The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1908-10-22
OTHERS HAD
CHANCE To
EXPLAIN
Says Object Was to
Make Him Out
a Thief.

City Treasurer Eggleston con-
siders that Mayor Moore's admins
tration has dealt unfairly with him
In the manner in which the experts,
LeMaster & Cannon, have gone
about their work. He charges the
mayor with practicing Partially in
the matter of showing the report to
others whose departments were
found short, while Eggleston was
not given this opportunity.
A singular coincidence in con-
nection with the report was the
fact that at the same time Is was
made public Judge J. d. Hinkle
filed a communication explaining
the police court shortage during
his term, indicating that he had
been consulted in the matter.
These experts never consulted
me in single matter" declares
Eggleston. 1.-THE alleged shortage
of interest amounting to less than
500, which their report shows l am
short, was never mentioned to me.
Corporation Counsel Hamblen had
the decency to ask me about it and
] explained 1t to him, showing I
have every moral and legal right to
1t, the same as any individual who
will purchase county warrants with
his own money. Yet the experts
find that this is shortage.
They went about their work, not
desiring to straighten out or find
where systems could be improved,
but rather with the idea in mind of
making Harry Eggleston out a
Thief. And after going through sew
eral million dollars worth of &C.
counts, all they could find is, that
] am short, so-called, less than 500
which does not belong to the city
at all. 1t was simply interest on
warrants paid for county water for
which I substituted my own money
as the city could not accept them.
II consider that have been un-
fairly dealt with throughout. The
experts were put to work while ]
was east and since being employed
have not consulted me in a single
instance, but have run around town
looking for receipts, while could
have saved them lot of trouble
and the city expense had they come
to me. But they were looking for a
thief, and a chance to advertise
themselves.
with regard to the 1927 which
was short: through clerical error
the source of the money was not
noted, and our cash balance ran
over that amount. was personally
accountable to the city for that
money. and that is the reason /
banked 1t where l knew l could find
It in just such an emergency as
this. l noted on the deposit that
1t was money unaccounted for in
my department. Yet with all this,
these fellows criticize my actions
and the report carries the impress
sion that l should not have banked
the money.
"The bonding company experts
who check up the department knew
Of this deposit. have handled
millions of the city's money and
yet there is not cent shortage
proper in my department. Except
z for the unfortunate shortage in the
water department, for which Hor-
ton and Shelton are In trouble,
there is not another penny miss
Ding"
9Of the total city hall shortage
shown In the experts report, the
$4,000 In the water department
was made up by c. II. Horton put
ting up $4,000 and City Treasurer
Eggleston the balance. although
Eggleston was not involved.
Horton has threatened to bring
suit to recover what he put up.
The $327.5O license money short
age is safely in the bank In the
treasurer's name and noted as
money for which the department
could not account. and The balance.
S6t4 found short In the police
court department. win be made up
by Judge Hinkle when the finance
committee meets again.
IN regard to Mr.. Eggleston's
statements Mayor Moore says
there was no disposition TO exhibit
unfairness toward him or favorit-
ism toward anyone else involved
In tie matter. He stated that Mr