The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1895-04-27
SALEM NEWS.
Ex-rrsasurer Brand and the Salem Dis
trict School Board.

trict School Board.
For several days past Q great deal OF
talk has been going on in Salem re-
gsrding the affairs OF ex-County Treasr
urer Brand during his term Of Office.
Not desiring to do any harm to that
pleasant gentleman, the reporter has
refrained from chronicaling any of the
rumors until now, when the matter Ia
on the point of being investigated and
not TO mention 1t would simply be to
fall In keeping the readers of THE TIMES
posted on the public affairs of the
county. The facts, as nearly as the
correspondent has been able to obtain
them, are about as follows: Rumors
have been in circulation recently
throughout this county that Captain
Brand, who was county treasurer previ-
GUS to the present incum bent, had been
short In his accounts by not paying to
the town OF Salon district school board
the tax derived from taxes on
capital invested in business in the dis
srict In 1909, amounting to S461.90. The
captain published this week card in
the Salem Sentinel and also in the
Times Register stating that the books
show that paid this sum of S461 90 to
the proper parties after the expiration
OF my term, but the failure to paw It
over in the regular course and time WAS
not due or attributable to any default of
mine or my deputy" He then claims
this to have been caused by q mistake
OF the commissioner OF revenue and
also publishes an extract from the
school board minutes Of nesting held
August rs, 1893, generating him from
all blame in the matter, in report
made by .. a. Wilson, o committee of
the board in which also appeared this
sentence
Strange to say, the commissioner
failed entirely to enter this assessment
for the year 1890, thus causing loss
for that year to the extent OF over 5000.
For this neglect the assessor, and not
the treasurer, is wholly to blame, and
know OF no remedy by which to re-
cover the same" This reused the ire
OF the eX com mi ssioner of revenue, who
is q. b. Fitzgerald, and he, in an inter-
view published in the Times Register,
states that he did ma AXE this assessment,
and although the books have been mutt
lated IA leaf being apparently torn out
OF each), yet the BIS OF the tax books
for 1890 and the tickets OF individuals
who were in business in that wear will
show that the tax on capital invested
WAS collected for that year.
The Times Register, in commenting
on this says 1t learns that the school
board now has reason to believe that
the tax on capital invested In business
Tor 1870 was properly assessed by the
treasurer that year, but has no. vet
been turned over to the school board.
The leaf in the book in which the as
sessment is said to have been made
seems to have been torn out, hence 1t
was overlooked by tho school board in
It's settlement with the ex-treasurer.
Wa alien tb no.
other and fuller organizations TO be
made cones rning the school tax for
1890, which amounts to between $500
and 5000, which they have not yet re-
ceived, it ia said"
Colonel Logan, who has been ON
ployed as counsel for the school board
and the town OF Salem, is investigating
the books, but it is hardly fair to come
to definite conclusion in the matter
until Monday, when the school board
will meet ex-Treasurer Brand and his
explanation will be heard. The Mes.
srs. Hansbrough are counsel for Captain
Brand. 1t is understood that the cap.
tain expresses his Willingness to pay
any amount that may be Justly proven
TO be due by reason of any mistake that
occurred in settlement with the school
board. or course this matter coming up
as 1t does, just before the county cleo
ton, when the son of Captain Brand,
who was also his deputy, is now q can.
didate for the county treasurership,
leads much mora interest to the affair
and in every store and on every street
corner the matter is discussed. It is
but fair to add that up to the time this
difficulty arose Captain Brsnd has been
regarded IS one Of the most honorable
and solid men of the county. His
friends sincerely nope that he can re-
move all doubts in this affair.
Notes,
SnDarintopdant NJ