Norwich bulletin., 1915-12-29


The rain of Tuesday broke UP the
ice on the ponds hereabouts and there
is small chance of the Putnam ice
is very evident that in the matter of
the bringing of suits against the
treasurer, there is a Niger in the
WOodpile." They regard it as signifi-
cant that the bringing OF the writ OF
mandamus to compel the treasurer
to deposit the funds of the town in
The Danielson Trust company, and to
borrow money Of that institution, fol-
lowed closely upon the long interview
of the president and treasurer of that
company with the town treasurer, in
which he was strenuously urged to
transfer the deposits of the town and
transact his banking business with
their company, and in which interview
they informed him they did not want
to sec the matter get into the courts.
They also regard IL as significant that
no demand was made upon the treas
urer to change his deposits or place Of
doing his banking business by the Sc
! lectment, who had been in office more
| than a year, until after they had been
approached and requested to take such
action by two men, who had inter
viewed the treasurer even before his
election, and urged that, IL elected, he
should place his deposits and do his
| business with The Danielson Trust
company. And now. without waiting
for a decision on the writ Of manda-
mus, a suit is brought by the town
against its treasurer in which his
property has been attached for 1000,
claiming $500 damages and asking
for an injunction, because ne paid a
| $4,000 note of the town held by the
| Brooklyn Savings bank, drawing in
terest at per cent.
Sudden Change After rs Years.
The treasurer and many of the cit
liens are anxious to know why, after
| the town has been depositing its
funds in. borrowing money of, and do
/ ing its banking business with The
| Windhan County National bank for
! seventy-five years, or more, there
| should be this sudden and strenuous
| demand for a change. Certainly no
| ground or reason is alleged or appears
| in the complaint for the writ of
mandamus, other than the within OF
/ caprice of the selectmen or others IN
der whose instructions they are ap-
parently acting.
In the payment of the $4,000 note.
/ the treasurer has followed the Gus
| tom Of his predecessors for a long
| term of years, as well as the custom
of treasurers of many OF the other
| towns Of the state.
obeying Vote of Town.
| The treasurer. acting under the Gus
:
| him to borrow money to meet the
| current expenses of the town, obtains
| = loan from a bank or some indi-
| vidual, giving a note signed by him
self, as treasurer and countersigned
| by the first selectman. Then as
money is received from taxes and
| other sources, the treasurer, instead Of
depositing the money in the bank and
| allowing It to remain idle pays of
the notes he had given for loans thus
ST. q int Ef m
On The first day of November the
! treasurer found he had on hand IS, $50,
and finding he would have no imme-
date need for a part of this money,
paid notes held by The Brooklyn Saw
ings bank amounting to $4,000, draw
ing interest at per cent, having pre-
viously arranged with The Windham
County National bank to loan him
any amount he might need at 4 per
cent. and il is for the payment of this
note without obtaining an order from
the selectn1en, that he is now being
sued.
November 18th a note for $4,000
| held by The Windham County Nation
al bank, drawing interest at per
cent, became due and the treasurer
arranged to renew the same at 4 Per
cent and a few days later rendered
the new note, duly signed by him, to
the first selectman for his counter
signature. which vas refused. On ac-
count of this refusal. the original note
now lies in the bank long overdue and
! drawing interest at 6 per cent. instead
of only per cent, which would have
been the case had he performed his
duty as instructed by the town in its
! vote at it's last annual meeting. Had
the treasurer Immediately complied
( with the order in the writ Of man
> damus requiring him to withdraw the
. deposit of the sinking fund in the
Savings department OF The Windham
County National bank. amounting to
about $4,000, and transferred IL to The
, Brooklyn Savings bank, there would
=, have been a loss to the Brooklyn Saw
ings bank Of nearly six months inter-
, est on the same, amounting to about
$40.
Followed Custom of Predecessors.
) It is evident that the treasurer has
been working for the best interests OF
the town and t-ansacting the business
of the office. just as 1t has been by
his predecessors for the past fifty
years or more, and for more than one
year past under the present board OF
selectmen, without criticims or OBJ
lection Treasurer is ready and will
ing to perform the duties Of his ofice
e in accordance with law and the in
l. struction of the town, but does moi
= Duties properly belonging to his owr
e office and those imposed upon him b.
= direct vote of the town.
Can anyone point out. his friends
f are asking, what material benefit TIT
k town can gain from all this litigation
r and the expense connected with IL
Q even should all their claims and con
L tentions be sustained?