Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 70, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1909 — WAS MR. SPINNEY BUNCOED? [ARTICLE]

WAS MR. SPINNEY BUNCOED?

When Charlie Spinney was elected treasurer of Newton county, some five or six years ago, he apparently did not have enough confidence in his qualification* as a book-keeper to handle the office alone, or was convinced that it was so complicated that only an expert could handle it. Anyhow, Charlie goes over to Benton county and employs one Harry Rank, who had been the republican auditor of Benton, for two terms, and was an expert from Expertville. Rank was put in as head man in the office, it is said, and Charlie sort of hurtled around the outside and jollied the taxpayers when they came in to liquidate. Though thorouhgly competent himself, no doubt, he having all his life been engaged either as clerk or merchant where it was necessary for him to have a pretty fair knowledge of book-keep-ing, he brought this republican exauditor in from a neighboring county and placed him in almost complete control of the office, because of the latter’s supposed ability. His awakening has been of a nature to make him lose confidence in reputations like Rank’s. Rumors that all was not correct in the treasurer’s office had been persistent during the last year of Mr. Spinney’s administration, and a recent investigation of the county offices over there showed that Spinney’s accounts were short aboutss,000. As the Brook Reporter, republican, says: “Nobody believes that Charley Spinney would wilfully take one cent not due him from the county treasurer’s office, directly or indirectly, yet a shortage appears against him, and no njatter if the shortage is five cents or $5,000, to the treasurer belongs the blame.” Rumor has it also, says the Reporter, that Mr. Rank’s book-keep-ing was of such an expert nature that the accountants *Lho conducted the investigation were all at sea for quite a while, and at one time it appeared that the shortage would be $25,000. Mr. Spinney and his republican expert are now engaged in checking up the figures of the accountants, and of course the former will make good at once any real shortage that may exist, but it seems too bad that he must suffer for what seems to be the fdult of his Rank expert from Benton, whom the public appears Jo think is to blame for it all. •