Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-05-26
~ EXAMINATION OF BOOKS OF POLK
COUNTY SHOW lRREGULAR-
tiles az OFFICIALS.
FINDINGS OF ACCOUNTANTS
or GENERAL INTEREST
Large suns Found 20 Have Been Ad-
vanesd For Junketins Trips Which
Are Not Authorizes by Law-suPer-
visor Drew Fees and Mileage in Ex-
cess Of Legal Limitations.
TO rimes-Republican.


Des Moines, May 26-While the JOB
of official "house cleaning in the POLK
county court house has been done falr-
ly well it is evident, from the report
OF the examiners on file at the court
house, that it is not yet finished ana
there is still something to be done.
Two members Of the board OF SUI
pervsors, it will be recalled, retired
this wear under pressure, and one Of
fetal who had been for number OF
wears in the office of county auditor.
It is now agreed almost without dissent
that these retirements were entirely
proper in view of the discovery Of the
way business had been done.
The report on file is interesting all
over the state in that it shows pretty
we'll the weakness Of the supervisor
system as it has been handled ana
worked out, not in one county but IN
practically all the counties, for the
looseness in Polk county is common to
many of the counties and the manner
of doing business has applied in many
of the departments of county work.
Junketine Irregularities.
For instance, there is a detailed re-
port on what was done with regard to
a. certain junketing trip Of members
of the board ostensibly for the pur-
pose of visiting court houses in De-
troit, Indianapolis and other large
places for some purpose connected with
official business. The record SHOWS
that on Aug. u, 1912, the county audi
tor drew a warrant for $500, concern
ing which there was no record as to
why and how it was drawn nor oy
whom receipted. But the money was
got, Primate information was gathered
that it was divided and distributed
among three members, OF the board 10
be used as sort Of advance in MAX
Ing the junket trip to see court houses.
Then there was filed later three bills
for mileage by the three members of
the board, the mileage being ostensibly
on this trip. They charged cents
mile for their railroad fare and 1t
amounted to $128.75 in each case. These
bills were paid to the members. In
December following J. A. Backman
paid back the 5000 got from the coun-
ty and WAS credited with the amount.
In January following A. c. Fisher paid
back 5000. Then there was long
hiatus. In the meantime the state ex-
aminers were called in the first Of the
present year to go over the books.
They turned up a lot of things. Fisher
went out. Backman was out. But
etiI Barquest had his 5000 which had
been advanced and also had $12S.75,
which was cents a mile on the trip.
Then ono day. Jan. 2. 1915, nearly two
years and half after getting the 5000
receipt was given for Its return from
Barquest
The significant thing, however. was
not tho holding Of the money in some
cases 50 long. but that in the first
place It was clearly Illegal to secure
an advance Of money for a junket, as
counties are not supposed to lend
money to officials, and the fact that
the whole junket was of doubtful le-
gality and certainly the S cents a mile
was not provided for in the law any
where The county has not yet Sc
cured return of the money, however.
Expensive "Committee Work"
Another transaction, as an incident,
In April, 1914, Supervisor John Stewart
got 1925 advanced as expenses for TAX
ing an insane Russian to New York
City to be transported to Libau from
Clarinda. In May he had in a bill for
COMMITTEE work" which included 81
per day out Of the insane fund, cover
ing the time he was off to New York
as a per diem, and s149.50 mileage at