New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1914-04-22
Nothing AS Yet Proven of
Charges Made Two Weeks
Ago By EXPERT"
Hebron Crawfishes and Side.
steps Issue. Makes Bad
Impression.

Readers of the Review are, no doubt,
anxious to learn the latest developments
in the city clerks Office investigation,
but nothing tangible has so far developed
which would clear up the situation and
set the minds of the citizens at rest. 1t
almost looks as tho the city's expert ac
countant w. H. Hebron were trying to
run away from a disagreeable job. Short
ly after giving the preliminary report OF
his investigations to the publisher OF the
Brown County Journal, Mr.. Hebron
left the city and telegraphed to MIR.
Retzlaff, the chairman OF the finance
committee, to be sure that the report
was not made public. Since the charges
of criminal activities on the part OF the
former city clerk have been made public,
Mr.. Wicherski has held himself in readi-
ness at all times to go thru the accounts
with Mr. Hebron to explain away, IT
possible, all alleged discrepancies. He
has, however, met with very little en-
couragement from the other side. AS
matter-of-fact Hebron has so far prac-
tically refused to meet Wicherski. On
one occasion when the former city clerk
called pursuant to an appointment he was
Informed by the expert that he was not
not ready for him and at another time he
was asked few questions by Mr.. He'll
bron which were taken down by Miss
Carson, the official stenographer OF this
investigation, and Mr.. Wicherski was
then dismissed.
For the purpose Of getting at the actual
status of the affair, a meeting OF the
Finance Committee was held at City
Attorney So1nsen's office Wednesday
morning last week which was attended by
the expert and also by Mr.. Wicherski.
1t will be remembered that in the pre-
liminary report made public in the Brown
County Journal it was claimed that the
in the supplies account. At the meeting
in Somsen's office Mr.. Wicherski claimed
credits for tribe over 1891 which He'll
bron had failed to give him. When
asked why Wicherski should not be given
credit for the items he claimed credit for
the expert switched off from the subject
matter under consideration and blandly
asked the committee about THAT certi-
fed check" All attempts on the part
Of the committee and the city attorney
to nail the expert down to the vital mat
ter in issue failed and Mr.. Somsen finally
told Mr. Hebron what he thought OF
him.
Because of Mr.. Heilbron's inability to
answer Wicherski's demands at this con-
ference it was decided that the two OF
them should meet the next morning and
go thru the disputed accounts and Mr.
Hebron promised faithfully to have his
complete report ready by Thursday
evening. He did not meet with Wichers-
XII Thursday morning nor did he have his
report ready for the Finance Committee
in the evening. About this time Mr.
Heilbron's attorney from Minneapolis
appeared on the scene and tried to secure
written statement from Mr.. Somser
in the form of an apology for some of the
things that Somsen had said to He'll
bron but he was told very suddenly where
to get off at.
The expert shows no desire to meet the
Finance Committee. 1t would appear
that he seeks rather to avoid them
It may be remarked in passing that Mr.
Hebron has never availed himself of the
city attorneys services, but on the con-
trary consulted with other attorneys in
reference to the matters in dispute
When asked for an information about
this investigation and the alleged en-
bezzlement Of the city's funds, he now
uses the subterfuge that he must see his
I. attorney first before he gives out any
thing. When the correctness of his re-
port was challenged, he threatened to
bring an expert to verify every detail and
and figure of his account. The latter
part of the week Heilbron hied himself
once more to the Cities, taking his
|. voluminous report with him and, altho
: he was expected back Monday morning
and not later than Monday noon for a
conference with the finance committee he
did not show up for business until Tues
day morning.
'.Who is this man Hebron, anyway"
is the question that is being generally
asked by the interested citizens. 1t is
claimed that he is no chartered accoun-