The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1906-11-30
OIL INSPECTOR OUSTED
J. L. Canutt Charged With Mis-
management in Office.
Improper Use of Funds, SIipshod
Methods of Bookkeeping and
Other Irregularities.

People of Whitman county were sur
prised Tuesday to learn that ]. l..
| Canutt, state oil inspector. had been
summarily dismissed from office by Gov
ernOr Mead. The teegraphie summary
shows that there have been great irreGu-
| larities in the conduct of the office. and
the report in full contained in the Sc
attic papers fully juatifies the action Of
| the governor IN removing Canutt. The
| facJs contained in the report do not
make interesting reading for people who
| desire clean administration of affairs,
| but IL Is gratifying TO know that the
| graft mas been stopped at the incipient
| stage and reforms will be inaugurated
IN the conduct of the office in future.
Under. date of Olympia, November 26,
| the dispatch reads: Governor Mead to-
day summarily removed Oil Inspector j.
l.. Canutt of Colfax from office for "mis.
| conduct and unfaithfulness to the duties
OF the office, and appointed f A. Clark
Of Snohomish county, who has been
deputy inspector, to the position The
| removal was made on the report of the
| special committee which recently investi-
gated the office and reported today.
The committee consisted of j H.
Davis and Secretary e. e. Aspinwall of
the board Of control, O. 5 Reed. superin
tendent OF the reform school; Assistant
Attorney General Robert f. Booth of
Seattle and State Senator W. e. Potts
of Seattle.
The report finds there ia no check on
expenditures, as under the law the in
spector pays his salary and expenses
out OF the ices, turning the balance, if
any, into the state. Ia ten months the
of Tf -,
$500 80.
Canutt has paid himself 174.45 for
board, lodging and streetcar fare in Sc
attle, where his office is located. He had
paid himself $S2 so expenses at Colfax.
where no oil wHs ever inspected He en-
ployed his nephew, Virgil Canutt, as
deputy for three months at $125 per
month, but the records show no oil in
spected by Virgil. Vouchers allowed
and paid by MIR. Canutt are in instances
not signed by pay ee, and those certified
by the Inspector are by stamp, not writ
ten signatures
In many instances no vouchers at all
are on hand to show the expenditures.
The committee recommends that all fees
should be turned into the treasury to be
paid ont on proper vouchers issued
through the auditor; that the Office he
combined with that of food and dairy
com missioner, as the receiprs from oil
would care for both departments, saw
ing money to the taxpayers. In addi-
tion the committee urges general over
hauling OF the law creating the office,
and that inspection be made to include
gasoline, benzine and all other oil pro.
ducts OF petroleum as well as kerosene
The committee Of Investigation named
by the governor found Canutt had com.
PEELED the state to pay car fare to and
from his office, charged 81 so for meals
in cheap Seattle restaurant and trav-
eled with corresponding luxury while on
the road. A bunch Of vouchers were
found covering trip to COlfax, Canutt's
former home, which we're signed BY Sally
Canutt. The committee did not ind ber
identity.
To the Seattle Post st-Intelligencer Mr..
Canutt made this statement when seen
by reporter:
Il am satisfied the whole affair has
grown out Of misunderstanding. |
have nothing to say on the subject now,
but shall GO fully into the matter and
make an extended statement at some
later date. No, have no statement to
make at present"
MIR. Canutt lives at 2303 North Sixty
third street, near Green Lake, Seattle.