The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-01-09
SHORTAGE OF OVER s28,OOO
SHOWN BY RECORDS OF MATER
 TOWNS FINANCES.
Charges Against Treasurer Burton H. mst,ocn-Expert Discovers Certain Omissions "Appsaring to Cover Up ir- reguIarities"-No Interest Paid on Town Notes for Several Years Held by Bank of Which MT. Mattoon Is the Treasurer.
Treasurer.

Watertown, Conn.,, Jan. S.-In special town meeting to-day called to consider the finding of experts employed by an Investigating committee to report re- garding the financial condition of the town as shown by the books of the treasurer, Burton H. Mattoon. the fire selectman was instructed to act for the treasurer in receiving and paying out town money until the first Monday in October of the present year, and a vote was passed directing the selectmen to request the resignation of the treasurer. The meeting was one of the biggest in the history of the town and was lively throughout.
 Frederick c. Mandell, a New York ex- pert. said in his report, the system of keeping the accounts was crude, loose and unsatisfactory; that the books of the treasurer showed interlineations and errors, both of omission and com- mission, and that the treasurer's state ment of the financial condition was not a full and true view of affairs. The ex- pert declared that there was also a lack of proper cancellation of orders, thereby enabling them to be used sec ond time as vouchers. AS a result of the investigation MT. Mandell found that there was shortage of $23,592.07 in the accounts of the treasurer. Of this amount, sums aggregating $9,51S.07 appeared as money loaned. but not en- tered on the treasurer's books as hav- ing been received by the town, while payments made on accounts of loans of which there was no explanatory record and no entry on the cash book. land therefore appearing to cover up irregu- larities" footed up to $14,070.
 Mr. Mattoon on being asked for an explanation said he was not prepared to make one because he had not been allowed access to the books during the examination.
 Many questions relating to the town finances were asked of MT. Mattoon, all which he answered calmly and without a trace of annoyance. He said he had asked for the committee of investiga. tion because he had known for years that no true report of the towns f1nan- cial condition had been presented, and he desired to have the committee ascer- tain what the real condition of affairs was.
 One of the selectmen in reply to a question declared that no interest had been paid on the town notes held by the Watertown Savings bank since July, 1897 Mr. Mattoon is treasurer of this bank. After the question about the in- terest, voter arose to inquire what had become of the principal, but the ques- tion was not answered.
 Tn the discussion it came out that the Watertown Savings bank has de- tnanded of the town the payment of it's notes amounting to over $14, 900 by Jan- nary 15.
 First Selectman James G. Skilton was authority for the statement that the treasurer had on four different occa- sions been asked to assist the select men in going over the books, but had not done so. The chairman of the inves- tigating committee said MT. Mattoon had been notified that the committee desired his assistance in examining the books on certain day, but that he had failed to respond.
 After the adjournment of the meeting Treasurer Mattoon declined to make any statement, but he appeared uncon- cerned, and it was intimated by his friends that he would regard the action taken as illegal.