The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-10-30

Trent Defends Himself and Saws
That He Acted Under
Advice.

Treasurer Trent yesterday gave ou
the following statement in regard t
the charges of irregularity in his dis
position of county funds brough
against him by Chairman Hustace. O
the Board of Supervisors. at the meet
ing of the Board on Monday night
Mr.. Trent claims that the Chairman
of the Board of Supervisors had knowl
edge of the facts stated several week
ago, but had made no objection unit
he threw the bomb into the meetins
on Monday, just after he had beer
bested in an encounter with the Coun.
ty Sheriff. Mr.. Trent says:
Seeing in the morning paper that Mr.
Chairman Hustace made an attack
upon me last night for my method OF
keeping county funds, I desire te
throw some additional light on the
subject:
Ever since the County Act has been
in operation the county funds have
been kept on deposit. in about equal
amounts, in the four leading Homo
lulu banks, subject to my order as
County Treasurer.
On August 31st, this year, l changed
the accounts in the First National
bank, Bishops bank and SpreckeIs'
bank SO that the funds could only be
drawn out on the check of Trent Trust
Co., signed by me as its president.
This was done after consultation with
and approval by some of the most
prominent business and financial men
in Honolulu
I did not change the account in the
Bank of Hawaii for the reason that
the Trent Trust Co. does its private
banking business exclusively with that
and l did not wish county
funds to become mixed with Trent
Trust Co.'S private account.
Early in September l told Mr.. Chair
man Hustace what 1 had done. and
particularly explained to him why I
did not change the account in the Bank
Of Hawaii as in the other banks. He
asked several questions about it,
whether I had the right to so deposit
funds, etc, and whether or not the
funds would be safe. He offered no
objection or criticism; and hearing
nothing further from him on the sub
ect, 1 naturally concluded that the
was not unsatisfactory to
lin as chairman of the County Board
If Supervisors.
On the 25th inst, Mr.. Hustace, Mr..
olson, the Deputy County Attorney,
md Mr.. Bicknell, the County Auditor,
anne to the Treasurer's office to count
he county cash, as they are required
~ law to do quarterly. The Auditors
looks showed that the sum of $44, 040 80
ught to have been in the treasury, and
he funds checked out as follows:
Redeemed warrants -.........$ 1,251 81
Sold ...... ...... ........... 1,345 90
silver ...... l0f 10
IN deposit, Bank of Hawaii. 243 80
IN deposit, Spreckels bank. 13,50S Sc
IN deposit, Bishops bank ;. 1885 II |
Total ...... .$44, O40 80 |
The sum of s22,445 "a of Road Tax |
pecial Funds on hand according to the |
auditors books checked exactly with |
he deposit of these special funds in |
he First National bank.
The committee was then and there |
just how the money was de- |
osited-Mr. Hustace already knew.
Mr.. Hustace made no criticism of |
is findings, and found nothing to sur
rise him, as he had been fully ac-
tainted with the matters many weeks
go, and had had many opportunities
| meetings of the Board of Super
isors and out to express his disap-
roval or to offer objections or sug-
Respectfully,
RICHARD H. TRENT. |