The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-22
Topeka Township Trustees Can
Not Find Trace of Collections.
Former Trustee Asked To Give
Record of Expenditures.
ASK J. A. IROUTMAN FOR $3.50
Claim Candidate for Governor
Not Entitled to a Fee.
"Simply Political Move," John
L. TrOutman, Trustee, Says.

A request that the board of Shaw
nee county commissioners compel
John L. Troutman, former Topeka
township trustee, to furnish state
ment showing money collected FOR
poll tax, and the expenditure of the
same. during his two terms in Office,
has been made by the present town
ship board comprised of G. p. Gl..
trustee; John Jones, clerk, and Fred
Ludington, treasurer. Gill, Jones ard
Ludington cite that the clerks rec
ord, during the time Troutman was
trustee, from 1913 to 1917, shows no
collection of poll tax, and no record
of the expenditure of poll tax money.
The record shows that during the
year the present board has held office
about $4,000 in poll tax has been col
lected. The record also shows that
prior to 1913 no entry was made for
poll tax collected or expended.
Following the requested investiga-
ton, the county commissioners asked
Hugh Fisher. county attorney, for an
opinion relative to whether or not the
commissioners were given power to
conduct probe. Fisher handed down
an opinion today stating that in case
of dispute it was the duty of the COM
missioners to audit township accounts,
and if found incorrect the board re-
sponsible may be cited to appear be-
fore the commission and correct such
errors. H. W. McAfee, chairman of
| the county commission, stated, fol-
| lowing the receipt of the opinion, that
| both the former board, comprised of
Troutman, j. G. Huey, clerk, and Lud-
! ington. treasurer, would be summoned
! to appear at an early date and that
an effort would be made to iron out
| the controversy.
No Tax CoIleffjons
| The cer'-'s record of Topeka town
| ship transactions covering the period
| that Troutman was in office is on file
with the commission and county clerk
4 It shows no poll tax collections OF ex-
penditures, specified as such, from
1913 to 1917. The same Information
| for from 1905 to 1913 is also lacking
| McAfee today declared that only the
four years that Troutman, Huey anG
Ludington were in office would be
checked up, as the other incorrect ac-
counts were too old to successfully in
| vestigate.
Based on poll tax collections for
| Topeka township as shown by the
| clerks record for the last year, the
amount of tax collected during the
four years between 1913 and 1911
would be $4,000. approximately. While
the record does not specify poll ta1
collections or expenditures, it does
show that the former board spent
about $4,000 a month on an average
Troutman Turns 1t Over.
Troutman, today. when asked for Z
| statement in connection with the rec.
ord, said that he has in his posses
sion vouchers showing the expenditure
OF all poll tax money during his two
terms. He declared that he could ac.
count for every penny collected ant
spent, and asserted that statements OF
a1 no.
| over to Ludington at the time
While appearing before the commits
sloners, the township board also asked
that the commission compel James A
lroutman, cousin of John L. Trout
man, and candidate for governor. t.
feiuno TO the township treasurer al
alleged over-collection of fees which
it is asserted was obtained whe,
Iroutman represented the TOWNSHIP
ana taxpayers in the suit to enioiI
the paving of the West Tenth stree
road
according to a contract with jaime
A. Iroutman, which the board pro
duced and which is now filed with tn
county clerk, the lawyer was retaine,
oy the township and taxpayers in tn
case The contract recited that Trout
man was to receive a fee of $3.50 70
|. iighting the construction of the roa,
IN the courts, regardless as to whethe
| - hot hc won OF IOSt the legal .battlS
|. In case the court denied the injunc
tl"o the $3.50 was to be the limit O
Troutman's fee. In case he won, how
, ever, the ,ntract stated that he w.ouI
receive an additional $3.50 in case
was necessary to carry the petition t
: the supreme court to win. The cas-
went to the supreme court and tn
Injunction was denied
He Lost the Case.
! Because Troutman lost the case
the township beard claims that tn
attorney was entitled to only $3.50 un
der the contract. Vouchers filed Wit
the contract show that total of $40
was paid James E. Troutman TIL
paid vouchers are signed by the DO
i liti~1l candidates cousin. John 1
Troutman, as township trustee. Th
present board asks that the commits
! sioners compel James A. Troutma
to refund $3.50. or all collected in ex
e cess of $50.
John l. Troutman today in declar
s ing that he could show a clean bill
Y when asked for q statement by tn
commissioners. asserted that the zen
| tire affair is simply a political NOV
made by opposing factions