The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-10-26
III. E. Patterson Begins Work
in TreaSurer's Office.
Doesn't Know What Ground He
viii Cover.
HIS TIME is LIMITED.
Says That He May Be Here Ten
Days.
Silent About Who Has Employed
Him.


Roosevelt and Bristow in probing the
postal frauds. and are good enough for
Governor Bailey, but they do not suit
embezzlers who have been discovered
short in their accounts and have paid
back part of the public money.
H E. Patterson, an accountant of
Wichita, has been employed by T. T.
Kelly to go over some of the records
of the state treasury. Mr. Patterson
has been in Topeka since Monday and
Is now at work in the treasurer's
Office.
Just what ground Mr.. Patterson will
cover is not known and he does not
state. He says his time is limited. 1t
is supposed that he will cover the
ground in which State Accountant Ro-
welt and J. d. buckingham reported
shortages in the treasury.
Mr.. Patterson is employed by Treas
urer Kelly himself. Mr.. Kelly evident
ly made arrangements for his employ
ment also, as is shown by the follow
ing from the Wellington Mail of Tues
day October 25:
N. E. Patterson, the expert ac-
countant who is installing the new
system of bookkeeping in the offices
of the county clerk and county treas
H. A. Loper received two kilograms
from Topeka, one from State Treasur-
er T. T. Kelly and the other from Mr..
Patterson. The Kelly telegram stated
that he wanted the services of Mr.. Pat
terson for ten days and the Patterson
telegram inquired whether it would be
satisfactory for him to suspend his
work in this county for ten days. In
asmuch as Mr.. Patterson's contract re-
quires him to install the pew system
as of October 10 and the delay means
nothing more than some extra work
for Mr.. Patterson here, he will prob
ably do his Topeka work first
This indicates that Mr.. Kelly made /
the arrangements for the employment
Of Mr.. Patterson instead of leaving the +
matter to his bondsmen. When Kelly's /
resignation in escrow was first made /
public it was stated that his friends had I
already wired for finn of Chicago ac-
countants to go over his books, but /
this was evidently called off.
Mr.. Patterson was seen by a State /
Journal reporter today.
rs 1t true that you have been en- /
ployed to go through the books of the |
treasurer's office2" he was asked
We'll, it is hardly as broad as that" |
he replied. Il have been employed to /
do some work in the treasury"
will you state who employed you?" |
Mr. Patterson was asked.
L would rather not do that" he said. I
'I prefer that you would see Mr.. Kelly.
How broad a scope will your inves-
tigation cover2"
Il am unable to say at present" re-
piled Mr.. Patterson. You see have
a great deal of work ahead of me. At /
present am engaged in installing a
new system of books in the county off
ces in Sumner county. have also been
appointed referee in a big suit by the
district court of Cowley county and the
same court has instructed me to go
through the accounts of the receiver of
mortgage company. Then 1 have a
contract with Woodward county, Okla
homa. and all of this work I am under
contract to do. l got a respite of ten
days from my work in Sumner county
TO come up here, but don't know how
much time l will have or what ground /
will cover. They have been trying to
get me for some time, but I don't know
how long I can stay"
ON Monday Hiram p. Dillon to whom
Kelly gave his resignation in escrow
accompanied by the request that his
accounts be examined. addressed a let
ter to Mr.. Kelly in which he said:
L will take immediate steps to ap-
point an expert accountant for the pur-
pose of making the investigation re-
quested. As soon as 1 have selected
the accountant and learned the prob
VIII ask you to deposit with me a suffi-
c1ent sum to cover the same"
It seems, however, that Mr.. Kelly
had already taken immediate steps,
himself to secure the accountant, and
that he had him in Topeka on the very
day that Mr.. Dillon's letter was writ
ten.
1t has been suggested that Mr.. Kel-
ly's accountant may possibly be able
20 ind out the identity of A r.
Brown" in whose name the Garden
City shortage was mysteriously made
good to the state
The Ottawa Herald, CRep). in COM
menting upon Kelly's request to have
his friends investigate him. saws:
An investigation by an accountant
chosen by his personal friends and his
bondSmen who would have to nut 1;p
any shortage that might be found
against him would probably suit State
Treasurer Kelly much better tWln the
one now being conducted by the states
accountant There is a sort of custom
however, that when a man is short in
his cash he shall be checked up by his
state will go on investigating Mr. KEEL Z
ly's shortages and the taxpayers will
go on expecting that the man who
steals from the treasury be held to ac-
count for it"
Coleman Still Refuses to Act.
Does or does not c. c. Coleman. at
torney general of Kansas, intend to
prosecute those who are proven to
have robbed the state?
Mr. Coleman recently told a reporter
for the State Journal that he would
not consider any criminal procedure at
this time He was quoted in a Kansas
City paper as saying that there is no
cases in which the money has been re-
ad To he frs