122 Chicago Bureau of Public Efficiency 



or at any time. On March 1, 1911, Holliday was placed on the 

 Park Board pay-rolls as a regular employee at the rate of $4.50 

 a day. The Bureau was informed by employees in the Board 

 offices that the reason for his being placed on the rolls was to 

 enable the Board to get back the $395 over-payment by making 

 deductions from his salary checks. During March, however, $75 

 more was advanced to him on account of his services. In April 

 he made a cash refund of $75, and although he was still on the 

 pay-roll September 1, 1911, no deductions had yet been made from 

 his salary checks. The fact that Holliday did make repairs on 

 the park automobiles is not disputed, but the Bureau's investi- 

 gators several times endeavored to observe him at work at the 

 garage and were informed each time that he was down town 

 buying supplies. The foreman of the mechanical department 

 admitted that he was rarely able to find this mechanic at work 

 and exercised no control over him. 



Practically all of the automobile parts and supplies used by 

 Holliday in making repairs were purchased by him personally. 

 Instead of buying being done by means of the usual requisition 

 and order, it was his custom to inform the assistant secretary 

 or general bookkeeper that certain purchases were necessary and 

 would cost a certain amount. Thereupon at the order of the 

 secretary, the amount would be given him in cash. He rarely 

 turned in any invoices of the dealers from whom he had made 

 purchases. When it was necessary to obtain the signatures of the 

 Auditor and other Board members on vouchers for reimburse- 

 ment to the fund from which the cash was advanced, the vouch- 

 ers were often supported only by memoranda, typewritten on 

 letter heads of the Park Board or written in ink or pencil on 

 report blanks, small pieces of blank paper, or even the backs of 

 envelopes. Although there was an entire lack of evidence as to 

 price, quantity, quality, or even receipt of the goods, and although 

 the appearance of the documents themselves was sufficient to 

 have aroused suspicion, all of these vouchers, which have been 

 presented to the Board officials, have nevertheless been signed 

 by them. 



On September 1, 1911, $9,212.52 had been paid Holliday in 



