Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-02-09
WATERTOWN'S MIX UP.
Committee That Investigated Matt

Watertown. Feb 9.-At the ad- journed annual meeting held in the town hall yesterday the report was submitted of the special committee verifying the statements made by the expert accountants at the special town meeting held on January $, re- garding the alleged shortage in the ac- counts of Town Treasurer Burton H. Mattoon. It is a singular fact that the town notes held by the Water town Savings bank, and which were not reported to the selectmen by the town treasure who was also treas urer of the savings bank, have been reported for years by the bank com missioners in their annual reports of the condition of the bank, being ac- counted as an asset of the bank.
 ? William J. Munson. chairman of the special Investigating committee, is a director of the Watertown Say ings bank, and is also director of the Dime Savings bank Of Waterbury, which also holds notes of the town of .Watertown. 1t Is somewhat surpris- ing that so many facts regarding the financial transactions of the town of Watertown with several banks which were a matter Of record in the banks themselves and the state bank com misSioners reports, were not known to the town officials. other than the treasurer, who apparently had good reason for concealing them, until the fnvesigation3 unearthed them.
 [NI Iz..l when First Selectman J. G. Skilton called the meeting to order at l :3U o'clock yesterday afternoon, and Hor- ace D. Taft, a brother of W llllam Ii. Taft, the secretary Of war, was ap- pointed chairman.
 William J. Munson. chairman Of the committee appointed at the an- nual town meeting in October, 1905, to investigate Town Treasurer E. H. Mattoon's accounts, read the report His associates on the committee were Henry T. Dayton and William C.. French, all prominent residents Of WatertoWn. . .5E@.
 The committee closed it's lengthy re> port with the following recommenda, tion:
 Your committee would recommend y keeping the town books, and would only recommend that amounts be so kept that the selectmen be able to know at all times the financial condi- tion of the town. :"
 We believe that the day book kept by the present board of selectmen is as good form as can be adopted, but would suggest that the selectmen post their accounts on the ledger on or be- fore the first day of each month. pIac- ing each item of each bill under the head to which it belongs. The select men would then be able to tell wheth- CT they were exceeding the amount of the appropriation that had been made for the various purposes during the year. ~..
 We would suggest that the select men meet at least once a month at the selectmen's room, at time by them specified, receive all bills, look over and draw orders for all approved bills, each of the selectmen signing his own name to the order.
 We would also recommend tha- the town treasurer report to the selectmen once a month all money received by him during the past month, from whom and for what. and all money paid out by him, not paid on select mems orders. Also that the treasurer pay no money except upon statutory order, and that all orders be cance1ed by the treasurer when paid, and kept as vouchers.
 That the selectmen keep an account of the money in the treasury on tue stubs of the town order book, or some other book kept for that purpose and subtract the amount of each order from the amount then in the treasury in the same manner as a business man keeps his bank account.
 We believe if this was done, and the selectmen, town treasurer and town auditors do comply with the statutes. shortages and misappropriations of money would be impossible.
 Respectfully submitted,
 W. J. MUNSON,
 HENRY T. DAYTON
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