens. Il including school
steachers present warrants against the
county. and the county cannot pay be-
cause the treasury is empty, while Mr.
Brauer holds the funds. Only the
promptitude OF the new treasurer, VINO
u ent down in his own pockoe or a t. least
maize some personal arrangement yes
terday,g prevented these warrants or
some Of them from going out into the
county and being exchanged for cash.
THE court IS beginning to loom up IN
the distance. The treasurer is responsive
ia the Supervisors and these latter will
meet on; Tuesday and take some action.
One OF the school boards has already ex-
dressed itself The Commonwealthss At
torney has been. called upon by both
ssdas aud viii render a decision as soon
as he can look into the law. Ii this does.
moi settle the matter the whole business
will be thrown into the courts.
Took Everything Away.
BY midnight OF the &3lst of December,
the day before Mr. Todd was 70 take
charge. Mr.. Brauer had vacated <ie
I fraasurer,s office. but he had carried the
bulk of what was movable In 1t along
with him. 81
Friday was a holiday. and yesterday
MIR. Todd took possession. The place was
II bare a most vigorous search produced
not n cent of money. One or two desks
had been removed. Where there had on
the day before been scores of tax BOOKS
and other county records there We're now
none. Not a scrap Of blank paper even
could be found The ink had been re-
moved from the wells. And Mr.. Todd took
possession He sat in "a. revolving chalr'
and b. turns gazed at the four walls
around him.
In the next offlce-7that Of the commits
sioner OF the revenue-Mr. Brauer had
#entrenched himself, The two offices COM
G1n,nicate by means OF a door on the In
Z side. THE hall door of ...e commissioners
Office has not been opened for months
Visitors reached tho commissioner by
y passing through the treasurer's otflcc
4 But now the outer door has been opened
Z and the wire one closed. Mr.. Brauer has
loa cked his desk against the latter and
communication between him and the Of
flee OF Mr.. Todd is thus shut off,
Here are all Of the books. accounts,
etc. as we'll as the money on which tne
county is to be ruin. Mr.. Brauer ho,ls
them and refuses to deliver the property
ur. Mr.. Todd has nothing, and he Is en-
nected to run the affairs OF the county
Yesterday the school teachers nf Brook
lard District, some of whom depend
upon their salary for their bread, pre-
scnted their bills The treasury of Hen
rico was empty Rather than put the
young fades to Inconvenience or to
force them to sell the county paper for
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