Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-09-20

EudL dlA C1d1A14o "CAO R~~H~'
Investigation of these claims in the
office Of the county commissioners mas
disclosed the following:
That claims made out by the primary
election fnspectors for salary as well as
for the other members Of the boards
meals and the like, were paid on orders
Of Leo K. Fesler, county auditor, before
the county commissioners had invest
gated the claims OF officially signed them.
That ninety-six of these claims were
signed bv only two Of the commission
ers-Carlin Shank and Lewis W. George
nresident of the commissioners, after the
claims had been paid.
That eighty Of these claims, aggregat-
ing 81, 7,415.s5, today bear only the sig
nature Of one commissioner, that Of Pres
ident George.
NAME OF HAYES
ON NONE OF THEM.
That none of the paid claims bears the
signature of Commissioner Joseph u.
Hayes.
That no records have been found to
show that either Auditor Fesler or the
hoard OF commissioners followed the
statutes in allowing or paying these
claims.
President George of the commission
ers was the only commissioner VINO
signed and approved claims numbering
from 1904 to approximately 1888
One claim in the file box in the com
missioners' court bears both the sigma
lures Of Shank and George.
INQUIRY shows that Auditor Fesler
ordered these claims paid and did pay
- them before the claims were signed an
spp~oved by the commissioners as the
law requires.
The claims for primary service OF tne
various boards range from 80 10 $Ite. @
Tba Indiana statutes are clear on the
nethod to be used by the auditor ana
the board of commissioners In AWARDING
and paying claims
WHAT PROCEDURE
STATUTE PROVIDES.
The statute provides:
"It shall be unlawful for any board
Of commissioners Of any county In
this State OF any member thereof, TO
make any allowances or to allow any
claims against such county, or order
the issue of any county order or war
rant for the payment OF any sum OF
money except at regular or special
sessions Of said board, and 1t shan
be unlawful for any county aualtor
TO draw or issue to any person any
warrant OF county order for payment
cept the same has been ordered and
allowsd BY the board Of commission
ers Of the county while in regular or
special session, or by court OF COM
petent Jurisdiction; that nothing here
IN shall effect the issuing Of war
rants relating to the management OF
the common or congressional school
fund or insanity inquests."
In fixing the duty Of the county aud
itor in issuing warrants, the statutes pro-
vide:
THAT upon the allowance Of any
claims against any county IN the
State Of Indiana by the board Of COM
missioners Of such county and for the
payment Of which claim appropria-
ton has been made by the proper
authority. the county auditor Of such
county shall issue a warrant there
for"
STATUTE PLAIN
EEGARDISG EXPENDITURES.
The Indiana statute is plain regarding
the duties of the commissioners in ex-
pending the money of the taxpayers.
The statutes provide in this respect
that:
The county commissioners shall
examine into the merits Of all claims
so presented and may in their dis
cretion allow any claim, in whole or
In part as they may find II to be
Just and owing"
The law also provides that such claims
shall be verified by the claimant or some
one In his behalf and that 'such claims
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