The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-02-15
State Accountant Starts Inves-
tigation of Salina Deal.
Over Two Hundred Dollars Was
Stolen by Someone.
Will TRYTO TRACE IT.
Salina Board of Education In
vOlYed in the Middle.
First Coupons Missing When
Bonds We're Registered.

1t seems to be up to the president and
treasurer of the Salina board Of educa-
tion to explain their connection with the
missing coupon" deal in the state
school fund transaction in Salina board
of education bonds in 1900 The presi-
dent of the board brought the bonds to
Topeka and delivered them to the school
fund commissioners; the remittance for
the par value of the bonds was sent to
the treasurer, J. D. wellington. at Sa-
lima. Some one stole the first coupons
The responsibility for the disappear
ance of all the No. coupons valued at
S216.80 lies between these officers Of the
Salina board. the school fund commits
sioners. aur the state auditor.
But it also seems as though the state
treasurer ought to know who got the
money. for the records show that he is
the one who paid the s216.80 to the man
who stole the coupons.
Investigations are now being made by
the state accountant and others to find
out where the responsibility lies. It
seems to be the duty of the president
and treasurer of the Salina board of ed
UcatiOn to speak first. Perhaps the guilty
party or parties can be located by the
process of elimination. There are like
ly to be some interesting developments
In the case, for the Salina people are
on the trail Of the guilty parties. They
say that the money for the first coupons
should have gone into the school funds;
that the bonds were sold direct by the
board to the state without any inter
vening brokers, and that no coupon
clipping was authorized.
The bonds In question are 20 in num-
Der, each one for $500. The rate is 5
per cent They are dated July 25. 1900,
q ind r1-r
August 1, 1900 An order in favor of J.
D. wellington, treasurer of the board of
education at Salina, was issued on Aug
ust /, 1900. The order was for $40 600
The notice which was sent from the
school fund commissioners to the state
auditor is endorsed on the back: Total
amount Of coupons. $4,750."
As a matter Of fact. the 20 coupons
originally attached to each bond would
have amounted to 81, $3.50. The records
OF the auditors ONCE shows that each
bond had only 19 coupons attached
when registered.
indications are that the coupon was
clipped before It reached the Office of
the auditor. At any rate, as the Has
kins & Sells report says:
This entry would indicate that the
coupons No. I were detached at the
time the bonds were registered in the
state auditors office"
Whoever it was that detached coupons
eNAs IA Jill A4AE otlALd DDuQH got MS
money through the state treasurer. This
is the way in which the state treasurer
seems to have been mixed up in the
affair He must have received the
money and turned it over to the party
who stole the coupons.
The Haskins & Sells report SAYS:
THE transcript Of the fiscal agency
account shows that the National Bank
of the Republic the state fiscal agency
placed to the credit of the state treas
urer's account on January %, 1901 FOR
coupons board Of education, salina
$216.80.'"
But this s216-sO was never paid over
TO the permanent school fund Of the
state. 1t went, presumably. to the man
who stole the coupons.
The coupons have all been placed In
the hands of the state accountant. Cou-
pons No. / are IT stamped state prop
erty.
Tt seems quite evident that the state
treasurer's office merely acted as the
collection agency for the man who stole
the coupons. There is nothing TO indi-
cate that the state treasurer received
a portion Of the spoils.