Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1894-08-14
THE COUNTS BUSINESS.

facts about the county's business al
fairs which are not known to the pub
lie and taxpayers in general. As is
well-known the bonds of all county of
ficials were destroyed by fire when the
courthouse was burnt last November.
At the December meeting the board of
supervisors gave notice that all officials
must renew their bonds at the Janua
ry meeting. The Sheriff is required by
law to give two bonds, one as sheriff
and one as tax-collector. His bond as
tax-collector is required to be given in
duplicate, one copy being filed with the
chancery clerk and county auditor and
the other with the State auditor at
Jackson. Five months after the Janu-
airy meeting, Sheriff McNair renewed
his bond of $4,000 as sheriff's but,
did not renew his bond of $4,000 as
tax-collector. Pending this protracted
delay, and the uncertainty as to who
were the Sherif's sureties on bis first
tax-collector's bond, application was fl
nally made to the auditor for the bond
filed with him. To the surprise of the
Board of Supervisors and Chancery
Clerk May, who asserts most positively
that he forwarded a copy of the bond
to the State auditor, the auditor in
| formed the board that no such bond
was to be found in his office and that
he had no knowledge of it. The audi
tors letter giving this information
bears date of May r. 1894. Upon in
curry THE LEADER finds that Sheriff
McNair is still minus bond as tax
csllector,. Notwithstanding the long
time which has elapsed since the above
notice from the Auditor.
The matter is the more serious be-
cause the Sheriff has been running be,
hind in his settlements with the coun
| ty treasurer, and is behind at this time
81 ,O27.3S for moneys reported collected
in February and March. He has made
no report at all for any collections in
May and June, though he is required
by law to make monthly reports of his
collections to the county auditoo, not
later than the 10th of each month, and
pay same over to the county treasurer.
So, as a matter of fact, the Sheriff is
| behind in his settlements at this date
| for five months. 1t is known in coun-
ty official circles that the sheriff did
not make his settlement for S5,3o1.31
collected in January, until the Goth of
March, when, as already stated, he was
required by law to have paid this over
not later than Feb. 10th. When he did
! finally make settlement, he did so
under the most urgent pressure of the
county treasurer who had INDUCED
him to the utmost limit.
In view of this state of facts if the
board longer fails to require the Sher-
if to make bond as the law plainly
provides he should do, it is difficult to
see how they will escape the severest
public censure, if indeed they do not
lay themselves liable to indictment. At
the meeting next Monday they either
ought to insist on the bond being made
or do as they have right to do after
ten days notice. declare the office va
cant.
THE LEADER is more than willing to
acquit Sheriff McNair of any intention
to defraud the county, but the way
this business is being conducted is
likely to result in trouble and possible
loss to the tax payers without any re-
course or remedy on their part.
notable instance of this loose way of
attending to public business has re-
Gently come to light in the case of Gen.
S. w. Ferguson, Secretary and Treas
urer of the Mississippi Levee Board,
who is short in his accounts some S4O.-
| 600. and is discovered without valid
official bond; and the taxpayers of
that district are likely to lose the whole
amount without any legal redress ex-
cept criminal prosecution.
! What became of the copy of the tax
co4lpel1I's bond sent by Chancery
Clerk May to be t1ioa IL tie office of
the State Auditor remains unexpialh
ed.
The above Article was prepared for
THE LEADER of July SIS. 4 few hours
before the paper was put to pre4S
| Ctbor;H MoNaip who had learned