The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-01-01

Of the accounts Of the auditor OF ac-
counts during my fourteen years and
three months tenure Of Office.
Il had long ago decided to make no
statement until my term OF Office a.
governor had expired and ! neither ad-
nit nor deny anything at this time.
However, | cannot permit this report TO
go to the public without word from
me.
Il do not know any member Of this
firm nor any Of their employees and have
never met any one Of the gentlemen
who conducted the examination, nor have
been asked by them to assist in any
way or TO make any explanation
Il am first charged with having over
drawn my accounts every year but cne
while ! held the Office OF auditor Of
accounts
"ln the fall of 1904 the late Frederick
s. Platt, Inspector Of finance, examined
the books and accounts Of the Office and
made the following report to the leg
islature:
Proper vouchers were exhibited by
the state treasurer and the state au!itor
and the books and accounts of both of-
ficers were found to be correct
In 1906 buther A. Cobb, Inspector
of finance, examined the office and re-
ported as follows:
The books are well and correctly kept,
and the accounts are properly yOuchered.
Again in 1905 Mr. Cobb reported:
He has performed the duties required
of him by section 39S relating TO the
state treasurer and auditor Of accounts
in 1910 the present bank commission
er reported to the legislature as follows:
i examined the auditors accounts as
required by law, and found them Ger
rect. The system of accounting is excel
lent, and full information with relation
to all accounts required by law TO be
kept by the auditor is easily obtdina-
ble.'
I'm 1916 xhe present bank commits
sioner reported to the legislature as fol-
lows
j have checked up the vouchers in the
auditors Office and proved the trial bal
ances for each year and found them cor
rect
He further goes on to say that the
business of the treasurer's office and the
auditors office has so greatly increased
that further assistance ought to be af-
forded him for his examination
'In 1904 the committees on claims of
the House and Senate, acting jointly, eN.
amined the Office and reported to their
respective houses, among other things:
We have checked with these books and
examined carefully all vouchers and pa
pers, approximately one hundred thous-
and in number, covering the past bienni-
al period and we find a receipt for each
order drawn according to law
"They further say;
There has been a marked Improvement
in the system Of filing vouchers begin
ming under the incumbency Of O. NJ. Barber
and continuing until the present time.
The present system of bookkeeping orig.
mated somewhat by Mr. Barber and
perfected by Mr. Graham to the extent
Of personal expense to himself
is all that can be expected under the
present appropriations
"If my memory serves me correctly,
this examination occupied good share
OF the time Of the session.
again in 1906 the committees on
claims, acting jointly, examined the Of
flee and reported, among other things,
as follows;
We have examined report sheets and
vouchers and We find he has receipted
vouchers for all bills paid as the law
directs"
"They further reported, We find that
the books are kept in most inteiIicent
and up-to-date form and much credit is
due the auditor Of accounts and his as
sistants for the improved methods in
use
81 am now under indictment for grand
larceny and embezzlement for all the
moneys drawn by me, item by item,
since April, 1918, to January, 1917, when
/ left the Office and for this reason | shall
make no statement about these items
except at my trial as | prefer TO try
out the matter in court rather than at
tempt to do so in the newspapers.
II am further charged with receiving
money from the state for services in a
professional way, while auditor OF ao-
counts, before the act Of 1908. This l ad-
nit willingly and say that rendered the
service have been paid for it and had
both a legal and a moral right to the pay.
Il am further charged with having re-
ceived from the state since the act of
1908 the sum of S6l9. If remember the
matters correctly, over three-fourths OF
this amount was for my services as a
referee with the late Mr.. Platt and Judge
Taylor in a cause begun hack in 1905 or
1906 and as a member Of the board of 8p.
peals upon railroad appraisals. The bal
ance, except l believe eight dollars, was
pa ID for completing services begun aud
partly rendered before the act of 1908
took effect. Since 1908 have had no civil
law practice worthy Of the name, but
have devoted my time exclusively to the
duties of the office and have given to it
the best that was in me.
"In conclusion, / wish to say that the
practice of making advances to state Of
ficiaIs, so far as | know, was begun by
the late e, Henry Powell, who was su-
ditor of accounts from 1878 to 1892, and
has been continued down to the present
time. Horace f. Graham" ,"