The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1908-08-20
PROBE KICKED BACK
Confused by Failure to Develop
a Public Scandal.
OFFICERS ARE FOUND FAITHFUL
Senate investigation Of state Officials
Proves Their Honesty and Ability
Work Of Partisan Committee Proves
To Be a Boomerang.

To Be a Boomerang.
Since the close of the last legisla-
| tive session the Democratic organ
iZation has been searching diligently
through the reports of the Howe SEN
ate investigating committee for ma.
terial that might be used as campaign
fireworks. The Howe committee was
a partisan body acting under author
ity of Democratic senate, created
for the purpose of developing scan
dal in the administration of a num-
Der of state Offices, notably those of
the auditor, treasurer and secretary
of state.
In the time that has elapsed since
the adjournment of the Legislature,
the various reports that grew out of
the investigation have been compiled
and given to the public But the
Democratic leaders and their party
organs have failed to take advantage
of the exposures" made by the ex-
| perts employed at state expense, prin.
cipally employees of the Cleveland city
government. Practical politicians are
ton developed into a Democratic
boomerang.
The Howe e? Committee.
The Howe committee. headed by
Senator Fred c. Howe of Cleveland.
one of Mayor Tom L. Johnsons chief
aids, was the development of a cry
by Johnson of rascality in the conduct
of state Offices so far as they related
to the receiving and eXpending of
public funds. Johnson forced through
the senate resolution creating a par,
tisan committee to probe the offices
accused. Efforts were made to have
the investigating body made btpar-
tisan. Governor Harris sent a spe-
cial message to the legislature recon,
mending a thorough investigation but
asking, in spirit of fairness, that
there be equal representation on the
committee by the two parties. BY a
ed to do all the probing. They con-
sented, %howeveT. to the presence of
one Republican on the committee with
Senators Howe and Drake. Senator
Patterson was chosen to be the minor
ity.
The committee first met in the state
treasurer's Office in the latter part of
February with Senator Howe as chair,
man and called as witnesses State
Treasurer McKinnOn and Cashier
Green who is now the candidate of
the Republican party to succeed Mr..
McKinnon. Expert accountants from
Cleveland, Messrs. Lothman and
Standard. engaged by Senator Howe,
took charge of the books of the office.
The experts worked thirty-tWo days
and presented their report. In a for.
NAL minority report to the senate,
Senator Patterson says Of their work:
Suppress Report.
II do not charge Senator Howe with
trying to suppress the Lothman report
but it was many days after it was
made before | got to see it and some
time longer and after repeated Solici'
tations that I was able to secure a
copy OF it.
After the filing Of this report Mr.
Lothman was promptly discharged by
the chairman of the committee fol
the reason as | was then informed
that his report was not drastic enough
to suit the chairman and chiefly on
account of the following parts of his
report, viz:
"'In accordance with your request
We called at the office of the treasurer
of state on the morning of Feb. %
1903, or the purpose of making an eX
animation to determine what amount
of state funds had been distributed
among state repositories, together
with the rate of interest at which
same had been placed. and the amount
of interest earned by said funds, find
ing that same showed a balance Of
$6,55S,5 which was accounted fol
by the cash on hand and in the de
positories.
"Tt was necessary to examine anC
tabulate each certificate of deposit ir
order to determine the amount on de
posit in the inactive repositories, the
detail of which aggregated $5,7O2,O00
eve examined the statements sub
mitted by the active depositorie!
finding the balances to be $444,0 ,060
which agreed with the cashiers rec
ord. All securities filed with thu
treasurer for the purpose of protect
ing the state against loss from th'
funds placed with the depositorie'
were examined. This examination re
vealed the fact that securities cover
ing the inactive repositories consisted
of surety company bonds to tn,
amount of $3,89S,OOO. and municipa
and county bonds to the amount o
1855, ,7O8 20. aggregating $5,753,7 20
an excess over deposits of $51, ,70S.20.'
Deposits Secured.
"In other words Mr.. Lothman wa
hired to fin6 q shortage In the stat
treasury and when he was unable t
| IllQ II he lOSL HIS IOD dS All expert.
One Of the criticisms made by EN
: pert Lothman on the state treasure
q was his lack of system in keeping hi
accounts with the inactive deposition
les All the record formerly kept b
the ofice Of these deposits was tn
certificate Of deposit, carried an
It counted as cash. When the quarterl
payment Of iRterest was made, thi