The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1907-04-11
THE DUDENHEFER SCANDAL
Charged That He Confessed TO the Gov
ernor but nc Action Followed to Sc
cure His Arrest and Incarceration.

New Orleans States: Explanations
| from the Baton Rouge officials with re
gard TO the Dudenhefer defalcation only
serve to emphasize the amazing derelic-
ton Of official duty in dealing with that
case. This morning the Auditor states
that had he suspected any crookedness
on the part of the defaulting official he
| would have examined the books and
made comparison with his settlements
Of previous years. This. he admits,
would have revealed Immediately the dis
crepancy and disclosed the defalcation-
He did not institute such comparison be
cause he suspected nothing.
This, it must be apparent to all, is go
ing about the matter from the reverse
end of the proposition. When tax col
lector's monthly statements of collec-
tons come into the office sound primer
pies would suggest that they be exam
med and compared carefully with pre-
vious statements. The books are al!
Kept on file in the Auditors office, and
they are kept there for the purpose OF
enabling him to keep tab with the col
iections in order that he might discover
| any shortcomings and put al immediate
Stop to them. If the sworn statements
| Of the tax collectors and other officials
are to be accepted as final authority.
then the Auditors office is a superf1uous
expense to the people, for these state
ments could lust as well be made to the
Treasurer. the Secretary of State or to
the Governor.
The more this case is explained the
more clearly is it developed that the
peoples interests have been scandalous-
Iy neglected and their money permitted
10 be stolen. when an observance of the
most elementary business principles
would have certainly disclosed the steal
ing and put an end TO it in its inclplen-
cy; for it is as plain as pike staff that
the robbery extended through a period
If months, if not years. So far as has
been shown up to this time, the failure
10 put an end to the stealing discloses
serious and inexcusable official laxity,
But there is yet still more reprehensi-
bic aspect of the CAGE. This relates to
the handling Of it after the theft had
been discovered.
When the thief confessed his crime to
no Jess an authority than the Governor
Of the State, it was the bounden duty of
that official, the Chief Magistrate of the
State, to have Immediately caused his
arrest. 1t is no palliation of the Gov
errors astounding neglect to perform
his sworn duty, to explain that there
were certain funds that an immediate
arrest would have prevented the State
from coming into possession of. In the
first place, the amount of money it was
hoped to get was utterly insignificant,
being, according to the Auditors state
ment, less than $4,000; and in the next
place the criminal assured the Governor
he had stolen There was but one
course for the Governor to pursue in.
obedience to his oath of office. and he
pursued the opposite one.
1t was his solemn duty to have caused
the arrest of the criminal; it was his
pleasure to-take lunch instead We
have no interest in the quarrel between
The Governor and his friend, the district
attorney, and subsequent events. 1t is
plain that the disposition in that matter
is for these officials to side-step the re-
sponsibility and TO make pack-horse of
he amiable and obliging gentleman who
ills the chair of State Auditor.
But there can be no excuse offered
for the dereliction of duty on the part
Of the Governor, who received the con-
fession of a criminal and then with SUI
perb sang froid-arrested him? Not he
The situation was dramatic, the culprit
voluntarily yielded himself to the States
chief law officer, confessed his crime,
and was, to all intents and purposes,
within the custody of the law As he
covered before the offended majesty of
the law he saw-what? The prison
doors open to receive him? Not bit of
1T. He saw the manly form of the Gov
ernor of the State as he opened the way
to his liberty by abandoning the criminal
and adjourning to lunch The criminal
did't escape from the Governor, but the
Governors thrilling escape from the
criminal by the lunch table route is a pic
ture for gods and men to contemplate.