Ke Kiai, Volume I, Number 5, 18 September 1902 — THE TERRITORY A HEAVY LOSER [ARTICLE]

THE TERRITORY A HEAVY LOSER

A second iiuiryfe of embezzleinenl of yovernnient monies amount to $5,252. ii)is phieeel a<rainst the name ot I>. IL Wright, late ehiei" elerk in the Puhlie Works" I)ep »rtment.. This is the amounl of »so irfr discovered by Deputy Auditor līenry J\leyers in liis ex nni'n;ition of tlie books of the impi'isoned cierk, whieh, \vitli the lir.st ol embezzleiiu:nt ot 53 riiakes a total ol $5,5ji.63. r Fhe e\amina_tion ol the hooks is still <*ontinued today. That suc]i a l:\rjje siun of money is claimed to have ,been missed by llie laU* vcry :tct.ive political chit:f clcrk is no surprise, but that such an ;imoimt should have disappeared the wi)) r it did and in such a short time is a puzzle. We have but \vords of commentl<ition for the painstakin& and eljective \v;iy the Deputy Andi" toi has e ;u ricd on ihe iiivestii»ation whi< h brou<jht to 1 i <4ht these fraudule.nt mil:»i>i"opriatinti of Territorial rc< iipts to perSonal (?) use. Kr'<j|). th(i j><;o<l woi k up Mr. Mcyc]-s but, foi* p3l y 1 m sakc please lcl :in aji\ions swindlcd puhlie kiiow why a < ei lain ollieial, who was conipeHed by censure of llu 1 (4'rand jury to pay liis tlerks j)roper salarios due th(;m, alloweel to <piielly refund the sliortaye in his ac> counts only a short tim<? ao 4 o without ,standiny the risk of a pitblic trial as required by law? The exanūnalion oi his books by e.\perts showed a. systeniatic pillerinjf of small amoimts totallin<4 over $200. ljut why should secrecy and apparent iavorilisni be shbwn to one while anolher unlortunate uishes hehiml prison bars? Any altempt to shield a would-be ei'iininal even il' he has a *'pu 11'' with tlu 4 powers that be is to be

deplorcd nnjd the Sooncr thc decentrdlizniion ()i* ihe One Man Rule "is 'āccompīished the"so"ōncr wil'l ihe interests of thc people be assured of protcction. * The latcst clev<dopment in th.e present embe.zzlement case shows a luek ol' a prqper method oi* eheekino- up items of revenue and disbursements in the different departments othenvise the frand woukl have been found out lonj> l)aily retun,is or at least weekly sta.tements should be liled witli the Treasurer as well as ,the Auditor. lt is all very well to ?ay f llial "we haVe eauohi the culprit and will enforce the law," bvil remember thc government is and will' be the loscr in more ways than one. The amount embcz/Jed is not riicovered ; cost of preliminary trial; pay ol" Grand Jurwrs to indictmenl; pay of pelil jurors; costs of court, subpaenas, witnesses eU\, ani} ii convicled his board and Ciire until released makinn in the a sum dotd)le ortiiple llie o i*i nn 1 loss.