The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1922-03-14
ASSISTANT CITY
TREASURER WILL
Be NAMED SOON
Authorities At Loss In Search For
Clark. Pass Ordinance Creating
Office Of Assistant to
Handle Affairs.
FOUL PLAY THEORY. is
STILL STRONG FEATURE
No Motive for Such Act Found. How.
ever; Clark Carried Little Known
Money; Hasty Audit OF
Accounts 10 Made.

fufth'f u't'hiFts W iochic tut
mining treasurer having been OF Nc
avail. the council In special session
this morning In the city hall passed
an ordinance creating the office OF
assistant city treasurer to act until
the office is declared vacant or un.
III the return OF the absent office
holder. Judge W. w. Clark.
Mayor Coffman probably will make
the appointment OF the acting treas
urer this afternoon and In tais
event the office, which has been
closed since the disappearance of
Clark one week ago. will be opened
tomorrow morning There were sev.
eral being mentioned In connection
with the appointment this afternoon.
A bond OF $4,000 will be required
according TO the provisions of the
ordinance. If the suggestions OF
City Attorney Hammerly are abided
by, the assistant treasurer will keep
separate set of records and new
bank accounts until the official rec.
ords Of the missing treasurer are
audited, II this Is deemed necessary,
The ordinance provides that such
person SO appointed shall act only
during the pleasure OF the mayor
and 'councilmen and shall not be ap-
pointed for any definite period Of
time and shall at all times be sub.
ject TO removal by the mayor and
city council. without notice and
without cause This means that
the assistant treasurer may be re.
moved should Judge Clark return
That the office should be declared
vacant. complete audit OF the rec
cords made and new treasurer ap-
pointed II the missing official fails
to return within the next two or
three weeks, was the sentiment ex.
pressed in city official circles this
morning.
No Irregularities Found.
Although the records in the city
treasurer's office have not been
audited since early in 1915, no ir-
regularities or maladministration is
suspected. A hurried investigation
conducted yesterday afternoon by
Mayor Coffman and a member of
the city council failed to reveal any
Irregularities in the conduct Of tae
office However, no detailed invoice
of the city's bonds and other securi-
ties was taken.
1T Is believed that none of the
$4,000 negotiable storm sewer, wat
er main and street improvement
bonds are missing. The vault in the
treasurer's office was opened yes
terday afternoon and the packages
Of bonds found to be in the same
condition they were when Judge
Clark returned from Oklahoma City
However, a thorough count would
be necessary to definitely determine
whether any Of the bonds are miss
ing, Mayor Coffman said. A similar
hurried invoice of the government
securities owned by the city also
was taken yesterday afternoon and
as far as could be learned in the
meagre investigation, none were
missing.
City officials clings to the theory
that there has been no Irregularities
in the conduct of Judge Clark's Of
flee, but that he has met with foul
play or suffered complete mental
and physical collapse.
Wife Fears Foul Play.N
In telephone conversation this
morning, Mrs. Clark, aged wife Of
the missing official, declared that
she did not believe her husband in
tentionally abandoned her and his
office. She expressed fear that he
is the victim of foul play or sud
denly became mentally deranged.
She has heard nothing from her
missing husband and his where
abouts is still mystery to her, she
said.
Although the foul play theory is
frequently expressed, none have been
able to focus any light on an incen-
tive for such act. AS far as can be
learned. Clark carried no valuables,
had very little money on mis- per
son and was even without change
of clothing.
Oklahoma City-EI Reno combed.
Through the efforts of the knights
of Pythias lodge, of which Judge
Clark has been an active member
for many years, the police forces al
Oklahoma City and Ell Reno combed
those cities but found no trace oi