The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-08-05
palladium Specially


Indianapolis. Aug. 5.-Attorney
General Bingham is wondering how
he is going to handle all OF the law
suits that are coming to his office
under the public accounting law. He
has not sufficient force Of deputies
to handle all Of 1t and he has not suf-
ficient money at his command to hire
local attorneys in the various counties
to look after the suits.
This is new feature Of the public
accounting law that apparently was
overlooked by the legislature and
those who framed the law. 1t is pro-
vided by the public accounting law
that whenever the examiners find a
shortage in the accounts OF any public
official this fact shall be placed be-
fore the governor and he in turn
shall certify 1t over to the attorney
general for legal action. It is the duty
of the attorney general then to file
law suits or do anything else that may
money back from the short official.
The examiners of the public &C
counting board have now completed
the examination Of the accounts of
all of the township trustees of the
state and they have found many short
ages. Already the board has sent
large number Of the cases to the gov
ernor, and he in turn has sent thirty
cases to the attorney general for &C.
ton by the legal department of the
state. Thousands Of dollars are in.
volved in the cases and If they can be
pusheA to q finish they will result in
q good return to the townships in
which the shortages were discovered.
But the attorney genera, Is at loss
to know just what to do with them.
Whenever suit is filed by the at
torney general in one of these cases
it will be necessary for the attorney
general to employ q local attorney in
the county in which the suit is filed
to look after the case. The local at
torney will have to see to the various
motions and other legal maneuvers
preceding the trial. There will al
ways be law questions raised and mo-
tions will be made for continuance
and other similar actions. and It
would not be possible for the attorney
general or his deputies to be on hand
every time at every place. It is be-
lieved that there will be at least q
hundred of these cases on hand at one
time.
One of the most important features
Of these cases when they come to
trial In the courts Of the various
counties will be the selection of jur.
ors, and in this work It would be i'm
possible for the attorney general or
his deputies to do this work. Local
conditions will enter largely into the
selection OF jurors. Local influences
win have much to do with it. It
would be impossible for the attorney
generals office to know all about the
local political conditions which might
influence the case. Unless great care
Is taken In the selection Of q jury it
would be possible for the attorneys
for the trustee to put relatives or close
friends of the defaulting official on the
jury and under such circumstances It
would probably result in . verdict for
the officer or disagreement of the
jury. In either event the intent and
purpose of the accounting law would
be defeated.
This is the situation that confronts
the attorney general. the governor
and the accounting board. The attor>
ney general has, only 1900 in his
fund with which to employ attorneys
to assist in the prosecution Of cases.
This IL all that IL allowed each year
By the Legislature. OF course. thou
sand dollars would not 60 very tar in
hiring lawyers to look after Z hun
dred of these cases. Il would cover
the expense Of . few cases but the
rest would Be left unprovided for.
The governor has not sufficient
money in his contingent fund to en-
ploy lawyers for the attorney general.
Therefore. It II evidently mp TO the|
legislature at the coming session next
winter to make arrangements to taksl