The copper era and Morenci leader., 1915-06-25

State Examiner D. F. Johnson As a
 Result of Investigation Makes Com
 pIaint Against School superintend
 ent J. w. Aker in Justice McWilI-
 aims court-Mr. Aker Says Noth-
 ing Criminal in His Acts.
 
 On Wednesday of this week State
 Examiner D. F. Johnson, who had
 been here for three days making an
 examination of official records,
 swore to a complaint before Justice
 McWilliams charging J. w. Aker, County School Superintendent, with ,embezzlement.
 The sum named in the complaint is $704. 98 and is alleged to have been sembezzled from the county of Green dee some time during the month of February last.
 According to the allegations in the complaint and the statement of State Examiner D. F. Johnson made De-. fore a special meeting of the Board
 of Supervisors, held on Thursday afternoon, there was due the County from H. H. McNeil Co.,, of Phoenix, sum of money approximating $500 as refund on some state school books delivered in this county but paid for out of the county school fund during the year 1913.
 After much correspondence between the School Superintendent of this county and the McNeil Company, of Phoenix, check for $704.9S was sent to J. w. Aker as refund.
 The State Examiner asserts that this check was returned to the Me Neil Co.,, at Phoenix by MT. Aker, properly endorsed with the request that the check be deposited in The Valley Bank at Phoenix to the credit of J. W. Aker, County School Super intendent, which was done. Later according to Johnson, MT. Aker drew draft on The Valley Bank for the full amount ($7O49S) and deposited the amount to his personal credit in the State Bank of Metcalf in this 1 county, and since that time has drawn checks on his account at | Metcalf, containing the deposit of $704.9S, for various, sundry private business transactions, until the total | amount was practically exhausted. | This the State Examiner alleges oc- cured in February and March of this | year.
 In his statement before the Board | on Thursday afternoon MT. Johnson | told the Board that since filing the complaint against MT. Aker that he | had been informed by the County Treasurer, MT. Pickens Anderson, that the sum of $7O4 9S had been deposited with him by MT. Aker on the morning following the filing of the complaint.
 The special meeting of the Board was called on Thursday afternoon by the State Examiner that he might lay his facts before them in order that the Board might take such action as deemed advisable. The meeting was attended by Chairman Witt and Member Dutton, County Attorney Wall, J. w. Aker and MT. Johnson. The office of the Attorney General at Phoenix was also called upon for ad- f4OO OfOI tue 1OuS IdHC0 DQOQ6. The Board was advised that there C was no action incumbent upon them in D the matter and that the Board had 4 no right to suspend MT. Aker pend c ing the hearing of the complaint filed by the State Examiner t
 Attorney A. R. Lynch appeared be- W ore the Board as Attorney for MT. U c asked for a speedy hearing of the u natter. By mutual agreement of all A 'arties concerned the case was set for n rial before Justice McWilliams on uly 7th, at which time the State Ex- miner announced that he would be ere with certain witnesses from ''' 'hoenix and elsewhere to sustain his 'o harges against Aker. In all prob '' bility the Assistant State Attorney PS i'll also appear in the case. ~ MT. Aker, in talking to a represen- ,, ative of the Era this week, stated '- lat when the matter is investigated = le public will know that he has con- WI fitted no criminal act. He stated SC lat the entire transaction was well SC nown by several people, including St le deputy in his office, the State Su- de and the MeNeil Co. and mc lat the sum in question was not or an ,red placed to his personal account to the Metcalf State Bank. of MT. Aker further stated that there of IS still due this county an addi- pat 'nal sum from The McNe1l Company qu