The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1906-11-20
Books of Treasurer of East
Chicago Show Elk Clerks
Populations.
MAKE REPORT
Exact Extent of Graft Not Known
But Looks Serious-Guilty
Man Missing.

Jones, Caesar. Dickinson Wilmont &
Co, the firm of expert accountants,
who have been engaged in auditing
the accounts of the municipality of
East Chicago, handed in their report
last night at the regular meeting of
the city council.
The report created a profound SEN
sation as it shows some grave dis
crepancies involving the integrity of
Former City Clerk ]. J. keenan, Since
the present administration went into
Office Mr.. keenan, has disappeared and
no one seems to know of his exact
whereabouts. The last heard he was
in the west and said to be the posses
sor of a good job"
The exact extent of the graft en-
joyed by the ex-city clerk cannot be
arrived at, but the auditors report
shows discrepancies, which indicate
that the absent Keenan's populations
have been far-reaching.
The report covers a period from Dec.
/, 1904, to August 81, 1906, and was
made with a view of verifying the re-
ceipts and disbursements of moneys
during that time.
Shy on Dog Licenses.
The first discrepancy appears in the
matter of dog licenses. The dog II
cense stub-book cannot be found and
there is no record to show that any
fees were received in this department
Of the fity's revenues since May. 1905.
Five hundred tags were bought during
Keenan's administration and only
| forty-nine of these appear on the
9
for the balance, they are nowhere to
| be found and there is nothing to ac-
count for them. If the ex-clerk col
lected for them at par value he must
have realized a neat little sum on this
item alone, as they are worth from
| 800 to $500 each, according to the sex
| of the dog for which he licenses are
purchased.
| Another item appears in the issuance
of seventeen city warrants, amounting
to $1,371, for which no authority was
| given. These are for the most part
unindorsed, and those that are are in
dorsed improperly. There is also q
shortage of $815.92 in the assessment
records and there is no entry Of the
| receipt of fourteen quarterly licenses
| at SIS each, which should have beer
paid by twelve favored saloonkeepers.
other discrepancies include the fol
lowing:
license for a saloon was ISSUED
August 4, 1906 to William Simon ant
running to May 81, 1907, for which
1925 was paid, but the item was no
included in the receipts.
Five peddlars' license fees, amount
ing in all to $3.50, are unaccountet
for.
Fails to Collect fro mseIf.
The clerk opened a billiard hall oil
Nov 1905 and ran the same unit
May. 1906, and no fee was paid int,
: thee ity treasury for the privilege.
On June 81. 1905 an ordinance wa
{ passed creating the Office of buildin,
, inspector. 1t was the duty of the cit,
, clerk to issue permits for fifty cent
f each, one half of this sum to be re
) tanned by the clerk and the other hal
turned into the treasury. Up to Au
gust 81, two hundred and forty per
mits had been issued and $50 receive
in this connection is unaccounted fol
The city disposed of cinders to fiv
persons, the price paid for the sam
. amounting to 1929. Only $50 of thi
is accounted for. 1t is claimed in ex
f tenuation for this discrepancy that tn
, money is possibly uncollected.
The penalties on delinquent assess
ments amount to s723s. and of TIL
sum 1914 has been collected. TIL
collection has not been entered in tn
u cash book.
Under assessments are discovere
to have amounted to 1851.
These seem to embody the princip;
discrepancies. While the books e.
9 amined are those of the treasurer, Il
5 main errors and COMMISSIONS seem
involve mainly the ex-city clerk The
II are minor discrepancies, which rehe
in a measure upon whom the repo
II refers to as the interim treasurer
IS H. NJ. Jones, who filled in a term lie
: vacant through the death of the reg
e larly elected official. 1t is believ,
It that these can all be attributed to
: limited knowledge of bookkeepil
II rather than dishonesty on Mr.. Jane
;e part.
n There are lot of fellows who ha
Id a good aim in life, but they dol
lie know enough not to let some 9th