New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-09-15
STATE AUDITOR PRISONER
Indiana Governor Finds Deficit of
S145,OOO an His accounts.
IRy Telegraph to The Tribune

indianapolis, sept. 14-David f. Sherrick
twice elected Auditor of State. was arrested
Tonight after being summariIy susperseded
in office to-day on the Governors order
order for betrayal of public trust and Uarre,
Bigler. of Wabash. accepted an appointment as
his successor. The removal followed a long cor
respondence in which Sherrick admitted that
he was unable 10 settle his account with the
Treasurer of State, and virtually confessed that
he had been continuously violating the law by
loaning money belonging 20 the state for his
personal profit
In a formal statement the Governor saws he
has been Investigating the conditions in the
Auditors office since the last of August having
received information that Sherrick had not made
the July settlement for the States funds. which
had accumulated from January / to July
1890. He Immediately asked for settlement
which made.
This amount was about S235 0OO In adGi-
tion TO this the Auditor in his statement to the
Governor admitted that he was at that time
chargeable with State funds paid in since the
July settlement amounting to $145 1917 so. for
which he filed a schedule enumerating the
assets he had with which to meet this
amount. These items included notes, stocks and
securities amounting 10 $152SS3 33. of which,
according to the Governors letter, only S37.-
$50 OF could be realized on
At the time that his analysis of the assets
submitted by Sherrick was madc the Governor
formally requested Sherrick to resign The
resignation was not forthcoming. The Governor
requested that Sherrick turn over TO John F.
Reed. the settlement clerk in the Auditors office
the securities enumerated, and this was done
The Governor also demanded that settlement
TO the extent of $145, 1871 so be made with the
State by noon to-day and again requested Sher-
rick TO resign. AT noon the request had not
been complied with and it repeated. The
Governor entered executive order finding
the existence of a vacancy and appointing
Bigler.
Later Sherricl sent his resignation to Gov
ernor Hanly. who accepted it and entered an
order appointing Warren Bigler of Wabash, to
the office Of State Auditor. Bgler accepted.
The estimate of the deficit in Sherrck's ac-
counts was made by the Governor on the as
sumption that $1,000 loaned to j. H Murry &
Co, and indorsed by w s Wickard, had been
secured on forged and worthless paper Mr.
Wickard declares that they are genuine and
perfectly good. w S. Wickard is a son-in-law
of Murry and, the financial agent of the
lumber firm, signs all its commercial paper
this afternoon with certified check to take up
the notes, but found that Sherrcll had been re-
moved from office. He asserts that he will file
suit tomorrow against the Governor for libel
States Office is for 100000 and was furnished
by the American Surety Company. The bond
for his second term was made December 6
1904. and filed January u. 1909. 1t is signed by
Sherrick. the American Surety Company by
Roscoe o. Hawkins resident ce-president, and
Ernst V. Clark. resident assistant secretary.
The bond for his first term for 100000,
also and furnished by the American Surety
Company.