The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1908-03-20
MAC WAS SHY A FEW
Former Oil Inspector Comes to
Center With Money.
SHORTAGE KEPT UNDER LID
Official Served Through One Term
Without Giving State Bond, ex-
aminins "irree uiarities.'

st. Paul, March lS.-Shortage to the
amount of over $4,000 has been discov-
cred by the state public examiners
department in the accounts of ). a.
McDermott. former state oil inspector,
who resigned and turned the Office
over to W. +. McEwen Nov. /. 1907.
If Mr.. McDermott is held to ac-
count for another item of $1,000,
which is in dispute, he will be COM
PEELED to refund to the state not less
than $1,000 The smaller sum, how
ever. has already been made good.
Public Examiner Anton Schaefer is
now completing his report, and will
present it to Governor johnson in a
day or two The examination was re-
quested Nov. by Julius A. Schmahl,
secretary of state, under section 4332
of the revised statutes, so it has been
in progress for over four months.
Mr.. Schacfer would not state today
the amount of the shortage, or discuss
the subject any further than to say:
number of irregularities, but they
are all matters of bookkeeping and
every cent that is due the state has
been paid The state will lose moth
ing
Last Payment Made.
1t is believed that final payment
closing up the shortage was made to-
dav. The first one was made Jan. IA,
TO the amount of 5000, and second
payment of 5000 was made Feb. ID.
These payments are shown in the re-
turn of the oil inspector for those two
months. as receipts from Ramsey and
Hennepin counties" but they have
not been entered on the books, and Oil
Inspector W. T. McEwen admitted to-
day that they represented part OF the
settlement. He verified the statement
of the public examiner, that the short
age had been mad good.
There were a good many Hre9u-
larities in the books" he said, but
everything has been squared up by Mr..
McDermott. and the last cent of it
will 90 into the state treasury when [
make NV settlement for this month.
There were errors both ways. One
oil company owes S602.50 in fees dur
inc his administration, but he has paid
that amount in and will get it refund
ed when the company remits.'
Had No Bond First Term.
Had McDermott refused to settle. 1t
mioht have been hard to collect the
sum due. as there is 10 bond on record
covering his first term of two years,
1905 and 1906. A proper bond was
filed for the two-year term beginning
in January, 1907, but he served only
ten months of that term.
Anton Schaefer, public examiner,
presented the following statement TO
Governor John 4. Johnson today:
Il have the honor to report that the
investigation of the state oil inspec-
tors department during the incum-
bcncv of John \. McDermott for the
period from Feb. l, 1905, to Oct. 81,
1907, is practically concluded and the
same will be transmitted when the
final report is written.
"The report shows a discrepancy i'll
the accounts of the inspectors office,
for which he is personally responsible,
of $6.l9995. His attention having been
called thereto, he stated that he had
been following the precedent estab-
lishcd by his predecessors. and sup
posed that the same was Il perquisite
of the office When informed that
there was no statutory provision in
support of his contention. he immedi-
atelv promised to account for the said
moneys and has since from time to
time, pending the completion of this
report. refunded the entire amount in
question.
II make this partial and prelimi-
nary report in answer to the demand
of the public for information and in
Justice of Mr.. McDermott who from
the beginning has expressed himself as
perfectly willing to account for every
cent for which he might index Il prop.
err Interpretation of the law by this
department be held liable"
This mornings Minneapolis Tribune
states that State Treasurer Dinehart
makes the statement that he has re-
ccived no payments from former Oh
\ Inspector McDermott since Nov. II
Vast.
1t had been claimed by McDermott'
friends that he had made good the
shortage within the past few days.