The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram., 1910-05-23
HoWarth Writes to Dehority
Insisting That He Be Paid
That Amount as Supervisor
of the Poor.
RETURNS $40 WHICH
HE ILLEGALLY DREW
Allowance as Poor Overseer
Given by the County Has
Been Declared illegal by
Field Examiners.

VI letter to William A. DehOr1ty OF
Indianapolis, chief accountant of the
state, Wayne Township Trustee
James Howarth states that unless he
10 permitted to draw $500 a year as
overseer of the poor. together with the
salary allowed by the township, he
will resign. He also notifies the chief
accountant that he paid into the treas
ury today $40 which he had illegally,
but not knowingly. drawn from the
township accounts last year.
Howarth employs two office assist
ants and as the law does not allow for
their expense, he has been accustomed
to pay them out of his own pocket.
The law allows Howarth but s. a day
as township trustee and the most that
he can draw per year is $626, there be-
ing but 313 working days. In addition
to this per diem allowance, the county
commissioners have been allowing
the trustee of Wayne township $500 as
overseer of the poor.
Allowance 10 illegal.
This allowance the field examiners
report is illegal. Howarth says that If
he is to be denied this salary as over
seer Of the poor, he will have to re-
sign his office in order that he may
make living. as 1t is impossible for
him to live and pay his assistants from
the township per diem allowance.
In addition to this expense Howarth
has to pay $l26 for his bond, which is
$1,000 greater than that required of
the county treasurer.
The money which Howarth illegally
withdrew was for services in work
ing on the 1909 school enumeration
and in attending to dog tax accounts.
1t has been customary for the trustees
to charge $40 for caring for these re-
spective accounts. This was what
prompted Howarth to draw $40 from
each account. The field examiners
did not criticise for doing so, as they
found that 1t had been precedent. The
examiners did not even demand that
the money be refunded, but Howarth
said he would pay it back, in order to
get 1t loft his mind" as he is very
conscientious about his duties.
The trustee received a copy of the
field examiners report on the investi-
CATION Of the township accounts. After
noting its recommendations, Howarth
was prompted to address the following
letter to Dehority, the chief account
ant:
Letter to Dehority.
Dear Sir
..v ~, 1c ~aco3pf NJ vour ren0rt on
this office. and have examined the
same very carefully. and note the two
illegal allowances, $50 for tabulating
the enumeration and $50 for collecting
the dog tax. have this day receipted
into the special school fund. $50 and
into the dog fund $50 as per your re-
port. This l believe makes that part
correct. AS to the coal yard, l have
dismissed the man who attended to
that part Of the work and will give out
what coal Is on hand at the present
time, and then discontinue the coal
yard entirely, and buy OF local retail
ers as per your report.
Now as question as to my sal.
ary. l note that you say that l have
overdrawn, but that the duties Of the
office seem to justify more salary
than the 50 per day. Am I to under
stand that I am to refund the amount
above the 1926 for the year 1909. and
take only $626 for 1910 or am to un-
derstand that / can keep the salary I
received last year and continue to
draw $500 from the poor accounts and
81 per day for 155 DAYS for township
and paying my assistant 50 per day.
II want to do what is right, but
should have to receive only $626 per
year, and out of this pay $125 for my
bond, as / am doing at present. and
pay an assistant out of $501. shall be
compelled to resign the office. in or
der to make my living. The question
IL shall continue my salary as at
present.
Il wish also to say to you that the
trustees OF this county appreciate the
manly and honorable manner in which
they were treated by your field exam
iners, Messrs. Weybright and Barrett.
They are certainly gentlemen in every
respect and made friends OF all with
whom they had any dealings. Thank
ing you for your kindness. in answer
ing the above questions, am,
Very truly yours,
James Howarth.
Trustee of Wayne Township y