The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-15
.COUNTY'S FUNDS
ARE OYERDRAWN.
COUNTY TREASURER HAWKE RE-
PORTS ON CONDITIONS.
Overdrafts Include One on Current
County Revenue Fund, Contrary to
Statute, and Large Amounts Lost In
Suspended Banks Are Still Charged
to County Treasurer.

Henry @. Hanke, recently elected
county treasurer to fill the unexpired
term of the late Colonel Charles w.
johnson, has made thor0 examination
Of the books and accounts of the oftlce
and today made a detailed report to the
board Of county commissioners. The
report alludes to overdrafts, including
enue fund, which is contrary to statute,
to large amounts lost In suspended
banks still charged to the county treas
urer, to money deposited in bank out
side the state and to several other
irregularities. Certain changes have
been made in the system Of operating
the office and these are detailed.
as follows: "a $#,%,s,
81 wish to call your attention to the
amount of $13,737.l7 due from the Ma
tional Park bank Of New York. It ap-
pears that an account has been kept
with this bank for many years. in or
der to have funds there with which to
pay the interest coupons on county
National Park bank, New York city:
This bank, has never been designatedl
as depository by the honorable board
of audit, and as the statute prohibits
the county treasurer from deposlt1ng
funds in any but designated deposito,-
ries, ! have, therefore, arranged VIII VII
where our open account is kept, and
the National Park bank Of New York
city for the latter to pay all coupons
in the future as in the past, and charge
them to the Security banks account,
and have transferred this account to
the Security bank. ~.
"These coupons will now be deliv-
cred to the county auditor by the Sc
l. Iox of nh, h
and a warrant drawn by him for the
total amount paid during the month
previous and check drawn by me for
the amount of the warrant.
"This, I believe, will also be much
more satisfactory than the old way of
having cancelled coupons sent direct
to the treasurer. r..
"I also wish to call your attention
to the several accounts which appear
overdrawn, viz: s
Penalties delinquent ....-.......... Sl,sS*' -
| Delinquent tax refund account. ....... $3.50
Cities, towns and villages account. 245.S7
General ditch account. ............... 302. 81
Current county revenue account. $50. S9,s72. sc
Total overdrafts ................. $43, 555. "a
"These overdrafts were caused by
an apparent unavoidable delay, in; the
current tax settlement for October,
1905.
Since assuming the duties Of the
office, this settlement has been com.
pleted, which places all balances OF
these accounts on the right side Of the
ledger and there was, Jan. l, 1905, tc
the credit of the county revenue fund
$40, 444.41. .:.-.... -,
IThe amount of $765 which appears
to the debit Of the National Park bank
and, the. credit Of coupons payable &C
Ecount Is simply a memorandum &C
i count showing the amount of coupons
I paid that were in transit, which are
y. not CHARGED off until they arrive il
this Office. These have practically al
reached the treasurer's Office since
that date and have been charged off.
''The debit. to the state Of Mime
$233.5O is the states portion Of thu
bounties paid and is deducted whe1
making our settlement with the state
} IT wish especially to call your at
tention to the item of $108, 1881
charged to the county treasurer in sus
pended banks. This is the money
which was last in defunct banks during
} the panic of 1898 and 1894. To off
. set this debit there are two credits
viz:
State in suspended banks. SIG. oes.e
: City in suspended banks. ............ 79,9O24
: Total ........................ .S9o 9i .
leaving balance of $12,461.75 t
the credit of the current county reve
nue. fund. AS this amount is not avail
, able, I would respectfully recommen
, that you take some action to releas
! me of the necessity Of refusing to pa
8 warrants drawn on the county revenu
2 fund, should that fund, at any time
s be reduced to the amount of $12 ,46l.7i
: as I do not assume any responsibility
8 for any part Of the $l08, 433.ll charge
to county treasurer in suspended bank!
81 wish to further report to you
honorable board that I have adopte
the duplicate tax receipt system n
: quired by law and requested by tn
J., public examiner. This system gives U
r as an Office record an exact duplicat
l. of each tax receipt issued.
:, cit is very gratifying to note ths
: the total amount of current tax pal
! during 1905 was $4,447 ,864.60, g
against 50, 219, 706.61 paid during 100
a difference Of 1928, 1879 in favor c
1905. There were 1854 more individu;
n statements paid in 1905 that 1904.
"The percentage Of the tax lev
paid during 1905:is 5000, thus leavin
/ only 9.91 per cent delinquent
Il Hoffman's "High erade'' Shoe Sal
,, Sc Stetson Shoes, $3.75-$3.50 Sho