The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1918-08-13
G. WOOD OWENS
CHARGED WITH
USING CITY FUNDS
Former City Clerk Is Under Arrest
Charged With EmbezZlement--
Converted City's Money TO
His Personal Use Is
Charged.


George Wood Owens, former City
Clerk, has been placed under arrest
by Chief of Police Harry A. Ort on a
warrant charging him with embezzle-
ment and misapplication of funds and
has been released on bond in the
sum of six thousand dollars for his
appearance before Police Judge John
L. Whitaker in city court for an ex-
animation on Saturday, August 81.
The arrest of the former City Clerk
followed the reported discovery
short time ago that approximately &c.
600 of the city's funds had been con-
verted to his own personal use. The
discovery was made by a city official
when looking over the citys brick
street account and was more vividly
brought to the attention of city offic-
ials when representative of Ports
mouth concern which held the brick
street bonds, appeared in Maysville to
learn why the interest on the bonds
his firm held had not been paid,
1t is alleged that orders supposed to
have been drawn in payment for the
interest on the brick street bonds
were so drawn or altered by the for
mer city official that the checks drawn
by the treasurer on those orders were
1onngifnI In 1Aoo1 Ln, l. -
sonal credit of the City Clerk.
A special meeting of the City Coun-
Gil as a committee of the whole and
behind closed doors was held last
night when the entire situation was
explained to the official family of the
city and the procedure so far taken by
Mayor Russell and Chief of Police Ort
was unfolded to the councilmen.
1t is understood that the exact
amount of Ovens reported shortage
is not known but that 1t is certain the
amount will reach or go above six
thousand dollars and in order to get
at the exact amount, it is understood,
the Councilmen have authorized May
or Russell to employ at once an ex-
pert accountant to go carefully over
the city's books and especially the
brick street accounts to learn the en-
act amount of the shortage and to
ascertain whether or not there are
shortages in any of the other funds
or whether or not all of the officials
and former officials check up and bal
ance in all of their accounts.
When the discovery of the short
age was presented to former City
Clerk Owens few days ago, it is un-
derstood that he made no denial of the
fact and his friends are now endeav-
oring to raise enough money to cover
his shortage before the date set for
his examining trial-August 31st, so
that the case may never come to trial
and yet the city will recover all of
the money alleged to have been
embezzled by Owens during his ten
ure OF Office
From what can be learned of the
case it is an old, old story of the
stock market and of a man who be-
lieving that he would soon strike it
rich on the market took advantage of
his office and opportunity in handling
city orders and funds to use some OF
the city's money to play the market
expecting to soon be able to replace it
and at the same time have rich
stake for himself.
The case is a rather complicated
one and it is said involves other city
officials to a certain degree unless
forgery has been resorted to- in the
drawing of the orders upon which the
checks used by Owens to draw the
brick street interest money were is
sued. For this reason and in order to
protect the citys interest to the full
est 1t was thought wise to have an ex-
pert look over the accounts before the
time for settlement came.