The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-12-24
STATE PRINTING
SHOWS FRAUD
The Claims, It is Asserted, Were Un.
approved by the State Board
of Affairs.

Oklahoma City, Dec. 24-Charges
that illegal warrants to the amount
of 21,79000 against the maintenance
appropriation for the department of
the state printer were drawn and paid
between January 8, 1911, and Novem-
Der Il, 1912, are made in report on
the state printing fund, made public
Monday by State Inspector and Ex-
aminer Fred Parkinson. The investi.
CATION OF the fund was made by the
state examiner and inspector at the
written request of Governor Lee
Cruce. The warrants, it is stated, were
unapproved by the state board of af-
fairs.
In his report of claims paid by State
Auditor Leo Meyer, without approval
of the state board of affairs, Exami-
ner Parkinson sets forth that $15,-
439.39 was for alleged expenses con-
nected with the publication of the
Oklahoma Red Book" The Red
Book" is an historical work of Okla
homa, in two volumes, of which 1000
were printed in paper binding and
1000 in cloth binding. Warrants for
the unapproved claims in connection
with the publication Of the Red Book"
we're as follows:
Expenses incurred by the state prin-
ter and his assistants, $7,939.39; Dem
ocrat Publishing company, Tulsa,
Okla, $4.500; Democrat Publishing
company, Tulsa, Okla, $4,000,
The other unapproyed warrants
were issued as follows: Leo Meyer,
publishing notices of meetings of
state board of equalization, $SS.61;
h. J. Edwards, printing public build
ing bonds, S9445; Leader Printing
company, Guthrie, Okla, printing 90,-
900 press bulletins and supplements
thereto, $612.10; Leader Printing COM
pany, Guthrie, Okla, for printing $500
constitutions, legislative printing and
treasurer's reports, $5,555,95; total
$21, ,79O.5O.
Warrants Are Missing.
OF the state printers accounts, the
report sets forth that in the files of
the state auditors Office he claims for
$1,000 cannot be found
OF the Democrat Printing company's
claims, the report says that $4,000
worth of claims cannot be found in
the files of the state auditors Office
In the report it is stated that the
total cost of publishing the Oklahoma
Red Book was $lS,169.9S, and of that
amount $15,439.99 was paid by State
Auditor Leo Meyer, without the claims
having been first approved by the
board of public affairs.
Referring to a claim Of $2,130.50 al
lowed the Leader Printing company,
the report says:
'1his claim appears to have been
approved by r. J. Allen, chairman
state board of public affairs, however,
the signature of approval is attached
to said claim with rubber stamp,
The claim shows that it was approved
on the ninth day of November, 1910;
that it was sworn to on the fourteenth
day of November, 1910 by L. C. Nj
black. The claim further shows that
it was checked and approved for the
sum OF $2130.50 by Giles w, Farris.
At the time the claim purports to
have been approved by r. j. Allen,
chairman of the board of public af-
fairs, Giles W. Farris was not the
state printer, and was not authorized
to approve claims against the state
of Oklahoma prior to January 3, l9ll'
The records in the office of the board
of public affairs do not show TINS
claim to have been audited and ap'
proved on the ninth day of November
1910, nor does the record show the
claim ever was audited and allowed
by said board. The number on the
claim is that same number given a
claim of the Walton Lumber company
which has no relation to the claim in
question. The warrant issued in pay
ment of said claims were nat recelpteo
for on the warrant register; the regis
ter shows the said warrants to have
been mailed. The order on the claim
directing the auditor to mail said war
rant was not signed by the claimant
Comment on other Warrants
The report then considers twenty
warrants issued by State Auditor Lee
Never and makes comments as fol