The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1922-03-21
STATE RECORDS
CHANGED, SAYS
AUDIT REPORT
First Records of Mill and Eleva-
tor Association Are Now
Missing
OTHERS SUBSTIT UTED?
Many Unusual Transactions Are
Outlined in Report on
Office

i Origira! records Of the Mill and FL
! GYat0T Association are missing and
ErecordS that now are available aprar-
entity We're written up by the Equitable
Audit Company later, according to the
audit report Of the association made
by Bishop, Brissman and Company for
the present Industrial Commission,
made public today.
! The original records were denied to
auditors of the same concern when
employed by the state board of aud
itors previous to the legislative ses-
sion last year. The audit company's S
information of the missing records is
| contained in the report as follows:
During the previous examination,
December, 1920, we called at the Fargo
office for the purpose of examining
their records and were told by Sadie
Dodd, J. A. McGovern's secretary,
that Mr.. McGovern was absent from
the city at the time and that the Of
flee records had been turned over to
the Equitable Audit Company. We
| next inquired of Mr.. Darling, repre-
sentative of the Equitable Audit Co.,
ind were advised that part Of the rec
ords were in a suit case of his, locked
up, in Fargo. .r.
"Mr. Leuhrs informed us that in
July, 1919, he purchased Journal,
Cash Book and Ledger, and that the
transactions of the office were en-
tered therein by him during his SER
vice, and that the Journal and Ledger
on file in the office of the Industrial
Commission, were not the records in
stalled and maintained by him. The
Journal file in the office of the
Industrial Commission is written up
in violet ink, and we we're informed
by Mrs. Dodd was written up by the
Equitable Audit Co. The original
records installed in July, 1919, were
not on file in the office of the Indus
trial Commission"
Records Altered
The report then submits items pur-
chased from a Fargo supply house in
July, 1919, showing record books were
purchased. in confirmation of the
above statements, and continues: "The
| 1919 invoice covers the records in
stalled by Mr. Leuhrs, and the invoice
Of Dec. g. 1920 covers the records that
were apparently written up by the
Equitable Audit Co., and also the vio-
let ink"
The charges of altered or destroyed
records of the Mill and Elevator AS
socation made last winter during the
legislature, appears to have been sub
| stantiated by the Audit company in.
vestigations. 1t is known that the
present Industrial Commission has re.
ceived some other reports and that the
secretary has made some investiga
ton of the altering of records, which
may lead to further action.
Other unusual transactions in con
nection with the Fargo office that wa!
maintained by the Mill and Elevato
Association with j. A. McGovern a
manager are shown. Total salarie
paid by the office amounted to S12,
669.30
One employe drew 13 months salar
in II months, two checks for $125 eac
being issued and signed by J. A. Nc
Govern for December, 1920. Travelin
expenses were paid to Thomas Sander
son Of $2391S and J. H. Hagen $49.6.
neither of whom appear to have bee
on the Fargo office pay roll. Travf
expenses were paid to employees of tn
Drake mill in two instances. Eigf
items of travel expense were paid t
| Continued on Page y