Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-20

The auditors expressed the belief
that the county has basis for
claims to o yer 5000. 900
from various individuals and 1rms,
and revealed the exact county in
d~ebtedness which Is $50, 450, 212.I8
exclusive OF the indebtedness Of
Hidalgo County Drainage District
No. ], whose affairs have been in
a muddle for years.
The indebtedness consists of
S12. AGO. 900 in bonds and $3.50. 212.18
in warrants. There is outstanding,
including $375.l84.39 in scrip, $l8,-
SCI TAI. SO. Retirements against the
original indebtedness amount to
s515. 10000 on bonds and $2,O66,-
2l2.l8 on warrants.
Indebtedness Divided
The indebtedness. according to
funds, is divided as follows: Cen
eral Sl,9l6 $50: permanent improve
ments Stat, $685. roads and
bridges 81 ,707, 253.28 special road
ST. 900: special road district
bonds $9.375.0 900 and special flood
contol So. 642 900.
Valuations rose from $50, zoo, l8O
to s6l,344.4l7 in 1880 and will not
exceed $50. 900 900 this year, It wa
said. IN this connection the audit
reported: with the valuations OF
the county not exceeding go mil
lions 1t Is probable that the total
revenue for the general funds will
not exceed $4,000 annually. II
IS obvious that this amount viii
not be sufficient to provide for in
terest and principal requirements
on outstanding warrants and pay
operating expenses.
During the course OF our ex-
animation we noted numerous ap-
parent Irregularities in the ham
ding and disbursement Of county
funds. Very few scrip warrants is
sued during the years l-28-l929
were signed by the county treas
urer and a large percentage OF
such warrants were not endorsed by
the payee and when the endorse
ment did appear on q series pa
able to the same individual IL was
apparently in the handwriting OF
two or more individuals.
Two Sets of Books
ut Is apparent that minute &C.
ords OF tn ecounty have In
numerous instances been rewrit-
Ten. Two sets OF minute books are
on file at the county clerks offics
covering the period from AnriI
1871 through July 1927 and !
number r missing.
Undoubtedly the expenditure n,
2 las three years have been ex-
travagant and in numerous in
stances fraudulently disbursed.
II lltigation now contemplate
70 invalidate certain of the warrar,
issues is successful il is obvious
" reduced.
Maintenance (road) cbarcsd
ave undoubtedly been excessive
and with economic handling could
De materially reduced.
corrections range from e. n a.
per cent OF the total assessmen,
and In preparing the budget Of the
county's requirements the der,n-
quent tax situation should be river
careful consideration
An affidavit Is Incorporated in
the audit OF the old Edinburr state
Bank and Trust Co. In which a
oookkeeper cSsertS that he was or-
dered by an official of the bank N
rewrite the monthly bank state.
ments and 10 eliminate certain
items representing transaction
with the bank. The bookkeeper also
said that he later was ordered Il
rewrite ledger sheets. The book
keeper said that ne hesitated bui
that the official told him that they
were "cross entries" and that moth
ing unusual or irregular was in
volved.
Records Missing
In connection with the audit o,
Hidalgo County Drainage District
No. ] the auditors had the follow
inF to say:
In preparing this report We
have been seriously handicapped In
our efforts TO ascertain complete
facts due to missing recorss and
inadeuuacy IN such records as were
available.
IAN examination OF the warrant,
d~iscloses that in numerous in
stances they were paid or refunded
without being endorsed by the
payee and others which by a COM
parision OF endorsements indicate.
that such endorsements are not ir
the handwriting OF the Dayee."
As far as could be determined
from incomplete records and in
formation available. the funded
debt Of the district Is 1899 .645 10
An undetermined amount or scrir
also Is thought to have been issued
IRREGULARITIES involving $353.124.4.
was found In an audit or the eight
sDeciaI road districts. Only two
districts. Numbers three and eight
were free frrr irregularities
OF the s~sS3.12444, ss35.13s con.
sisted Of diversions nv anDareni
irregular vouchers and 1927. 98S.4 a.
in deposits TO individual accounts
The audit then goes into detail a.
20 whose accounts the various
amounts we're deposited.
DEPOSITS to personal accounts nu'
n rad funds aiore included s24..
806-2a: SAT. 1851 .96: So. 4z2 30: S34,.
CONTINUED On Page Five)