The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-06-05

ltspori ofco,a .,iliss Sc .l,e tor,ntrsiis
and Hrsasaret onleee.
Iou Ro1.
3rs11E. cne 3 8-S
Bon. L--li. ficiz1li President 81 ie
hon- =. y = I4yars Speaker 81 sthc
House e heprcsentative
oEs-- ogr select joint committee appoint
cdtc examine thoroughly into the condition
Of the Office Of the Comptrollcr 81 Pebble
Accounts. aud Of the Treasurer 81 THE State
ana % whom was referred ttt. message 81
the Governor. relative thereto. ass leave 10
report IS follows
L AS 70 whether there vas any de-
ficiency Of funds IA tie Iressurv when Alr.
Honey vacated the office and the auiounf
thereof Your committee find thai there WAS
deficit IN the funds IN the treasury at the
time Of tie seizure Of theofiice hy tie order
of the Governor what the amount az that
deficit VAS Is not 50 easily determined
Your committee employed three skilled at-
coantasts, who have made q fnil and COM
plete statement Of the condition OF that
Office rs shown from the books and papers,
and which Is hereto attached, marked ex-
hihit "A, and made part OF the report
Upon the recapitulation OF this statement
II VIII be seen that after giving ny Honey
credit for ali amounts claimed by HIM.
including s153 3Sl 81 in warrants not
entered on the cash book or cancelled, as
required by law. which may or may not
have been paid so far as any evidence in his
Office goes TO show, there would still remain
the amounts Of 500, 734 80 currency.
and 5000 specie. standing against Mr.
Honey Ia Offset to these. amounts Mr.
Honey claims a credit of S2S. S96 Is cur
rency, for amounts of sight drafts drawn by
Bremond 6 Co., Austin, on BaBotts. Presi
dent of the City Bank of Houston, found in
the treasury, and which he claims were
held by him as cash at the time of the seiz-
ure OF his Office, and of twenty-five frontier
defense bonds of $1,000 each. at 80 cents,
equal to S22, 500 and four United States
five per cent. bonds, with coupons equal to
$500 so.
These transactions are exceedingly irregu-
lar II the drafts of a private party are
allowed to lie IN the cash drawer of the
treasury, while the money which they repre-
sent is in the hands Of other parties. posi-
biz at interest for the benefit OF the Treas
urcr there would seem to be no limit 20 the
uction Of that officer; while rs 10 the bonds
mentioned, the law authorized the Treasurer
To invest the sinking fund as fast as 10
accrued, in United States intcrest-bcaring
bonds or in the bonds issued under author
ity of the law creating the frontier bonds.
No other bonds were authorized to be prr-
chased, and the sinking fund was alone
allowed 20 be used Your committee do
not understand that there was, or could.
under the law, have been So large Il sum rs
So, 600 of the sinking fund in the treasury
at the time of this investment, applicable to
the purchase OF these bonds and believe that
this Transaction was Irregular, TO the extent
that the investment was IN excess Of the
sinking fund thus applicable, because AIr
Honey must have drawn upon other funds
to make the purchase.
If. however, these last credits be allowed,
the amounts remaining outstanding against
Mr. Honey, would be 1885 -, currency,
aud $500, gold.
Mr. Honey and his chief clerk, Mr.
Burns were more than once present, and
called upon to explain why these deficits ex-
listed. but at the close of the examination
after a close scrutiny of all the books, pa
pers and accounts of the office, there does
exist a deficit as above stated, and even this
may be increased by claim which has been
made that there was $3.50 80, currency, in
the Treasury, claimed to. have been deposit
ted there for safe keeping by the sheriff of
Angelina county.
2. As to "whether ornot the treasury has
been used for shaving the States warrants,
aud the extent of its use in that way, your
committee have examined quite a number of
witnesses, whose sworn statements are
hereto attached and made part Of this re-
report, to which, as well IS to the
evidence furnished by the condition
Of the Office when vacated by Mr.. Honey,
As shown in the statement, exhibit "a,
your committee would refer without under
taking to express any conclusion.
3. As to .swhother the accounts of the
Treasurer have been regularly balanced by
the Comptroller at the end OF each quarter,
Us required by law, your committee feel no
hesitaney in answering that the hooks of
the Comptroller and Treasurer had not
been properly balanced as required by law,
for period extending over several quar-
ters and that the books of the Treasurer,
air. Honey, especially, were in n state Of
the most reckless disorder
L. As to Whether at any time there was
collision between the Comptroller, or any
Of his clerks, and the Treasurer, in regard
to shaving warrants at the treasury" your
committee have been unable to find any cv-
idence which would enable them to answer
in the affirmative.
5. As to whether the ComptroIler's
Office is competently managed and whether
the books and accounts therein are kept cor
rectly, and in such manner as to show the
true condition OF tic finances, thorough
examination of the books Of fac C0mptrol-
Iers Office by your committee develops the
fact that they have never been properly bal
upon the duties of his Office IN 1870 We
find that TIE books sre kept in an inaccu-
rate and confused manner. and In sucli
reckless disregard Of any system wAatever,
as 10 render any attempt 10 obtain from
them q correct statement OF the State iinan-
ces extrcmslg difficult, if not impossible.
6. As 70 'iwl,ether iRa Comptroller has
duly paid into the treasury all monesS re
ceived lly him from taxes and otliersources.
and belonging to the State Your conn
mlttee would state that the rlgin sources
from which monyes are received by the
Comptroller arc out-eomfy aud back taxes,
and occupation taxes from iEsuranee com
panies.
10 accurate accouit Of such transactions
is kept by the Comptroller His books only
shnS gfpss sIlsiis received, aggregated at in
tevais 80 Statepent Us kept of tile &C
counts OF insurance coBipaHirz payiHg IN
money. pnd we base been canEsis4 - re-
sort tossuel evidence 81 We could aVrl oHr
selves OF, TO ascertain the amoani 0f raney
received from this source, and j. h.s not
been possible FOR us to determine whether
ah, % bow many companies doing business
in this siate hsss ySid ihe occupation Tax
Tut il is evident fr9m lile iEfsngtinp Oh
tanned byus that the Compirnllef has not
paid into the treasury an Of the money r.
ociYea from TINS sourcc, rs may be seen by
rcfsTtiscc - the accompanying statement %
aceounIaliauts lleEto ailaehe9 and marked
exhibit b Is Ncil as to TIC slaenasi IL
soma pf the witnesses. or tiic moneys re-
ceived uy TIC Comptroller for out-county
and hack taxes, no Rccotat - beEtexcept
statements Of the aggregate fmOuats, AID
the stubs OF tie receipis eircn 10 tiic per
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