The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-03-15
CHRISTIAfSEN'S
ACCOUNTS TO
BE REVIEWED
State Bank Examiner Is In
StruCted to Assist State Au-
diter in investigation.
TIME FOR ARRANGEMENT
HAS NOT YET BEEN SET
STATE TREASURER MATTsON
REPORTS THREE BOOKS OF
RECEIPT STUBS MISSING.

While State Treasurer David n. Matt
son, State Auditor Jesse D. Jewkes and
the members of the state examining board
ali express the opinion that the two short
ages in the accounts Of the former state
treasurer, which he has made good e.
the state, are ali the amounts which ne
was short when leaving the office, the Of
ficials state that a rigid and most thor
ough auditing of the books OF the treas
Urer's office will be carried on until it is
determined. for certain whether Nr.
Christensen is guilty of any further dis
cTepancies. To this end the state board OF
examiners has instructed Albert Giszier.
state bank examiner. to assist Mr.. Jewkes
to make a detailed examination of tho
books of the former state officer, and
the. work Is to be commenced immedi-
ately-
Auditor Jewkes stated yesterday that
as it would be necessary to call for rec
ords from the various county treasureTs
in the state to make the investigation
thorough, it would probably be several
weeks before complete report could be
made.
This investigation will include a check
ing up of the stubs from the receipt books.
which the examining board members were
unable 70 find until informed by AIr.
Christensen that they had been placed
in the vault upstairs in the Mccormick
by Mr.. Christensen were recovered by
Treasurer MattsOn late Saturday after
nOop. Checking them up Saturday night
and yesterday the treasurer discovered
that. Of the bundle he found in the vault,
three books were missing. These books
cover the periods from Nov. is, 1901 to
Feb. {. 1905; April T. 1893, to July ., 1908,
and from Dec IS 1913, 20 Jan l. 1909
When Mr.. Christensen was informed
that these books could not be found. he
stated that they must be In the vault,
they were all placed there when ne left
the office Another search viii be made
for them today.
A hurried examination Of the stubs
now in his possession by Mr.. MattsOn in
diCsted, he said, that they were all in Sc
quenCe and regular. with the exception Of
for the Inheritance tax item, which cI-
| ceeds $4,000.
Seek Early Arraianment.
No steps were made yesterday toward
setting time for the arraignment of Mr.
Christensen, but the officials stated that
the time would probably be set today for
/ tomorrow 1t is understood that the de
Tense will endeavOE to secure q postpone
ment for few days, but that the prose-
cutting officers viii try TO get the date
set as soon as possible While Mr.. Chris
| tianseD is strictly ODeying the iustruc-
tons Of his counsel to say nothing re-
gardiHt his case to anyone, and his cotn-
SCI is equally reticeHJ about talking of his
plans in the defense. it is generally IN
derstoOd that when arraigned Mr. Chris
tiansen viii enter a plea of not guilty
His attorney, sam A. King, stated yester-
day:
Mr.. Christensen acknowledged that
he made mistakes in keeping his books
and that he was short the amount
charged. He made that amount good
He is not guilty Of embezziement, and
his defense on that charge looks very
clear to me- I want to say that If he
had secured legal counsel at the very be-
ginning Of his trouble, when he was first
informed that a shortage had been found
| in his accounts, ne would never have been
placed in 1ail-WOuld not have been ar
rested. He had too many counsel0rs.
hOwever-t0O many friends to advise him
They doubtless had the best intentions I'm
the world, but they were wrong
May File Another Complaint.
It was stated yesterday. but apparently
not officially, that the state is preparing
to file another complaint against Mr.
Christensen In addition to the two al
ready filed, charging him with felOnioUsly
tampering with the books of the auditors
office. This. however, could not be verf-
fled. both the county attorney and the
attorney general declining TO state what
their intentions are in the matter. Asked
in regard to what section or sections Of
the statute the two complaints already
filed against Mr.. ChTistiansen were based
on, Attorney General Barnes said that
the complaints could be grounded on
either section 1915 or 1915.
Section 1915 OF the revised statutes OF
/ Utah comes under chapter 81 relating 10
crimes against public property, and Gov
ers misusing public money or classifying
public accounts. There are nine specific
paragraphs in this section. Mr.. Chris
/ tiansen is not charged in either Of the
/ two complaints with classifying public ac-
counts. and the provisions Of the statute
relating to that. Of course, do not apply
( The section reads
This is the Law.
Every officer Of this state, or Of anv
county. city. town, precinct or district
of this state, and every other person
charged with the receipt. safekeepinz
Continued on Page 2.