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Thursday, October 20, 2005 Franklin, Kentucky
By Amy Ellis [email protected]
Assistant Editor
Simpson County Judge/Executive Jim Henderson stands near the spot where a mason jar filled with over $20,000 was discovered by Simpson County Jail inmates Wednesday afternoon. Henderson said it is unknown at this time what will be done with the recovered money.
Inmates strike it rich - for a while
More than $20,000 found in Mason jar
Thursday, October 20, 2005
A large sum of cash was unearthed on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at the site where a Boys & Girls Club of Franklin is being built at the corner of East Cedar Street and Court Street.
The more than $20,000 in hundred dollar bills was found by five Simpson County inmates, who spent part of the money before the proper authorities were notified. The cash was found in a partially buried mason jar by a jail inmate work detail which was cleaning up the site for a visit and announcement by Gov. Ernie Fletcher the next day.
Fletcher was at the site the following morning to present a $425,000 grant check to help fund construction of the Boys and Girls Club.
County Judge/Executive Jim Henderson said it?s unknown how long the cash had been at the site or how it originally got there. Dirt was hauled in to level the property. Henderson said it is unknown if the mason jar was in the original dirt or in the dirt that was hauled in. The bills are not real old or real new, he said.
A press release from Henderson said the inmates found the mason jar full of money near the perimeter of the property. The jar of money was probably unearthed during excavation at the site.
?The county employee responsible for inmate supervision subsequently transported the inmates around town to allow them to spend the money,? the press release from Henderson said. ?The inmates were allowed to transact business in a number of establishments in town. This occurred over a period of two days before the proper authorities were alerted to the situation. It is unknown, at this time, how much money was actually disposed of during those two days through the purchase of money orders, cashier checks, jewelry, cellular phones, clothing and other goods.?
The county employee in charge of the inmates has been dismissed by the county judge.
The Simpson County Sheriff?s Department, along with deputies from the Simpson County Jail, are conducting an investigation into the matter. At least $15,000 in cash has been recovered. More than $5,000 in money orders, cashier checks and merchandise has also been recovered.
The investigation is not yet complete, Henderson said Tuesday afternoon. It is undetermined, at this time, whether criminal charges may be filed.
Several old homes were demolished along East Madison Street near where the money was found. The two parcels where the houses once stood have been deeded over to the Boys and Girls Club. It is believed that if the money goes unclaimed, then a court, probably circuit court, will ultimately decide where the money goes.
The building that once stood on the north side of the property was a cart show room prior to the 1950s when it was transformed into a funeral home. It has also been used as apartments and leased space for businesses and storage.
By Amy Ellis [email protected]
Assistant Editor
Simpson County Judge/Executive Jim Henderson stands near the spot where a mason jar filled with over $20,000 was discovered by Simpson County Jail inmates Wednesday afternoon. Henderson said it is unknown at this time what will be done with the recovered money.
Inmates strike it rich - for a while
More than $20,000 found in Mason jar
Thursday, October 20, 2005
A large sum of cash was unearthed on Wednesday, Oct. 12 at the site where a Boys & Girls Club of Franklin is being built at the corner of East Cedar Street and Court Street.
The more than $20,000 in hundred dollar bills was found by five Simpson County inmates, who spent part of the money before the proper authorities were notified. The cash was found in a partially buried mason jar by a jail inmate work detail which was cleaning up the site for a visit and announcement by Gov. Ernie Fletcher the next day.
Fletcher was at the site the following morning to present a $425,000 grant check to help fund construction of the Boys and Girls Club.
County Judge/Executive Jim Henderson said it?s unknown how long the cash had been at the site or how it originally got there. Dirt was hauled in to level the property. Henderson said it is unknown if the mason jar was in the original dirt or in the dirt that was hauled in. The bills are not real old or real new, he said.
A press release from Henderson said the inmates found the mason jar full of money near the perimeter of the property. The jar of money was probably unearthed during excavation at the site.
?The county employee responsible for inmate supervision subsequently transported the inmates around town to allow them to spend the money,? the press release from Henderson said. ?The inmates were allowed to transact business in a number of establishments in town. This occurred over a period of two days before the proper authorities were alerted to the situation. It is unknown, at this time, how much money was actually disposed of during those two days through the purchase of money orders, cashier checks, jewelry, cellular phones, clothing and other goods.?
The county employee in charge of the inmates has been dismissed by the county judge.
The Simpson County Sheriff?s Department, along with deputies from the Simpson County Jail, are conducting an investigation into the matter. At least $15,000 in cash has been recovered. More than $5,000 in money orders, cashier checks and merchandise has also been recovered.
The investigation is not yet complete, Henderson said Tuesday afternoon. It is undetermined, at this time, whether criminal charges may be filed.
Several old homes were demolished along East Madison Street near where the money was found. The two parcels where the houses once stood have been deeded over to the Boys and Girls Club. It is believed that if the money goes unclaimed, then a court, probably circuit court, will ultimately decide where the money goes.
The building that once stood on the north side of the property was a cart show room prior to the 1950s when it was transformed into a funeral home. It has also been used as apartments and leased space for businesses and storage.
Couldn't have said It better, myself.
