The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1920-11-24
ACCOUNTANTS
MAKE REPORT
ON TREASURER
State Board Announces Re-
suit of Audit of County
Treasurer Weidner's Books
for Year.
QUESTION PROCEDURE

Deposits of county funds in the Far.
mers bank at Milton by Ed weidner,
treasurer of Wayne county, will not
cause any loss to the county. though
their legality is questionable, accord
Ing to the report of an examination of
the office of the treasurer for the
year beginning Jan. 1. 1920. and end
Ing with the close of business, June
30, 1920, announced Wednesday. The
examination was made by Ira Holland
and c. o. Van Horn, field examiners
for the state board of accounts.
According to the report the treas
urer's explanation as to all certific-
ates OF the Farmers bank of Milton.
except two dated May 26. 1920, was TO
the effect that he purchased bonds,
using his personal money, which were
exchanged for certificates at the Mil
ton bank. These were later turned
over to the county and cash taken
from the daily collections, covering a
period OF two or three days reimburs-
ing the treasurer.
Takes Over $4,000.
The examination shows that the
county treasurer took over personally
$4,000 of these time certificates and
increased the deposit of the county
with the Second National bank at
Richmond to this amount, reducing the
county balance with the Milton bank
to $17.551.5S, which plus $4,000 held
by the state afterwards transferred
now makes the county claim total
| $27,55158.
The reports show that the records
Cro iy1 hn1
repositories as shown by a depositoroy
| statement. Attention is called to the
| fact that during the year 1920 most
of the time certificates purchased by
the treasurer were with the Milton
bank. The records do not show the
manner in which these certificates
were purchased.
Question Procedure
1t Is not conceded that the treas
urer had lawful right to sell these
certificates to the county and the ex-
aminers express doubt whether GER
tificates so acquired by the county
would be covered by the bond of the
bank as a depository.
The transa ctions did not constitute
| deposits of office receipts by the treas
urer as required by law. The trea.-
urer's official bond, however, the re-
port says, would in any event have
/ protected the county from loss. and
as the certificates were later taken
over by the treasurer the question OF
possible loss by the county is dis
posed of.
! Attention is called by the report to
| the excess balance of the Farmers
bank of Milton which shows 32,876.56
more than the amount to which they
were entitled.
In the first day of July, 1920, Oscar
kirlin. cashier of the Milton bank,
committed suicide, leaving a shortage
in excess of 100000. The county at
THAI time had balance of s37. .551 SO
plus two certificates in the hands OF
| the treasurer of the state for $4,000
| each.
Assigns Reasons.
| The county treasurer, the examiners
| report, gives as a reason for assuming
! $4,000 of this claim. the fact that
he realized that the balance was ex-
cessive and is still so, but that he was
| unable to take up greater amount.
| The examination was made at the
request of Gath p. Freeman, prosecut-
! or of Wayne county, in connection
with grand jury investigation of af-
fairs leading up to the failure of the
| Farmers bank at Milton and the sub
/ sequent suicide of the cashier.
| No further steps will be taken in
| the investigation until the grand Jury
| convenes Monday, the prosecutor stat.
ed Wednesday.