The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-05-17
IN 4 PICKLE.
The Late Comptroller's Accounts Dis.
close a Discrepancy
Which, Though Triiing. Is Rather
Difficult TO Reconcile.
Theories as TO the Probable Location
ofthe Bugbear,
Captain Sneed Says he He'll Shoulder
the Full Responsibility,
But Does Not Despair OF Yet Solving
the Problem,
And Is Diligently at Work TO That
And Is Diligently at Work TO THAI
End.
Not Whisper OF Scandal Aneat.

AUSTIN, May l6-[Special The follow
ing is a statement OF Comptroller Browns
account with state debts: Special occupa.
ton tax collected TO January LIST, 1883,
S255 $50 70; collections from tsxes in organ.
lied counties, $ll7, III 93; collections from
taxes in unorganized counties, S6i 05l 81;
Office fees, 81, ,i62 80 collections from costs
of advertising lands in organized counties,
SG57 So; received from sale of lands in un.
organized counties, $3,l2l from sale of alb .
stracts, $63l SO; collection on actions, Soi7:
redemption in unorganized counties, 81 !, :
| 2lS.23; exchange, s. 6S; received from S. Ii =.
| Darden, from land sales, 81 ,3i2 o. sale
of state bonds. $2l 900; from lease OF land
to United States Government. 81; amount
paid by Austin county, 1922 Is. Total,
! S457 ,S39I7. Credits by vouchers filed
| against amount retained to make corrections
in land sales, Sl.02 by general deposits,
s4i5, ,09s70. Total, $l57,sS9 a.. Balance
due, $40, ,SO0.75 The following notes are
appended: There appears on the first book
| S59l 03, OF which $50 10 is accounted for,
leaving $530,ss not disposed OF, the book
not stating whether the amounts were
refunded to the parties or not, Note sec.
oud. Against the above balance there is
in the treasury in cash for Mr. Browns
account S., ,320,64 not yet deposited; also n
voucher for 5 go, for advertising lands and
other vouchers, say for $3.50; amounts re-
funded drummers, Sll, leaving deficit of
81 1911.
Herald reporter called on ex-Comp-
troller Brown and his chief c ERIK this even
| ing, aud learned that in the above state
ment is included 81 checks for over 81, 100
received by Comptroller Darden from Jan
uary lst to l5th, and before Brown took
possession of the office, which was the 18Th
| Two of these checks, il is discovered this
evening, have been paid. There is nothing
o the record to show that the other fifty
two clerks were ever paid as thus far dis
covered, nor is there anything to indicate
they were ever turned over to Brown, but
Chief Clerk Sneed, who was Dardens tax
clerk, asserts positively that the checks
were in his hands at the time he became
chief clerk. He had possession of them as
tax clerk. and retained possession as chief
clerk under Brown, without formally turn
ing them over. Besides these
lecks the cash book on which the checks
are charged shows. as far as examined, one
$500 check as debit IN the account that
does not appear on the bank book as col
lected. This examination is about one
third completed. Tnere were some tran
sactions made in the office by sales Of
checks from January |. 1881 up to about
February 10, 1881, when Brown commenced
placing his checks in the bank. The rule
was to note all sales of checks on the cash
book, No note appears against these
checks as sold. The chief clerk balanced
his books in his capacity as tax clerk under
Darden, and held all funds for which
Colonel Darden was responsible, and was
ready to turn over assets in fall of orders,
cash and bank checks and deposit warrants
T. cover Darden's accounts, When the tax
clerk assumed the duties of chief clerk no
formal accounting of funds was had and the
two administrations merged, the one into
the other, the chief clerk holding the
assets to balance Colonel Darden's accounts.
and became liable as such for all
fluids in his hands under Colonel Darden's
administration. Captain Snted says that
he alone is personally and legally respon-
sible for any and all sums that after com.
ple,e investigation Of the accounts may be
found to be due. He says that Colonel
Brown left the management OF oithe.liDGncial
affairs of the office III his hands, and that
Colonel Brown should in no sense
be held responsible or blamed for
ANYTHING connected with the transaction
lie is now making careful and laborious
search to discover as to how, Tor there may
be errors in the account as stated. and
trace the losses OF the checks. and says that
rs far as his ability or means will permit,
that whatever the most scrutini2ing in-
vestigation will disclose as to liabilities, he
will be ready to answer aud satisfy the
state. He insists on taking the whole re-
sponsibility, and that his chief of office be
held blamcless. lie hopes to find the error
in the difference between assets aud liabili.
ties that are presented, but will meet the
responsibility ns far as he may be able.
While much concerned at the present
condition Of the matter, Captain Sneed
seems sustained by his own self conscious
ness OF having done no wrong, although
he may be loser to the extent of the en-
tire property, and Damaged in the minds
OF some as to reputation.