The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1905-09-19
SUCCESSOR APPOINTED WHILE
HE WINkED THE OTHER EYE
Governor Says the Auditor Has Been
Guilty of>lnexcusabIe Violation
OF the Law.
A BETRAYAL OF PUBLIC TRUST
sherriek's Friends say # Governor
Had Not Been so Sudden, For
mer Could Have Settled.

mer Could Have Settled.
Indianapolis, Ind, Sept. 14.-Threat.
ened with instant removal from office
by Gov J. Frank HaDly, who had
made three demands for his resigna-
tion, David E. Sherrick, auditor OF
state, late this afternoon resigned his
position, thereby rendering void an or.
der already prepared by the governor
declaring the Office vacant.
The resignation was accepted on the
spot by the governor, who Immediately
thereafter appointed Warren Bigler OF
Wabash as auditor, the appointment to
take effect the moment the appointee
could arrange for his bond. Mr.. Big
Ter accepted and will take charge to-
morrow morning.
In ousting Mr.. Sherrick from Office
Gov. Hanly alleges that the auditor
had been guilty of "a plain and mex
cusable violation of the law and gross
betrayal of public trust" in investing
and loaning funds belonging to the
state to the amount of sl45,OOO. This
sum, the governor alleges, was mis-
used, having been invested in private
affairs.
Moreover, Gov. Hanly alleges that
notes held by Mr.. Sherrick to the
amount of $4,000 are forgeries, the
name of ]. II. Murry G. Co., which is
appended to them, having been forged
by Willard S. Wickward, who is secre-
tary and treasurer of J. H. Murry G.
ho orHx Ipr hor do
No arrests have as yet been made,
but it is intimated that criminal pros
ecutions will be instituted against both
Mr.. Sherrick and Mr.. Wickward. Gov.
Hanly tonight placed his evidence be-
fore Charles Benedict. prosecutor of
Marion county, who will refer the mat
ter to the grand jury.
Friends of Mr.. Sherrick were de-
claring tonight that had the governor
deferred his action for "a hours and not
forced a settlement before the time set
by himself in former communication
the entire matter might have been ad-
justed, Mr. Sherrick having secured |
$125,O 900 of the $145,O0O due the state. |
In another "a hours, they said, the re-
naming $4,000 would have been forth |
coming, thereby obviating the scandal
which now has been precipitated
The state of Indiana will not lose a
cent through the expose, the auditor
having been under bond for 100000,
and the securities which he held being
worth something like $4,000. The
amount involved is $145,0OO, so the
state will suffer no loss
There are five of the J. H. Murry G.
Co. notes, aggregating $4,000. One of
these is signed by w. S. Wickard per-
sonally. This is for $4,000. All of
these notes are declared forgeries by
the governor Moreover, the governor
says that Mr.. Wickard admitted to a
representative of his (the governor's)
that the name of j. H. Murry G. Co.
was forged. This, however, was en-
phatically denied tonight by Mr.. Wick
ard, who declared that he had had no
interview on the matter with any rep
resentative of the governor, nor had he
been communicated with in regard to
the matter
The trouble which came to a head
today and resulted in the sudden res
ignation of Mr.. Sherrick dates back to
August 23, when the governor was in
formed that the auditor of state had
not made his semi-annual settlement,
which was due on July /. The gov
ernor Immediately asked the auditor
for his settlement, and the auditor
complied with the resuest
The amount of the settlement aggre-
gated $235,O00, which was paid to the
treasurer of state, but. in addition to
this, the auditor admitted that he was
at that time chargeable with state funds
aggregating $145, 1880. On the mo-
ment of hearing this, the governor de-
manded of the auditor schedule emu
merating the assets he possessed with
which to meet this amount due the
state.
The schedule which Mr.. Sherrick
submitted showed assets aggregating
$172, ,70S.34. OF this amount, about $780,
900 was cash on deposit in the Bank of
Cicero. The balance was notes, stocks
and securities. These the governor
analyzed carefully In order to deter
mine their real value, with the result,
ss he states, that he found that only
$50. .365.01 could be realized on them.
Acting on this knowledge. the gov
ernor wrote the auditor, informing him ,
Of his discovery concerning the worth |
lessness OF many of his assets, at the ,
same time asking that all the assets !
and securities of the Office be assigned
to John Reed as trustee
and demanding his reaipnation az audt ,
Itor of state. unless the total of the /,
flnds due, the state be produced and |
puid In the treasury of the state on or
before the 18th instant. Ii
But the governor finally decided no. /,