Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-22
FUND WILL LOSE NOTHING
BY REASON Of SHORTAGE
Matter Is Kept Out of Courts, and
BondinS Company Gives Its Check
for Entire Sum.
AMOUNT TAKEN is sG,oss. SO
state and City Now Investigating
BOOKS OF Late Treasurer j. f.. Cor.
reii' and They Are Found to BE i'm
Badly Muddlcd Condition.

Winch ESTER. VA. August ol-Tbc
1917 Oh trustees of tho IIandlcy fund
OF Winchester will not lose - nonnw
because OF the dafalcations of the lair
81 So,Feii. VINO was treasurer of
tne BOARD for number OF years ami
up 10 the time OF his death reccntlv
instead OF taking the matter To tLn
courts and lighting il out on tho
ground that the late Mr.. Corren had
not complied with the provisions or
h.;5,, pono' Wnich was for $4,000. the
ridelitF and Deposit Company or
MARYLAND by which he was bonded
nhaiiy decided to make good the short
age which amounted to s6.O3SSO. and
inc amount has been placed in bank
mere ny mat company to the credit OF
the board OF trustees
The Investigation conducted by tho
CITY authorities and agents of the
bonding company disclosed the fact
that tho late treasurer's accounts had
oeen lugSled and falsified for n number
Of years. but they also found that he
had recently begun to pay back into
the trust fund. Mr.. Correll was also
commissioner OF the revenue of tho city
OF Winchester for more than twenty
years. and an investigation of the af-
iairS OF that office is still in procrcss
ON account of certain hooks having
been lost, misplaced or DESTROYED how
ever, the Investigators have been UNI
years. They have found up to date n
shortage of approximately $4,000. prac-
tically all of which represents spe-
CHIC license taxes collected by Mr.. Cor
rell and not reported to tho auditor
of public accounts and the city treas
urer, as prescribed by law. Some OF
the most capable business men and
shrcwd tinancicrs in Winchester. the
records disclose. paid their license
taxes to the late commissioner OF the
revenue. in spite of tho warning print
cd on each license blank to the effect
that the tax must be paid to the treas
urer or his deputy. and that lit must
never he paid to tho commissioner of
tn" revenue or his deputy"
Mr.. Cornell was bonded in the pen
atty OF $4,000 as commissioner Of the
revenue for tho faithful performance
of his duty" and the Maryland com
pany furnished the bond. 1t is said
tho bonding company docs not know
legally whether ii is dealing with the
city or State in this matter, but II is
expected the muddlcd condition Of az
fairs will he straichtcncd out within
the next month
state Auditor c. Lee Moore, il is said,
is insisting upon getting the States
portion of the license taxes of the past
three years that were paid to the rev
cnue commissioner instead of to the
city treasurer, and that If the same arc
not paid within a very short time the
auditor Will collect tho same by pro-
cess of law. The city is INSISTING
too, upon such license taxes being paid
as provided for by law. but many OF
those who now see their mistake are
inclined TO put off paying as long as
possible. AT a meeting Of the Common
Council this week, City Solicitor r.
Gray Williams tiled an opinion, in
which ne held that the licenses issued
by the late Mr. Cornell and not re-
ported were not worth the paper they
were written on, and that no license
could be valid unless II bore the re-
ceipt OF the treasurer.