The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-12-08
WEIDNER IS
ACCUSED OF
EMBEzzLING
Wayne County Treasurer Re-
leased on 81 800 Bond Fol-
lowing Arrest Tuesday
Faces Three Indictments.
CHARGE CONVERSION

Edward j. We1dner, Wayne county
treasurer. was arrested at his home
here Tuesday evening as result of
three indictments returned against
him by the grand jury. One indict-
ment charges embezzlement Of the
county funds, and the other two al
lege that he failed to return prop
erty for taxation purposes in 1919 and
1920.
Bond totaling $4,000 was furnished
by Weidner. $4,000 of this went for
the embezzlement charge and $500
was given on each of the other indict-
ments.
The first count of the embezzlement
Indictment charges that Treasurer
Weidner converted $4,000 of the
county's money to his own use; the
100000 of the county's money for other
funds which belonged to him, and
which were on deposit in the Farm
ers' bank at Milton; the third charges
that he deposited $4,000 in the Farm
ers' bank, which was in excess of the
| maximum legal amount of the max
ium legal limit of $5.325 which he
| could deposit there as county treas
| urer.
Text of Charge.
The embezzlement charge reads
that while acting as treasurer of
eht county of Wayne, as treasurer
charged with the keeping of $4,000
belonging to the county which had
been collected by him and which was
| then and there in his possession and
keeping as such treasurer for said
county of Wayne, and that he, said
| Edward J.. Weidner while acting as
such treasurer, and while in posses
sion of such money. as aforesaid. and
while charged and intrusted with the
safe keeping and disbursement of
said money as aforesaid, did then and
there, during said time, unlawfully fe-
loniously and wilfully embeZzle. con-
vert and appropriate the same to his
| own use, the exact time and date of
the commission of said offense by
him, the same Edward ]. eWidner,
being to the grand jurors unknown,
| contrary to the. form of, the statute
in such case made and provided,
against the peace and dignity of the
state of Indiana"
Ask Investigation
When it became known, shortly
after the Farmers bank of Milton
failed and a shortage of between
100000 and s125,000 in the accounts
of Cashier Oscar NJ. Kirlin was dis
covered, that Treasurer Weidner had
on deposit there county funds in ex-
cess of the legal maximum. authori-
! ties asked for an audit of his books.
At the time of the failure of the in
stitution he had s47,551, including four
certificates. on deposit in it. Weld
ner, as county treasurer. filed claim
of s27,551 for the county against the
! h1,t
Kirlin committed suicide, Weidner
went to a Richmond bank and paid
the county $4,000, taking over the
four certificates, Prosecutor Freeman
said.
The prosecutor said the county
would not lose the s27.551 in the de-
funct bank, as the stockholders of
the bank must make good all losses.
which will protect the county's money.
Exceeds Maximum Sum
At one time Treasurer Weidner had
as high as s55,000 of the county's
money on deposit in the bank
Prosecutor Freeman said that the
four certificates of deposit belonged to
Weidner personally. Instead of depos-
iting county funds by sending county
money, he took out $4,000 himself and
then indorsed the four certificates
over to the county. Exchanging these
certificates for county money consti
tuted embezzlement, under the stat
utes, Prosecutor Freeman said. In
that event, the bank, under its bond.
would not be liable for the payment
of the four certificates. because they
were not issued on a deposit OF the
county, the prosecutor said.
Sequesters Taxabies
The other two indictments charge
that Weidner on March !, 1920, had on
deposit personally in the Farmers
bank S3S,319 and on March 1. 1919.
s19,O 900, which he had failed to return
for taxation purposes.
The failure of the Farmers ba nix
was investigated by the grand jury.
which was charged to ascertain if any
criminal action might have taken
place The state board of accounts
recently made an audit Of Treasurer
Weidner's books in connection with a
request from Prosecutor Freeman.
ID