HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Signal, 1936-5-21, Page 5•aoasaerRIdfag.o;auer- T-M110Me..wrm a •-r .
EVIDENCE IN ROBERTSON TRIAL
CLOSED -ADJOURNED TO JUNE 5
THE SIGNAL
receipt. As the cash book entries
were taken from the stubs. that parti-
cular one had been left out.
The rolls were certified before be
received them, said Mr. Pktwards
The Crown's case was concluded at
11.105 Tuesday moruiug, after the ex-
t
habit*, he mild, to lead hon to believe
,.age 1.) amluatlon of six wlulrseKe over a prr-
1""""""" " ••the accused lad leen lI.lug beyond
they ittid been honored,".he told the 81e menus.
prosecitor. Mrs. Walter 'seaman's Evident*
Oeneellier Maritime lire. Walter Heitman, formerly Miss
Ou Mouday evening a large number Ethel Stokes, who was simployed for
of spectators attended court, apple- about ten years, at the clerk's office,
ently expecting to hear "fireworks" followed Mr. Hueklns to the Fraud.
when Councillor J. K. Mucking, euuz Sirs. Reitman denied that Robertson
plainest In the case, took the stand, prepared the collector's roll. and testi- Shncer spoke nearly two hours lu an
but his tostimouy sad _cross examltu- . JK_ = �(p}sgl�
a,.alsx1 an..sl
d ken Afeet to win -kis at. -and lir ..t
tloa Were the shortest of a wirole self, with the exceptlou, perhaps, of Iwict, 1n reply, stoke about twenty
case, lasting only twenty-five minutes. a few Items entered by Robertson. taltriteo.
led of six day'..
Medan fee Nen-suit Refused
A motion for -"Mt ou the ground
that the ('town had not cstabiisbd a
prima farle case was introduced by
U. N. Shaver, detente counsel, at the
conclusion of the f'rown's case. Mr.
GODERICH, ONT.
subjected to a 741 per cent. cut.
Cash Kept is Unlashed Drawer
e'heques and cash were kept In au
unlocked drawer of a desk and loose
change was kept 1n a tip box In the
collector's office. About 30 per cent.
of tax paymeot8 were made 1n cash.
The stubs from which entries were
made In the cash book were kept open-
ly on a file on the desk. Entrlee were
ulade from accumulated 'tubs about
every two weeks.
-As tar as you know that system
bad been employed before you started?"
..leo...
"Did the auditors or the clerk know
if you eutered the cash book from .the
ohs?'
on E DOW.
"Was there any secret abodt tti'
Mr. Durkin" said he frequently acted upheld this statement by pointing cwt its }donor Judge Costello refused
her handwriting In rolls shown her by , the motion.
Mr. Shaver. "I have listened very attentively to
In TTieTair'it'r'79S4,' "gwQ-T-fatrwr-say that
she was asked to sselst- In the codec- I for the defence has impressed me with
tor's office during his Illness. She!his argument," said Judge Costello.
"•Wal a -statement of arrears ever worked there several weeks, seepttng hitet 1 have not changed the optnloo
presented to the council?" asked Mr. tax payments and marking them In a j Which 1 formed when the evidence
Sedgwlek. book. She also deposited the eollee i was all In, and I came to the conclu-
tions at the bank. Witness said when' Mon there was a presumption of guilt,
"Did Robertson ever present a state-'she.tlrst entered the office there was i making out a prima facie ease, which
melt with reference to arrears?" 1114 In the rash box. Mr. Robertson must put the defendant In tbe position
Mr. Hucklus said the collector had joined her in the work oera.lonally ! of rebutting the evidence -of the Crown.
presented a statement containing some I when he was able .10 attend the office. ,11 will hear the defense."
of the outstanding tax delinquents. Witness said she entered ,up the'
Defendant b the Stan/
without dates. and there was no way cash hook from the receipt stubs.
of finding out the dates. it was Cash at the end of the day was Court was adjourned for the noon -
thought to he un•attifactory, paid the Ineke1 In the safe In the treasurer's I hour after this pronouncement, and a
rltnewg, and be (Hoskins► moved In office, with the lank puss hook and • Marge number again were in attendance During 81. absence from the office, 70... I merely signet the ch1Y111K...i tin explaining the dlso•rrpwncy re -
meeting
ceonnell that. It at the oext counetl all with the amount noted nn it. when lir. Robertson took the stand In et meal times or when out collecting, I %paled by Mr. Oray. C.P.A., w•ho testl-
V I taxes were received by the treasurer When Mrs Hellman supplied fur I tits) the hank hcs,ke showod $730,tNM1
a (Mlwprehenslce report was It sone the occasional tpraetIee of 'hie Dura defence when Court convened 3 him and he showed up at the office
always IY,
e flee• o w C
t he t d b% Robertson, r xo who as c e-
eeta
re} t a
'cock.
Witness e•8 t
c 1 mss.
u cash In the
at
3.�5 o at times.
•sok the ou it the collector, be would !safe
colle•elr also erto put a The accused man's early history was I received the cash or cheque with a
ask the council to supper[ him In pUtr safe In the treasurer's utfie•, Held Wit- ,
liaising a list of arrears. nese. The collector never complained reviewed and his life was 5kehbed receipt stub or memo.
"Robertson resigned verbally at the of ton*stgr shortage. � up to the time he accepted the post- ••What was the eonditlou of the cur
next meeting." said the witness. •'ands WfwirMr. Robertsonw'a5 ton III to tion of tax collector and assessor of rent roll when you got It?"
on October 3 ronnelt rerlvel a letter attend the office Mrs. Heitman made the town k
1 t h f him t sign with the 19111 so late It
"Did you nt any tune In 1934 get the 'cheques.
In conjunction with the chalrmau of
the finance committee In 1934 with re-
gard to having the collector plare be-
fore the council a list -of arrears of
taxes.
Thursday, May flat, I1)30-
EVIDENCE
1104
Court adjourned at S o'clock. but
Ire -opened at 8 p.m. for a alight session,
and Mr. Robertson returned to the
stand.
Witness said he never checked cash
when he left It overnight 1n the trees which appeared 011 the rolls.
tress; lea tate. On occasion ted "err. R Filum` sat& hr was fared
cash was left overnight In the unlocked to work nights In 194 10 an effort to
drawer of the collector's desk. There catch up with hie book., winch had
was a Fpring lack on his office. door. fallen behind owing to Ms absence
Mr. Robertson said he had had as through illness.
many as nine rolls, with their aeeom- During hie illness he signed cheques
panying cash books, and four road
oil rolls In his office at one time. la
1928 the road oil roll was Included In
the collector's roll for the first time.
Witness instated there never' was
anything secret in his dealings, his
books always were available for In-
spection and he never failed to deposit
his collections at the bank.
Tuesday Night Bennion
After Mr. Robertson pointed out
that he had assisted with the compillug
of the rolls by pointing out his hand-
writing In the 1932 roll, be said the
books never were certified when he
got tbew and that often It was six
mouths after when they were certi-
lied. lie raid that any over -payments
he may have made, more than the
required amount, were corrected the
following year.
On reetviug money for arrears, the
atts0wll won► 1i1� _Oj lk4 to the tax-
payer's account' for the year farthest
hack and would be uwYl up as far as
Imeeting, but he was asked to withhold
it.
"Did you make another Het?" asked
Mr. Shaver, atter referring to Coon- r
cillor Iltiekble' testimony that he dud
asked for a complete Ilst of arrears'
In 1934. had received an unsatisfactory
list and had asked, frultles.Ay, for au- i
other. more complete, list.
Mr. Robertson said he had complied
a ae'ond. list and placed 1t In the ,
hands of Mayor C. C. Lee.
Informed of Shortage
The latter part of ;.January, 1938,
witne.s said he was called In to Audi-
tor Long's office, where the auditors
were working on the hooka, and was
told there appeared to be a shortage.
"I was sets i shah j wee ieleit."'Ns-1
do about It," said Mr. Robetiason. He
it would go in following years, said told of getting a 141100 bond from
the witness. explahiiug odd amouuta his wife and taking 1t to Mr. Knox,
telling the treasurer of the apparent
whortas.t jl}ul,M&„tbe as yet 11iCRmplete
audit, and left the bond as security.
to take rare of the discrepancies as
they were uncovered. At that time
Mr. Robertson understood from the
auditors the shortage was about 12,000.
at his home, transferring amounts to is A work before that Mr.•Ruteertson,
the treasurer. working with Mr. Long on arrears,
•'1)o you know who brought them had pointed 1111( Items totalling about
(the cheques) up?" asked Mr. Shaver. x2..200 which he knew had been paid,
but which were not teased up In the
"Do you know what was on them?' I Hooks.
I don't remember."
"We e came• to certain items i knew
Vn one left a receipt or copy
with i were paid and 1 told` him so," said
{ the witness.
entries 1n the
occasionally, both made
cash (look, but witness said, he did
not think anyone besides himself made
entries on the rolls. Witness said the
only means he had of checking the
dhel with only. 1729,000 on the treas-
urer's books, witness stated colleellons
for road oil, dog licenses and for the
general taxes collected during ' his
c w•n of Goderkh on October, "The tax rate usually was strut term of October In December In 1934.
advising of his (Hols•rtaou eI res gra uu cheques or 1 o was humanly lm{o/ssible for I amounts ellleted while 1►r wuF.tlw'i1S. which allegedly were dn4l.er riled by
allocation for tbe tuxes marked on the
When Ise took over the ofihr, said Mr.Knox to hand 1t over complete." 'NOS the bank deposits, i the nudltork, would. In rill Vrobabllity,
tion." Mr. Robertson, he was gloss, no state Before Uee•mher 18, he said, every
said air. Robertson, "and they never'I make n the would. nlv.
l' f Witness eeafexplained that an entry ed melt u gas prod from the town suds- were certified by the clerk- when I t f in the (flute had been entegd In P
I I E21 Al In the rash tluok to the cr }the i►o4ks.
t ' Mr. Itoleertam sa
$0 I s II' Jr. Scdgw'iek pointed out tbe
statement you had been a.king or. eF+
edfltors but his predecessor, Mr. Edwards,
them." '—* - tars had with the fond all sSe.rM-
"Ro .. Id he resig)scd e er-
hnu and lir Knox bore been mre a toof Councillor84281.ISI (11*1, should have gave him u list of arrears for the air Robertson said he worked a ly tic in Attgrlst and later presented moot, but not as n separate Item after
lag bead -on ever since you were a been 1{3.81. and that the absetk•e of )ears 1920-7 Inc the preps 1933 ll /
i hi+ written t'esigaatfon at a council Pa
2 inclusive
ceeneittor''" asked Mr. Shaver, In',a (-rent for the additional $'-0.40 had
wow C1en11nn1ton,been her mistake. 1t had been cos
"lyes" adulated Mr Hie-tans.Ireted when iointed out by Mr. Huck -
"Would It surprise you to know Knox :`tna
informed Robertson he could not pro• 1 Wltnee+ Kalil tie tax rolls were pre -
yids t(is 11,1 IOU ae ked11
for?" pared by herself and Mr. Knox, but
He used the ration of the n, n e . (Continued no [e 8)
same bank pass -book and the Wawa December of that year.
system employed by Mr. l:dw•arda--
"was handed the rolls and key cud
lord to go to work."
Wttnesg slid that at the end of 1930
he told A. 31. tobertsrpl. one Of the
Sothing. would surprise me." she did not know if the rolls were i municipal au.1 ibrF, he was unable to
Mr. Hniklna said he laid flee tom- . complete when handed to the eolleetor. butance Ills books. and asked. that the
plaint In August of 1933, beau'e he i She did not know it the eertificatlon i auditors see what they could del. The
"wanted the whole sltuation lnr'esti-Inas attached by the clerk before' shortage appeared to be about 11,3110.1
gated„ I the roll was handed M Mr. Robertson. I !je borrowed 1700 from Mr. Robertson
Yr.' Shaver referred to a meting i H. T. Edwards
and the remainder from .a relative,
held by witness In January thin year, i 11. T i11;dwur,Ls, who preceded Mr. I and later rushed his life insurance i I
l'
at which "recriminations and noru-tl- i Roleertasn as collri•lor, wan the last I iwily to repay i y Mr. Robertson.
turns" were tossedabout. Crown witness. Ile was railed at the, "Wes there any suggestion at (hat
' id yon soy." asked Mr. Sharer, !opening Of the hearing un Tuesday 1 time by the auditors that you had
+
"Mat when the time came c"u would morning. Mr. Edwards was collector slot,n the mo nay." asked Mr. Sharer.
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1
--- have striking revelatlous to maker `and assessor from March. 1923, to (k•- 'No you?'
tutoer, 11128.
At the end of his term. he testified, -Absolutely no."
he and the municipal auditors provided° "Had you taken any uuuo•y front
financial statements. He said his sue- the town?"
censor never complained to him of any "Not a nickel."
error on the lists and stated that just Mr. Roberts n raid he later resigned
siftb the general accounting of theprior to the expiration of his term In but was re-engaged Whoa his sueresasr
business of the town." and that the I (Ace he had went out forma notifying 1,49Ittmed to accept the job on discovering
easaell was "very careful to keep him delinquents of their tax arrears. the "(omptiested system and topsy-
• so the Wisner committee. tape mistake in 1115 bookkeeping ,turvey elndlttons." "11e had no idea
Mr Hacking mid he always thought which had laru brought to hist *Ileo- what was expected of him," said Mr.
trere was a "ring" In the towa.abut be tion had been cleared up by Mr. Ed- itobertson.
sever associated Robertson with it ward.. who explained he had neglected Witness was re-engaged at a 1200
'There wag nothing is the coliectot s to tear the stub from. a taxpayerP increase in salary, but later was
"1 don't think 1 made that remark,
witness replied.
Mr. Sedgw Irk obJci•ted to this line of
raestloning and It was abandoned by
ilac Shaver.
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