The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-12-21
The Atiorney.General Critlcises the
Course of the Comptroller as
to bcfaulting Collectors,
And Expresses NeSlre TO Have Com.
plete Control OF their Prose.
cuiiun Himself.
The Graud jary OF Harris County Cen.
Sare thr Houston Police.
i!N Car, colorado 4 Santa Pe As.
fairs ..5ahest0n Items.
Other Interesting State News.
Austin

Special to the Herald
AUSTIN, December 20,--The Wilson Pad
dock 4 Co. Association, of Fort Worth, cap,
ital $4,000, filed charter to-day. The oh.
jeet of the company is to ,lo II general pub
fishing and printing business and to pul
lish one or more 4 Iy and weekly papers
The incorporation re' v, p, Wilson, b. b.
Paddock and J DIT, mpleton,
The Attorney-ticnoroi addressed letter
to the Goycrnorin which he reaites that q
difference of opiuiun exists between him.
self and the Comptroller n regaru
to the bringing Of suits against
drlinouu,-,sx collectors that eucb
claim the right 10 exercise his own diser,,
tion as to The court wherein the suits are to
be brou.h'. and that the Comptroller has
exercised his 'nilWent IN the matter hv
detenuil,ing to gHure the advice or co-hp
Grafton of the .Nt'ernry-Gcneral's Office en-
tirrly, and the Attorney General adds that
cuhlrWy TO Iuw he his handed over large
number OF accounts and bonds OF the de-
iaultiug collectors to \. 7. Moore, County
ATTORNEY OF Travis rounty, for suit under
his Qhe Cuap,(uiltr'sl pctscpal direction
and supervision. The Attorney-Genernl
then proceeds T., Say that ON the 10Th Of
September We Comptroller sent hIeen
names of collectors with amounts due and
copies of bonds to his office with the reqsest
that he prepare petitions for the suit in
Travis county; that the petitions could not
be preferred without the itemised accounts
4
quested them Ia be sent Immediately, adj
ding that he should exercise his discretion
as TO where the suits should b,
brought and therein have in view the best
interests OF the State; that the Comptroller
withdrew the list and bonds and has since
as the correspondence shows, seemed de.
termined to act in the matter independent
of the Attorney Generals Office and in dis
regard Of his advice. The letter conclude,
as follows my desire to bring suits IN
other courts than the District Court of rrayl,
county that under the ruling ofthat court
from which | have appealed the county
attorney Of Travis county has control 0
such suits to the exclusion of the Attorney
| lGeneral, and collects 10 per cent. commis
sion on all judgements rendered, even il
suits brought 10y me- to the great damag,
of the State, by the loss of several Thousand
dollars to the treasury. The Comp
troller seems to wish the suits brought
here for the convenience of his department
In giving evidence il the accounts of hi,
office are correctly kept transcript from
his books and records is all the evidenc,
needed; in most of the accounts, In fact IN
two.thirds ofthem, judgments 90 by default
and no evidence whatever is needed, bnt
even where explanations are necessary, tn,
evidence can be given quite as conveniently
fnot more so by deposition than orally ii
court, and no action IL mine would
have put anyone in the Comptroller,
office to Inconvenience. Had been permit
ted to control these suits ! would hay,
saved the State at least 81 ,SiS in this batcl
of claims alone and probably $4,000 oi
more during the year. This amount
under the course taken by thu
Comptroller goes to the County Attorney
of Travis county as a royalty, for il is well
known that competent attorneys can b,
employed by the State who will give their
attention to the business for one-hail tn,
commission now paid. Had these claim
been attended 10 by my office no fees woulc
have been paid by the State, as none are al
lowed by law"