The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-31
New BumOr About That Ac-
cOuntant's Report.
Will Be More Sensational Than
Amy One Expected.
1T is COMING SOON.
Believed That Mr.. Morris Will
Be Here This Week.
knowing Ones HintOf COnfrma-
ton of Rowett Report.

1T turns out that Mr.. Dudley G.
Morris. expert accountant for Has
kins & Sells. who for six weeks has
been mysteriously missing, has been
putting in his whole time in New York
city. instead of in Chicago, where he
said he was going to CHECK up his
report.
Tt is also understood that Mr..
Norris win be back in Topeka with his
completed report some time this week.
What Mr.. Norris has been doing in
New York is partially unknown, but
the thing that has positively de-
veloped is that he is drawing his pay
and consequently at work on the in
Vestigation His assistant, Mr.. w. H.
here in Topeka, since the actual
work on the preparation of the report
stopped.
The report seems to be worthy of
considerable credence that Mr.. Norris
VIII be back in Topeka about Tues
day or Wednesday.
There seems to be only one thing
which could keep Mr.. Morris so long
i'm New York. and that is some dis
agreement about the conclusions to be
drawn from the completed tabula-
tions. 1T would take only a short time
for the force of experts at the home
Office to complete the checking over of
Mr. Morris report. The next thing
would be to summarize the results; TO
run the summary through the lnspec-
ton of attorneys. to determine
definitely the exact spot where the la
bility should be placed. 1t seems that
this is about the most logical eXplana-
ton of the very long delay in the re-
turn of Mr. Norris to Kansas with his
document which has now cost the
state $4,000.
Presumably Mr. Morris went to
New York to personally inspect the
records i'm the fiscal agency But this
would not take very long, especially
since the state doubtless has copies of
all the records there.
May BE Bad for Kelly and Grimes.
Tt is possible that the long delay in
reaching an agreement about the nature
/ of the report may indicate that the
Haskins & sells company realizes that
lis revelations viii be of a character
which viii produce profound results,
and that it is unwilling to take any
chances Of either technical or legal er-
rCf.
If the report was to be a ''whitewash'
it would seem that it would have been
ready for the governor long before this.
Delay means that there is reason for
extreme care.
This has given rise to the belief that
the report VIII perhaps be a substantial
combination of the work of State Ac-
countant Charles ROWett and the
MCxev Audit company. who found in
their examination of 50 counties on the
school fund alone an unexplained short
age of so. 00c.
There are rumors of discoveries of a
nature even more sensational than any
thing unearthed by Mr.. Rowett.
The reports which have heretofore
been given out through Treasurer Kel-
ly's office. purpOrting to tell the amount
of the shortage discovered by Haskins
e. Sells, and placing the whole blame
upon ex-State Treasurer Crimes are in
all proba bility merely extracts from the
ROwett report. selected for the purpose
of breaking the news of the true state
OF affairs gradually.
Called in y. ID. Mcfarland.
IF the report of Hasbins & Sells
should confirm the ROWett report, it viii
then be up to Governor HOch to accept
the escrow resignation of Treasurer
Kelly. Whether Governor HOch would
do this remains to be seen
A few days ago Governor Hoch call
ed upOn J. d. Mcfarland of Topeka for
some legal advice. The nature of this
advice is of course secret. Judge Nc
FarIand was paid $50 out of the treas
ury examination fund for his services,
and the warrant simply said that the
money was expended for legal services
5 of confidential character" 1t seems
that the governor has reached crisis
in affairs where he needs legal advice
entirely outside of that regularly en-
ployed by the state.
When asked yesterday what course he
would pursue when The report is placed
I'm his hands. Governor Hoch said.
ct have not decided what I VIII do
"Wiu you call your advisory committee
toeether for a meeting2
over. NV actions would depend entire
upon what the report contains
Governor Hoeh SAYS that he has not
heard from Mr.. Morris and does moi
know when he win return.
HWll the report be made pubhc?''
81 couldn't say yet replied the gov
r, t ,,,,7e.--+oo5 I,cv.-e,,e- fFa+ If is t1,e
purpose of the governor to make this re-
port public very soon AFTER 1t is received
For some time Mr. Reed. Mr. Norris as
sistaut, was working on a tabulated form
for the use of printers and it is said that
the summary of the report VIII be put
into printed form for distribution
There is also report that when Mr.
Morris filed his report with the governor
the next thing will be to have competent
assistants check up the RoWett report
and the Morris report and see if they
correspond. IF they tally, Governor Hoct
Will then proceed to take action for Kel-
ly's removal If they do not, the discrep-
ancies must be explained.
Only $1,000 Left.
Out of the $4,000 with which the exam
inat.on commenced. there is now only S.
1881 left and Norris and Reed have
drawn pay only up to December 49,
out Of the s9.SS9,69 which have been ex
pended Sb.l3sol has gone direct @
Hasllns and Sells through Morris. The
rest has gone for the employment Of as
Haskins and Sells have also been al
lowed travelling expenses for Mr. Morris
When he left Topeka six weeks ago, he
drew $40 for a ticket to New York.
ID was thought that with the $751; 600 the
expert accountants might be able to eX-
anime several other departments in addi-
ton to the treasury department but there
seems to be small show for that if the
expenses are allowed to continue very
much longer on the present investiga-
ton.
Weather Indications.
Chicago Dec. 30.=Forecast fol