Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-12-01

the four cases as 10 which they were able 10
procure evidence show the state of facts
above set forth, they are of opinion that it
may reasonably be inferred that in large
number of the cases where the clerks APP
pear to be in default they are not actually
so, but have paid into the Auditors office
that being the Office into which they usually
pay.
From the evidence before your com mittee
they are of opinion that the two fiscal years
of 1872 and 1928 as to which Tailed
statements are given are not the only ou.s
in which there occurs this absence or wait
OF entries on the books; but That the ;.c-
counts of some years previous 10 that
time will show no report or payment from
large number Of the clerks in The State.
~ OUR committee believe that full inves.
tigation will show that nany thousands o.
dollars have been paid into the Auditors
office by the clerks and not entered on il,
books of that Office.
'iieceipts for money paid and not entered
were exhibited by the Witnesses Hume,
Waddi!l, and Carter, in giving their tesii
mOny, which receipts appeared 10 have
been signed by William r. Smith, a cle!
in the Auditors Office Your committee did
not summon him for want of time lin view
OF the impending adjournment sine die Of
the Legislature to go into an investigation
as TO no might be implicated in these ir-
Irregularities, upon which question they do
not now undertake to pass.
Your committee recommend as being
probable the only measure now practicable
The appointment of committe. o continue
the investigation after this session of the
General Assembly shall have adjourned sire
die, and 10 report 10 the next meeting there
Of with leave 10 have sucn report print.d
at any tine anu with as full powers in Other
respects rs may be granted to it.
"RespeclfuIly submitted,
JOHN b. Moon, Chairman
''R. r. BARToN.
November 20, 1884"
Mr.. Hume in his testimony before the in
vestigating committee, said: Il have ex-
amined the Treasurers books, and find
from, including the month of December.
1853, up to the month of September, 1854,
there were only 113 entries of amounts paid
by clerks of county and circuit courts, cor
poraton courts, corporation circuit courts.
Chancery Court of the city of Richmond.
and Court of Appeals. think there ought
to be $50 entries. There are 100 county
courts, 100 circuit courts, - corporation
courts, - corporation circuit courts, chan
Gerry court, and courts of appeals
Col. Marye testified before the committee
as follows: when was elected Auditor
there was a committee Of the House cn
gagged in investigating the book ofthis Office
They were engaged in that service for
think, may be six weeks after | came H.
during which time I did not pay any atten
ton to the ledger on which accounts OF
clerks should be kept. | was much engaged
for some months thereafter Ia construlu"
various laws, tax laws, giving instructions
to commissioners GId other parties who
made inquiry as to that, looking into esperi.
ally the accounts presented for payment at
this office, examining them personally, many
Of which were for allowances not authorized
by law, such as jail accounts, accounts Of
justices of the peace, sberitls, and other
officers. | was necessarily much occupied
during the session of the .:ala:ure with
interviews with members OF that body OIL
various subjects, aud had nut the time 10
devote to the personal inspection of the
books. Mr.. MOncure, the clerk who keeps
the Treasures accounts, WAS engaged III
examining the Ireaaurer's accounts, III
many of which he told me he found errors
lii additions and subtraction-, Sd chat he
was unable for some lime 10 give me Ii
statement of delinquent treasures. Fl
nally in the surnmrr, about August,
1884, was enabled to give NY Attentions
to the accounts of such treaSurcrs as were
behi Midland in their payments. Ny mind
was particularly directed TO Treasures, FROM
whom one half Of tho REVENUES al the State
are received, and commenced as soan a
possible writing to those that were deiin.
quenJ. Iu the meantime | noticed lhaL The
accounts Of clerks were not written up for
several years, 1t had not been the hunit {
credltiug even those win.hal paid Oh their
accounts Oh the ledger. | also noticed thai
there were no accounts opened anywhere
for notaries public, from whom considerable
amounts We're received. [ requested Mr. |
William Il. Smith, the first clerk, who ha,
charge Of the clerks accyu;lis, 10 giv, noe II
statement of the clerks vino were delinquent
for this year 1882 '3) ILnever occurred 10 TIE
10 look behind that; was simply looKingv,
collecting the revenues Of the State, aud wa- |
not then engaged in examining the book
OF my predecessors to see If there were HuS |
errors. had no reason TO suspect any thing |
wrong Ill the matter SO far as payment into
the treasury was concerned. was simply |
looking towards calling upon those clerks
who had failed to make reports, if any there
uiSuS oe- N1i. GultiiJ iiObi LllilE ~ tIIHe, |
promised to give me this statement, aud on
one occasion be called my attention to the
fact and gave me the name uf clerk OF Alex
andria rs having been delinquent for a num-
Der of years. | had not the remoirst idea
that III any event there would he more than
q few Who had failed to make these returns,
and was not as urgent iii the matter as pos
sibly should have been. Mr.. Smith has
been in this office for twenty years, was re-
10 me by almost The unanimous
wish of the members of the General Assem-
bly, as being essential To the working of this
office and on all sides | had heard of him as
one of the most valuable men. had found
him we'll acquainted with the general run
Of the business of this office, and always
ready TO give any definite Information asked
and his delay in giving me the
list of deiuquents attributed TO a want Of
system in his work This list could only be
made out, as the books were not posted, by
Of every eutry that had been
made to the credit of the general account of
clerks, and would have taken some time for