Show PAYING WAR CLAIMS Gross CarclctsucBB er Seraething IVorse Has Attended Their Payment WASHINGTON Oct 11Third Auditor Williams Wil-liams of the Treasury Department has addressed a letter to the Governor of Indiana Indi-ana in which he states that in view of the unsatisfactory condition of the records of his office concerning the claims of several States against the United States filed under the provisions of an act of Congress approved ap-proved July 2718G1 to indemnify States for expenses incurred by them in defense of the United States and acts supplemental thereto he had found it necessary to make thorough examination of such claims in order to arrive at an intlligent understanding understand-ing of the present condition The examination examina-tion of the war claims of the State on Indiana Indi-ana under the acts referred to1 has just been completed and he encloses for the Governors information and subh action as lie may deem advisable an abstract showing in detail the amounts which he says have been erroneously improperly and unlawfully allowed the State First in excess of vouchers presented second twice for the same service and third amounts allowed without vouchers amounting in all to 46123 The abstract he says serves to show gross carelessness or some thing worse in the settlement and adjustment adjust-ment of these accounts which some person or persons then in the Third Auditors office are responsible for Williams says further The amounts alo v jj and paid twice by the Government will also attract attention it is assumed as it was the uniform requirement that duplicate vouchers were taken in the settlement of these accounts It appears that at one time it was the custom of State officials having these accounts in their charge to file one of these duplicate vouch the Second ers for ordnance stores in Auditors office which is charged with the settlement of ordnance accounts where it was allowed and paid The other voucher was filed iu the Third Auditors office asa claim against the Government under the act of July 27 1861 and allowed and paid In a large majority of claims however it appears ap-pears that agents of the State after presenting present-ing to the Third Auditors office the single of the duplicate vouchers which was settled I I and paid in subsequent settlements presented pre-sented the other voucher and it too was audited and paid thus making double payments pay-ments to a very considerable amount Auditor Williams respectfully submits that the next Legislature should promptly provide pro-vide for the restitution of the money a total of 46123 |