Imperial Valley press., 1930-06-19
RECORDER
ACCOUNTS
I TANGLED
Grand Jury Orders Heald
To Institute Mandamus
Proceedings
REPORT is FILED
Various County Depart
ments Shown By Audit
To Be in Good Shape.

Instructions to the district atsor-
nev of Imperial County to bring a
civil action or mandamus proceed
ings against Mrs. Bird f. Hob
dydy, the county recorder TO
recover a cash shortage of $l476.27
in the accounts of that office and
charges of misconduct in office form
the chief items of public interest IN
the preliminary report of the grand
Jury of Imperial County for the year
1929, rendered to the superior court
at / o'clock this morning.
This preliminary report sets forth
the result of the jury's investlga-
tions concerning the audit of the
records of the several county offic-
ers and schools for the fiscal year
commencing July l, 1923, and ending
June 80, 1929. The grand jury was
empaneled and sworn in by Judge
Vaughn Thompson on October ~,
1929, with R. H. Cary as foreman
and w. c. Reed, secretary.
The document states that during
the course of the regular audit COW
ering all county offices, certain ir-
regularities in the county recorders
office were disclosed. A count of
the cash on hand and in the bank
disclosed an apparent shortage in the
public funds under the control of
that office. On March II, 1880, the
actual cash shortage was $l290.99.
Another count was made on April l,
and shortage of $103909 was dis
covered.
In addition to the above shortages
the special report of the auditor
disclosed that between July l, 1923,
and March 81, 1880, the recorder
credited copyists in her office and
approved payment to them for more
folios than were actually copied by
them, which overpayment amounted
to $1476.27. On June 13, the report
states. the recorder was served with
a written statement showing the
March 81 shortage and she was re
| quested to make full and complete
| restoration, with the result that oil
June II, the recorder appeared be
| fore the jury and presented q
cashiers check for $1154.50 to cover
the amount due to the state
Receipts were produced to show
the county treasurer for fees due the
county, but the recorder failed to
make settlement with the county of
money due for overpayment to copy
lists and it was this item which
| brought the instructions to the dis
trict attorney.
The report cites the following ir-
regularities and conditions which
the grand jury believe constitutes
misconduct in office: That the
recorder failed to account to the
| county for fees to be collected for
certified copies of instruments or
or paper on file in her office, or
from issuing certificate under seal;
| that the recorder has received by
mail, checks and money orders for
fees for recording documents, the
sum of such checks being in excess
of the amount of fees legally
charged for such service, and made
refund of such excess by delivering
to these persons postage stamps
which had been furnished by the
county for other purposes; that the
recorder has recorded Palo Verde ir-
rigation district certificates of sale,
and approved payments to copyists
for copying same, when such instru-
ments should have been filed in her
office instead of being recorded;
that the recorder has assigned in
struments and work to copyists and
approved payments to them for
copying same, when the work had
not actually been done, and later
when such instruments had not yet
been copied on the books of record.
she employed additional help to copy
them and has compensated these
workers at rate contrary to that
allowed by law; and she had made
misleading statements and affida-
Wits regarding fees to be sent to the
secretary of state.
In reference to the other offices