Birmingham age-herald., 1895-06-27

Totals ...........$7, 0l0.17 T,63fS9 SS,blS.0o
 These reports also show money paid into said office in the sum of $Sl94,79 l-S on account of land partition sales to have disappeared with these other sums due the state and county.
 We feel that we would have only par italy discharged our duty were we not to declare in this report that the Woefui state of affairs existing in the probate office of this county, as far as relates to the revenues or the state and county, as well as to the loss to heirs of individual estates, is reproach to the people, that such things can be and go on un- checked and undiscovered for years, and we just here recommend that such legislation be enacted by our general as- sembly at its next session as will author iZe boards of revenue and commissioners courts of the various counties through out the state to appoint county exam iners, whose duty it shall be to examine the offices of all county officials quarter ly and to make their reports to said board of revenue and county commis- sioners, who shall submit said reports to the next grand jury of their respective counties, or cause the same to be spread upon a book of record, kept in the office of the judge of probate for that pur- pose, for the inspection of said grand ju ries and the public; for we find it utter ly impossible for grand juries, in the short time that they sit and with their unfamiliarity with bookkeeping, 10 be able to make the necessary examination and make correct and true report as to the actual condition of said offices
 We find in addition to the defalcations as reported by the examiners that their examinations have not been able to draw out all the losses sustained by mal- feasance in the office of judge of probate because of the fact that some of the books of records of licenses, as well as the dockets of the county court, are missing and, in conse- quence, have not been examined al though this body has recessed from time to time to allow thorough examination to be made. Finding that if was due thA people to have, as far as it was practica- ble, thorough knowledge of the offices of the variuos county officials, and in the discharge of our duty in this regard, we have appointed an examiner to exam- inc the offices of the register in chancerA and clerk of the circuit court, although there Is law which requires the latter office to be examined by an appointee of the, judges of the various courts through out the state We are satisfied, however, from what we learn that this law has been compiled with by but few, if any, of said judges
 We find from the report of the exam iner of the offices of register in chancery and circuit clerk, as above mentioned, that said offices are in good condition and kept as the law directs. We find the bonds of te various county officials, after an examination of their sureties in person, to be in our opinion ample and sufficient as the law directs, with the ex- ception of the bond of Constable H. M. Sharp of beat 10, who, we ask, be re- quired to give an additional bond.
 While on this subject, we would sug- gest that the various officials by whom these bonds have to be approved be re- ouired by law to have persons qualify when they become sureties on official bonds or that the law be so changed that surety companies be allowed to make such bonds. We find, on examination and by report of the county treasurer and clerk of the board of revenue, that the couny had on hand in its treasury on the 27th day of May the following funds:
 General fund. ......... ......$l0,9 9OS oo Fine and forfeiture fund. 3,554 40 Cost of prosecution fund.-. 521 3S Special land sale fund. .......... 100 05 Road and bridge fund. ...... 60,59S 26
 Total ..........,........ .. ..-... soo,pco II
 We find that the board of revenue has enlarged the court house building to double it's former size, and are now having the old part of said building re- paired, and when the work is finished we will have quite a respectable looking Shoes, tan and black, and La E Qo- ~,~>/, 1,orth ,1,r,cf hes cold in