Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-04-22
CASH BOOKS AND OTHER Ac.
i COUNTS MISSING FROM U. 8.
COURT At pEs MONIES.
INSPECTORS AT WORK.,
SECRECY MAINTAINED
Mason Has Boon cIsrk Many Years
Books Have Mysteriously Disappear.
cd and Government Places Exports
at Work to UnraveI tho Tangled 40.
eounts-keItz and tho Governor.

Special to Times-Republican.
Des Moines. April 22.-There is
much mystery concerning the investi-
cation OF the books and accounts in
the office of E. R. Mason, clerk of the
United States circuit court.
Cash books have disappeared from
the office and government agents are
conducting an investigation.
1t is not known how much money Is
credited to the government in the
books. Whether the books have been
misplaced or taken from the office by
outside parties is the mystery govern
ment officials are trying to fathom.
j. D. Harris and B. F. Cash, of
Washington, D. c., examiners of the
department of justice, assisted by two
local bookkeepers, have been working
in Mr.. Mason's office for the last three
weeks. Every record in the files has
been ransacked, every leaf turned, and
no trace of the valuable missing re-
cords has been found.
A systematic examination Of Mr.
Mason's accounts is being made The
expert bookkeepers are checking every
item in the hundreds of leather bound
volumes. The check begins with the
first entry made after Mr.. Mason en-
tered the office in 1876 The govern
ment officials have been very secretive
about their proceedings.
Mr.. Harris, the regular examiner for
the district, visited Des Moines last fall
and made an inspection Of the circuit
clerks records. He discovered that
there were some missing links in the
way Of cash books. and so reported to
Attorney General Bonaparte. When
seen yesterday Mr.. Harris would not
state that it. was the absence of these
books, mentioned in his report on the
office, that caused the present investi-
cation. He did state positively, how
ever, that the cash books were men,
toned
you may quote me as saying"
added Mr.. Harris, "that some of the
cash books are missing. do not know
how many. I do not know the amount
covered. We are trying to straighten
out the snarl. Mr.. Cash and will re-
main in the city for some time, per-
haps long enough to vote, 1t may be
several weeks before we complete our
task. That's about all am at liberty
to say in regard to this case. You may
draw your own deductions.
''My report upon this investigation
which is especially for this office, will
be made to Attorney General Wicker
sham: the case will then be turned
over to Judge Walter E. Sanborn Of
st. Paul, judge Of the United States
court Of appeals, who has direct jur-
isdiction over officers of the rank Of
Mr.. Mason. 1t will be some time before
it gets to the newspapers"
ass
At a meeting to be held this week
the executive council will be asked to
consider the case Of Pharmacy Com
missioner B. F. Keltz Of Webster City,
who has ignored Governor Carrolls re-
quest that he resign following the dis
CLOSURE that he had, charged the state
per diem while engaged on private
business.
Affidavits in the governors possess
sion will be laid before the members Of
the executive council and they will be
asked to take action looking to the
removal of Keltz. After considering the
evidence the council may do one Of
three things. 1t may direct Attorney
General Byers to begin criminal ac-
ton against Keltz; 1t may direct him
to bring a civil action to recover the
amount which Keltz is charged with
drawing wrongfully from the state, or
it may by majority vote remove him
under the provisions Of the Whipple
law for malfeasance in office.
The continued refusal Of Keltz to re-
sign is being criticized as unwise by
those who were inclined to be lenient
with him when Governor Carroll first
made public the charges against him.
It is argued that Keltz has demon
strated his fighting qualities, has given
his side of the case to the public, and
should now get out Of the way.
The new board meets on Friday to
organize for the ensuing two years. AS
yet Governor Carroll has not reap
pointed Pharmacy Commissioner Eat
on, whose term expires Friday. A sue
cessor to Commissioner Goss must also
Ibe appointed,