Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-12-02
DISCREPANCIES IN OFFICIALS
BOOKS DUE TO MIsUNoER-
STANDING OF LAW.
COUNTY
RECORDS EXAMINED
Errors Due to Misinterpretation Of
Statues and Not to Intent to De-
fraud-Mistakes Of Muscatine Off
Gals Probably Common Turnout
State-FaiI to Make Proper Returns.

. Muscatine, Dec. 2.-According TO the
report to be submitted by the state
au ditors. A Phelps and F. NJ. Cart,
who have been working on the books
Of county officials Cor the past six
weeks. there have been discovered a
number OF discrepancies, none of which
lack explanation. and all of which are
due to misunderstanding Of the law
and not to any intent to defraud the
county.
The only official now in office Whose
records We're found at all tangled is
Justice OF the Peace Rowan, whose
failure to report wedding fees as re-
quired BY law. makes him owe the
county $3.50. According 10 law a
justice is allowed a minimum fee of 81
for wedding. but he must include all
wedding fees in his report TO the coun-
~ OF moneys received This provision
is made in order that the compensation
Of the justice may be ascertained as
the percentage of fees he is allowed to
retain varies after $1,000 per annum
has been reached.
No Fault With Others.
With the other present officers no
faults are found and praise is be-
slowed for the modern methods used
and the close compliance with the law.
Some minor recommendations as TO
methods of bookkeeping are made.
II is also recommended that the
assessors OF Muscatine and West Lib
erIy put on the lists every man over
the age Of y years who is not ex-
enpted by law, At present these two
officials DO not follow the law in this
respect with the result that d consider
able sum is lost TO the tax payers.
Former Clerk Short.
In the office OF w S. Mckee. for
mer clerk of the district court, a
shortage OF $23 was found in the
naturalization fund. The difference
! is explained by the fact that former
I Iy the clerk was allowed this fee but
the supreme court of the United States
finally decided that the money belonged
TO the county. The above sum is all
that the county is entitled 10 since that
decision. No demand has ever been
made on the former clerk for the
| amount.
In the case of ex-Sheriff David Van
alta it was found that technically he
owes the county the sum Of S527S2 for
| deputy hire. Under decision of a
CORNER county attorney the board OF
supervisors paid the deputy's hire and
when a prior examination by the state
officials was made II was found that
the above sum was due from the sher-
/ if on this and on fees he had thought
himself entitled to at the Jail The
| matter was at that time compromised
with the board, who agreed to not de-
mand the sum, provided the practice
was stopped. This was done SO the
board is morally bound to let the mat
ter drop.
Ruling Hits Herbert Thompson.
Under the same ruling former Coun-
" Attorney Herbert Thompson re-
tanned 500 for forfeiting bond of
$4,000 upon which he took 10 per cent
commission. The examiners report.
supreme court of Iowa which separates
fines and forfeitures tho they are men
toned in the same line and sentence
in the statute. The claim is therefore
made that this forfeiture money should
be returned to the county.
The board listened to the report as
a committee and will not officially take
up these matters until it's regular
meeting next Monday just what will
be done is problematical as the mem
bers of the board refused to discuss
the subject further than to say that
each was convinced that the discrep-
ancies were due to misapprehensions
rather than criminal intent to defraud
he county