The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-06

made. in November, and some Of them
are not on file al the present time.
although bills are in my possession
The report states that the commits
sioner Tiled a voucher with the audi
tor for $1,000 and that warrant No.
S25Sa for that amount was issued.
while the sub-vouchers attached ag-
gregated %$1,076.S6. and the commits
sioner took credit for $74.S0. being
the amount of the sub-vouchers in cX-
cess Of the thousan dollars.
Double Voucher situation.
Tuesday morning. clerks connected
With the commissioners n auditors
offices made an examination of the
voucher and s~uh-vouchers or file in
the auditors office and found Il vouch-
er. which read as follows:
July 3lst. 1909.
State of North Dakota. DIR.
To Melvin G. Hagen.
Expenses with exhibit ......$ 74.S0
Services with exhibit 100000. 5000
s124.so
Sub-vouchers to the amount of
$3.50 We're filed. covering the cX-
penscs entailed in making the exhibit.
and the $50 was the amount allowed
for his expenses during the ten days
he was in charge OF the exhibit which
won't to the Grand Forks state fair.
In itcmizing and adding the several
vouchers and sub-vouchcrs which
mad up the sl.o76.S6. the sub
vouchers for the $74.S0 were included
MS we'll as the charge for expenses
witt exhibit. $74.S0." making a total
debit of $209.60, when as a matter Of
fact the suh-vouchcrs should have
been omitted and only the voucher
for s1.i.S0 charged.
Many Examined II.
The fact that this voucher and the
~suh-vouchcrs had passed through sew
eral hands in my department. through
the state auditine board. and then
checked over by the lynX-eyed deputy
auditor or his capable assistants and
the error not detected seems almost
Incredible l wish. however. to state
that this discrepancy was promptly
corrected and the $3.50 peacefully
rests within the vault of the state
treasurer'S Office.
During the past fou years I nave
been personally responsible for the
disbursement of. approximately. two
hundred thousand dollars. Il great part
of which sum was handled by persons
other than myself who had been n
trusted with this responsibility. but
who had to To me for the
proper expenditure. This involved
to.iSAlSt dple oCldil MoI n htu OItlplcN
bookkeeping. Yet. after two weeks of
diligent research and rigid investiga-
ton, but one solitary clerical error has
been discovered. Can any state or ma
tional bank in North Dakota show as
excellent Il record?
But One Voucher Here.
Quoting from the report:
The examiner has also called at
tention to the following items. shown
on pages Nos. SO and So of the official
report covering the anne period, 1910.
Spct. l. 1910. A. +. Noble.
grain prize ..............$ 5000
Sept. 3. 1910. =. w. Ncrdium.
crop reports ........... 500
Sept. Q. 1910, A. G. Patterson.
Sept. s3. 1910. Buckbee.
Mears, half-tones ........ 4O.44
iotal 1O2.OO
These same items are shown on page
l of the iennial report for the term
ending December 81, 1912. as expen-
ditures of that year. There is a diff
ference in the dates of two OF items.
but only one set of vouchers is found
to cover the Same and the amounts of
the items are Identical. 1t would APP.
pear. therefore, that the promotion of
immigration fund has been charged
Twice with the amount of these items"
The concluding sentence is unfound-
ed and unwarranted. as an examina-
ton of h vouchers in the auditors
office will disclose! I herewith submit
the statement of the state auditor:
= March 5. 1913.
"March S. 1913.
MIR. ". e. Gilbreath. Commits
sioner of Agriculture and La
Dor, Bismarck. N. D.:
Dear Sir:-Answering your
inquiry will say that four items,
as follows: Noble, $40: Verdium,
IS; Patterson. 1886. and Buck
bee-Mears, S40.44, amounting in
total to s1o2. were paid by the
state auditors check No. 941S4,
which covered in total S7O6.S1
worth of vouchers paid by o
for immigration purposes.
II do no find our records show
payment twice OF the above items.
yours truly,
Carl o. Jorgenson.
Estate AUDITOR"
Caused by New Year.