West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1915-10-14
thu JOURNAL AND THE AUDIT

Sieioh oi the JOURNAL IN tho recent
county audits. For several years the
county court tried to secure settle
ment with the delinquent county off,
GERS. BY delinquent and defaulting
officers we mean those who are In
debted to the county and have failed
or refused to pay up. During all this
time the statute OF limitations was
running against the county's debtors.
The county court, failing to secure a
settlement. appealed to the state au-
thorities at Charleston and repeatedly
asked them to make an audit OF the
controverted books through tho proper
authorities. The state authorities
failed or declined to make this audit.
The county court, convinced that there
was money due the county from GER
tain ex-county officers, determined to
make this investigation for themsel-
yes. These delinquent county officers
were all prominent Republican poll
ticians and the county court became
convinced that they had sufficient DO
iitical influence at Charleston to in
tercept and prevent a state audit.
therefore, they undertook to find a
competent man. and at last employed
Mr.. Steele, OF Morgantown, as an ex-
pert accountant. Mr.. Steele had pre-
pared himself at the University and
then had taken special course I'm
bookkeeping and accounting. He was
a man OF large experience and came
recommended to the county court
with the highest testimonials. Not
outstanding Mr.. Steele was an ardent
Republican, the Journal fought this
audit from the beginning and did all
In its power to embarrass Mr.. Steele
In these Investigations. Sometimes Il
even appeared that the Journal was
endeavoring to shield and protect the
defaulters. and this was natural
enough, for the Journal had support
ed all OF them and helped place them
in Office and in return had been favor.
ed by them with the county printing
"HN OthSl COMMUNICATIONS.
When the Steele audit was finished
there was terrible uproar. for II
charged number OF the prominent
county ex-officials with graft and NAL
feasance in office by showing that
there was due large sums of money
from certain former office holders. Al
this the Journal bovla5
These are not idle statements, fol
they are backed up by Mr.. Steele's re.
port, which is a matter Of record II
the county clerks Office, and which
has been published by nearly all tn,
county papers except the Journal.
The county court called upon all O
those who were found short in theiI
accounts and demanded restitution
and payment to the county. Severa
OF these, like honorable men, cam,
across and settled without delay. 9th
ers refused to pay. The county cour
found 1t necessary to bring sui
against these and was driven TO tn,
extremity of employing attorneys fol
that purpose.
1t was then that the alleged graft
ers and spoilers frantically appealed
10 Charleston for help and a new au
dit. During this time the statute O.
limitations was still running ant
thousands of dollars were lost to tn,
county by unnecessary delay.
Finally. however, the authorities a
charleston directed an audit and Jul
ius Scherr, who enjoys a fat Job IL
Charleston, along with the many othel
friends and followers OF Dawson AM
Lakin, was sent here for that purpose
We are not well acquainted with Mr.
Scherr but are informed he receive,
his education in the forests OF Gran
county and prepared himself as al
accountant counting eggs and weigh
ing chestnnts in country store.
Honest reader, look upon this pic
ture and on that and be fair with your
SELF and make up your mind who wa
the better equipped to make thi
county audit Scherr or Steele.
Many people looked for a compIet,
white-wash On the part of the state
Dut the defslcations were too appar
ent and Scherr', in spite OF his Iimita
uons' was too honest to ignore them
his findings, however, were mucl
smaller taan those ascertained by Mr.
Steele He was investigating hi,
friends and compatriots and it fl
charged that
10 their virtues he was very kind
And to their faults, little blind.
Leastwise, the amount OF money as
certained by him taken over by thes,
prominent Republican ex-oficials wa,
scarcely half as much as that ascer.
tained by Steele.
In this controversy there are but
Two sides, that of the taxpayers OF
preston county, and that Of the de-
faulters, and since this fight is on,
every good citizen must choose which
master he shall serve, whether he will
support the taxpayers or the default
ers.
Inc Journal has taken sides against
the taxpayer OF Preston county and is
endeaVoring to break down the first
AUDIT which was made by an impair
llaI accountant, and support the
Scherr audit, which is against the peo-
pie OF Preston county and apparently
favorable to his political friends. We
rear the Journals bitterness and an
.asonism 10 the recent county court