Jasper County Democrat, Volume 5, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 January 1903 — THE POOR FARM SCANDAL. [ARTICLE]

THE POOR FARM SCANDAL.

Superintendent Alleged To Be £I,OOO Short. — Pays Up and Will Vacate the Farm February Ist. The prolonged session of “Honest Abe” last week was, in a great measure, due to his “investigating” the poor farm management. An inkling to what was going on came to our ears before The Democrat was issued last week, but there was nothing on which to base a report, therefor nothing was published. Abe made no record whatever in the matter and information we have gained is principally heresay. However, he has since paid into the county treasury SI,OOO in settlement of this alleged shortage. The stories told are in the main exaggerated, no doubt, but it is alleged that Clark sold grain, stock, butter, eggs and produce from-the farm and failed to’turn over the proceeds. It is said that exposure started over three head of cattle sold to Granville Moody. Moody asked Treasurer Parkison if Clark had turned in the money, and as he had not, other investigations were made and a shortage variously stated from SI,OOO to sl,300 is alleged to have been found. Clark was' given until the next day, Saturday, to fix the matter up, which he did, and he will vacate the farm Feb. 1.

The above is a pretty accurate report of the charges that are being made. The Democrat interviewed Mr. Clark Wednesday morning and asked him if he had anything to say? He replied that he had not, except that poor book-keeping and a refusal of the commissioners to grant him any time whatever to rectify any apparant errors or refresh his memory, was the cause of his troubles. In one instance he had reported hogs sold, when it should have been cattle. This error cost him $250 he alleged. He said the-commis-sioners did not ask for his resignation, as reported, but tried to get him to stay until March Ist. He told them that he was going to get out, and would leave Feb. 1. Asked if certain officials had been “tipped” a little, he thought there would have been any trouble, he said, after a few moments hesitation : “I could tell something that would shake Jasper county from stem to stern if I chose, and if they press me too much in this matter I will tell it. I can prove every word of it too.” He added: “If there is nothing in the county commissionership but the small salary provided by law, why are some people so anxious to get the office?” He said he would probably move to his farm in Parke county after leaving the poor farm. Theodore F. Clark was appointed superintendent of the poor farm in March, 1900, and has been in charge thereof since that time. Previous to that he was employed by J. W. Williams, the furniture dealer, and was in his employ for eleven years and up to the time he took charge of the poor farm. He is an old soldier, the present commander of one of the Posts here, has always borne I a good reputation, and his friends will still be loth to believe anything intentionally wrong was dope by him. He took charge of the poor farm after years of bad and extravagant management and it was badly run down and the quarters were hardly fit to house cattle. He cleaned the place up, new beds and bedding and other furniture has been purchased, the farm buildings repaired, the fences kept up. several hundred dollars expended for tiling, and has made the farm nearly self-sustaining. | Everyone must admit that the entire farm is looking better than ever before and has been well and | intelligently farmed and taken leave of. After paying all this expci '• of cleaning up and fixing up the farm and buildings, all labor and the tahiry of the superintendent, his r< ports show that the expenditure: have exceeded the receipts, during the whole time he has been there, by $1,385.10, or about SS(XJ per year, and this does not include the SI,OOO he has just paid in and which is alleged to have been witheld.

Add this to the receipts and it will be seen that the farm has been practically self-sustaining, as T 11& Democrat has contended it shouldihave been for years. The total receipts and expenditures as shown by all the quarterly reports made to the commissioners by Mr. Clark follow, showing that our statement above is correct: Date of Report. Receipts. Expenses. May31,1900..’. .....$ 53 10 $703 99 Aug. 30, “ 1,171 22 397 34 Nov. 30, “ 249 15 648 32 Feb. 28, 1901 48 45 419 00 May 31, “ 601 75 696 50 Aug. 31, “ 553 82 948 90 Nov. 30, “ 879 82 638 33 Feb. 28,1902 .. 349 25 671 23 Muy 31, “ 500 00 209 28 Aug. 31, “ 250 00 475 00 Nov. 30. “ 300 00 534 07 Totals .$4,956 56 $6,341 96 4,956 56 Excess exp, for the 2 yrs. 9 tnos.. .$1,385 40 Considerable new farm machinery has been bought during this time, there is more stock, grain, tools and everything to do with at the farm now than when Mr. Clark took charge. Below we publish the official inventory of stock and grain filed by Supt. Hardy at the time he left the farm and Clark took charge, alsd the inventory filed by Supt. Clark for the last quarter, ending Nov. 1, for comparison: Hardy, Meh. 1. 1900. Clark. Nov. 30. 1902. 4 Mules. 7 Head of Horses, 8 Head of Cattle, 26 Head of Cattle, 13 Head of Hogs, 73 Head of Hogs, 100 Chickens. -> 200 Chickens, 2000 Bushels of Corn, 1800 Bushels of Corn. 1400 Bushels of Oats. 2500 Bushels of Oats. 270 Bus. Hungarian.

It will be seen from the above J.hat there was not a horse on the place when Clark went there; now the horses alone are worth nearly SI,OOO. Owing to a poor season the corn crop this year was only about one-half what it otherwise would have been. The Democrat is not seeking to excuse Mr. Clark in any way for what he is alleged to have done, believing a strict account should be kept of every item of receipts, but the contrast—admitting that not all had been turned in—has been so great between his management and that of his predecessor that we cannot help commenting upon it and giving him credit for what he did do. The facts are that Mr. Clark has never “stood in” with the ring, and, if he has “knocked down,” he probably made the mistake of not knocking down still more and then “divying up” with some of the other fellows. We are sorry to hear of his downfall and believe had his associates higher up been of different material he would not stand where he does to-day. Honest men are often ruined by evil associations.