Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 47, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 September 1910 — ACCOUNTING OFFICE. [ARTICLE]

ACCOUNTING OFFICE.

Surprised at News of Todd’s Suicide Following Discovery of Discrepancy. The news of the suicide of John Elmer Todd, superintendent of the schoojs at Flora, Ind., was received with surprise at the office of the state hoard of accounts yesterday, where “Todd’s act was believed to have been committed as a result of his having been found short in the sum of $200.06, as a result of errors made when treasurer of the school city from 1904 to 1906. When the examiners mjde their investigation of the school city hooks Mr. Todd was at-

tending Indiana University, and on the discovery of the shortage a letter was written him asking him for whatever explanation he had to make. Two weeks ago he called at the office of the board and went through the report with a member of the office force. He was shown that in 1905,-: when he received the school city allowance from* the county auditor, he had charged himself with SIOO less than the actual amount received and that he had made a similar error in the year following. In his final settlement he had made an error of 6 cents. He inquired as to what method he should pursue in making the shortage good, and was referred to the accounting board law, the only official advice given by the board in such matters. Todd said at the time that he would wait until the report was certified, when he would settle with the city school.*

He asked at the time that the matter be kept a secret, but was told that the accounting law provided that the reports of the examiners Should become public property and that the chief accountant had no. power to any of the reports secret. No further report concerning Todd was received until news of his suicide. —lndianapolis News. Mr. Todd was a brother-in-law of Dr. W. L. Myer of Rensselaer,. and his suicide occurred Friday morning last by taking carbolic acid. Dr. Myer attended the funeral.