The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1912-08-20

ARE SHORT
SHERIFFS MUST PAY
BACK OYER $4,000
Many Irregularities Shown b.
Audit Made by Tax Com
missioner's Office.
MoreThan $4,000 Already Refund
ed by Sheriff Clemans to 81
Funds Of County. -.

Loose methods employed in CON.
Quoting public affairs. disregard for
the laws, carelessness and other fr-
resularitiesscost Ohio county and the
state s3s.l63.4l during the time d.
h. Taylor was sheriff and during the
administration OF Sheriff w. NJ.
Clemans 10 July 1st. 1911. This IN
SHOWN by report fled yesterday with
The Board OF Commissioners by Stafe
Tax Commissioner Fred O. Blue. COW
erinE the audit OF the accounts OF Az
sheriff Taylor and Sheriff Clemane. I,
From reports heard recently IL lad
been expected that the audit vouidi
show considerable sum due tha
county. but the enormous amount
found came as a greater surprise and,
has caused one OF the greatest sensa-
tions in the history OF public affairs
Of Ohio county.
Of the amount held 20 be due from
the two officials. ex-Sherin Taylor n
asked 10 refund sls.sO4.se. and Shes~
IN C.emans sls.S5s45. In addition.
Sl2.SsS.42 is held against ex-Sherff
Taylor subject 70 adjudication by the
courts. This last named amount
Is For Discount
on taxes credited 10 him. and II tho
courts hold that he was not entitled
20 the discount. the grand total 10
be recovered by the county viii be
s52.O5l.s4
Ihe examination OF the affatrs OF
The sherif's Office was most exhaus-
tive. and the report filed yesterday "a
another excellent example of the
splendid results being attained by
me accounting bureau OF the Stata
Tax Department working under the
uniform accounting law Audits have
heen made of the sherir's ofaces of
more than three-fourths OF the coun-
Ties OF the State, resulting in the dis
covery that there was due the public
from the officials several hundred
thousand dollars, Of which a laree
percentage has already been paid
back. Eventually practically ali Of
This money held against the ofacisis
viii be returned TO the funds 70
which II belongs While shortarsa
have been uncovered in practically
every case. the amount found IN Ohio
county is one Of the two largest IN
covered in the entire State
Clemsns Refunds $4,000.
Already there has been returned 70
the county treasury as result OF
the audit more than twice as much
"a the entire coat Of the examina,
ticD Of the sherins Office IN Ohio
county. II is estimated that the work
In connection with this exauninafton
has cost approximately s2.5OO. and
sheriff C'emans has paid back more
than $4,000 % OF the amount held
against him. The amount aeatnst
him has a'so been reduced more than
100000 bv en additional allowance
made hv the Board % Commissioaerx
or the amount held against Shsrfr
Clemans by the audit. the various
funds have been credited by him with
the following
Interest collected on taxes. 81, ,z7o.ss
Fines collected ed.............. 500 o.
Jury costs ....... Ak, "A
Amount due under i5co law. s.270.ss
Excessive discount. ........ s3s5
Amount refunded on Jail fees. 2,7s7is
.To'al amount refunded ......ss.2Ie55
Tho report fled yesterday shows
conclusively that the public afairs Of
this county have been Conducted
very loosely. 7. elbows that both sher-
me collected money due the county
from various sources which thew
never accounted for. that in uanv
cases they arbitrarily took things into
fneir own hands thai the laws re-
lafnE 70 the allowance OF corrnis-
sionerE were often disreRarded entire
Us that The sherins prohted BY or.
rors in the faN books. and that num-
crous other irregularities helped 70