The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-22
VOUCHERS STOLEN
FROM STATE FILES.
Records in Department Of Agri.
culture Have Been lamp
cred With.
NO TRACE OF DOCUMENTS
Search Has Been Made in Vain.
Chief Clerk Has State
mcnt.

Receipts and vouchers representing
about sI.10O of expenditure for Farm
ers' Institute work are missing from
the files of the State Department. OF
Agriculture, and. In the opinion nj
Chief Clerk Charles a. Miller, the files
have been unquestionably tempered
with and papers taken therefrom. The
ago and reported to State Accountant
Carlton Mccarthy at the time and ever
since Il search has been carried on for
the missing documents, which, how
ever, have not been found There is
not even a tangible clue to their
| whereabouts or to the identity of the
party who removed them.
The vouchers were duly audited by
the state Board OF Agriculture at its
meeting held last October, and given
to the financial clerk to be fled away.
In the early spring of this year they
We're found to be missing, whereupon
! Commissioners Koincr ordered search
| TO be made and the remaining records
of the department to be put under en-
| ira locks, which was done.
| Mr.. Koiner is out OF the city, but Mr..
| Miller gave out a statement last night
| regarding the matter. He argues that
| it was to Mr. Koiner's interest to keep
| the papers and to produce them when
| called upon.
! Mr.. Miller's statement follows:
| Vouchers Stolen.
There can be no doubt but that the
! lies of the department have been
tempered with and receipts and
vouchers taken therefrom. The mat
ter was brought to the attention of
Mr. Mccarthy as soon as the papers
We're missed. Commissioner Koiner
has kept quiet in the hope that the
documents might be traced.
THE facts are these: At the board
meeting in October last the accounts
of the commissioners were audited
and found correct with proper vouch-
ers. and approved and turned over &c
the financial clerk, who carefully filed
the same in case for this purpose
AN inventory of the files several
months later disclosed the fact tina,
the accounts of the institute work 10,
the year 1909 to October 9 had beer
removed. The commissioner at once
ordered strong locks for every section
Of the case containing vouchers and
receipts
TT is but proper to state that tbs
money for this institute work had
been all properly and regularly eN'
pended in the work and every dollar
accounted for. The board at the
spring meeting gave the commission
statement setting forth the fac,
that at the previous meeting the &C
counts had been examined and founc
correct with proper vouchers. 1t /.
therefore not question of any short
age Of funds but simply a loss of re-
ceipts and vouchers after the account:
had been closed UP and settled ane
the papers filed away for future ref
erence.
I'm this statement 1t may also bt
proper for me to say that the rail
roads and the steamship companie:
have furnished these trains and boat
free Of cost, but other expenses ar
, heavy. The speakers and their ex
J penses average about $40 day each
with three or four lecturers for pc
riods of from week to ten days, an
; the stocking of these trains makes IN
, aggregate expense in connection Wit
} this work very large