The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1906-01-13
School Trustees Are Taken to
Task for Neglect of
Duty.
PUTTY IN D0UGHeRTYS HANDS
Bankers Frauds In Seven Years
Amounted 10 s54t,4oe. and Were
Made Possible by carelessness Of
Board Officials.

against members OF the board or edu.
cation by the Everett Audit company
OF Chicago. whose report on the EN-.
bezzlements OF Newton c. Dougherty
was read before the board Tuesday
evening. Dougherty's frauds In seven
years amounted 10 S5ii ,i0S, according
TO the report. and the men whose
business Il was TO check up his vouch.
ers and accounts are charged by the
Chicago auditor with supinely permit.
ting themselves TO be controlled and
directed by the former superintend-
ent. Many times, IL is said, the trus-
tees did this in direct opposition TO
the rules or the board.
The auditing committee OF the
school board is charged with failure
to check up the pay rolls each month.
The president OF the board is declared
not 10 have made even a casual ex-
animation OF the scrip before signing
and Issuing II. The treasurer OF the
board Is accused OF gross careless
ness.
IF the treasurer had fulfilled his or
her duties II would have been utterly
impossible for this immense amount
OF rascality 10 have been accom-
plished" is the way the Everett re-
port reads.
During the last seven years b.
Meals has been president OF the
board; during the last three years,
lacking few months. Mrs. Lucy b.
Tying, who died last July. was treas
urer. and she was known to have been
blind follower OF Doughertys or
ders. For four years previous to Mrs.
Tyng's incumbency X. j. Dooley was
treasurer. O. j. Bailey has been
chairman OF the auditing committee
for seven years past and A. Peter,
chairman OF the auditing committee for
for four years. H. OConnor and J. II.
Boyd held tho Office In the preceding
three years. Mr.. Boyd in 1899 and
1900.
These officers are accused OF being
SO careless month after month that
1T is useless for them 20 attempt 10
formulate or present any excuse that
would relieve them from being cen.
sured.' And also. I'm plain English
they have been grossly negligent OF
their duties and unfalthful TO their
trust"
AS far az the school trustees are
concerned. the audit company's inves.
tigators offer the opinion that they
are legally a board OF trustees and as
such should be held responsible for
frauds.
Neither ignorance. carclessness or
misplaced confidence would suffice TO
relieve thom.' was one conclusion.
cashes Fictitious Scrip.
The report also shows that n great
part Of the shortage was directly man
ipulated by the cashlng OF fictitious
scrip through the Peoria National
bank, OF which Dougherty was presi-
dent II declares that the bank is
liable for every cent OF this amount.
Continuing their inquiry into the
facts, the experts faced this situation:
Have the members OF the school
board-not only this board, but the
several boards from July !, 1S9S-ful.
filled their duties2'
The reply Is as follows: "The only
answer TO this query is: None OF the
boards OF school inspectors for the
last seven years has fulfilled it's duties
properly and faithfully"
The net result OF the investigation
on this score is:
The audit committee has discovered
no act done by any school board mem
Der that Il can prove was done with
criminal knowledge or intent or that
shows any member received pecunlary
benefit. but everything Il has UNI
earthed demonstrates shocking negli-
gence. oversight and faithlcssncss TO
a public trust
The question finally is: Is there
sufficient ground for action by grand
jury?
Many Peoria citizens believe there
Is. Tho case may be reopened.
Board Members Are Played.
Plunging in every conceivable form
OF gentlemanly gambling ruined
Dougherty. former superintendent OF
the Peoria schools and considered a
pedagogic ideal as the successful
"schoolmaster inancier" the country
over. the report says. and the men
who heard II thought OF the fallen idol
and dictator. who now is convict 9510
in the penitentIary at Joliet
A bunch OF spanked truants could
not have presented more sheepish
appearance than did the reputable
citizens who compose the school board
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Incubator Saves Babe.
Ga .,,t. a, atgratcb. The oo,o,,