The record-union., 1896-08-04
OBJECTS TO THE PAYROLL
Governor Budd and the State Printing
Office.
He Wants G. M. Harrison to Expert
the BOOks-Mr. Johnston
Explains.

State Printer Johnston appeared before
the State Board of Examiners yester-
day to explain some alleged irregularl-
ties in his payroll for July.
In his statement, the Governor said
Mr.. Johnston had made affidavit to-
the correctness of the payroll, which
had been made out by his foremen, and
that consequently there was no certain
ty as to its reliability. A number of
employees of the office, among whom
Messrs. Rogers, Buckingham, Preston,
Thorpe, Welch, Ogg, Couch, Funston,
Williams, Lyons, Denny, Miss Alice
Hassett and others, were on the pay
roll for sixteen days labor performed
between the 1st and the 18th day of
July, while, as a matter of fact, the
office had been closed for two weeks
during the time.
The Governor stated that he had
called Mr. Ely, an employe of the State
Printing Office, and asked him regard
ing the time the office had been closed,
and Ely told him. Three days after that
time Ely was discharged for alleged in
competency, though he was one of the
best and oldest printers in the State.
The Governor suggested that c. NJ.
Harrison of this city be appointed to
| expert the State Printers books.
State Printer Johnston stated that
those persons down on the payroll had
been employed overtime during the
last session of the Legislature. The
system followed in the State Printers
office and advised by the previous State
Board of Examiners was the one he fol-
lowed at this time. He merely took the
present occasion to compensate such
| employees for labor performed for which
| no remuneration had ever been re-
ceived.
The Governor inquired of Attorney
General Fitzgerald whether it was ad-
visable to allow bills for work per-
formed during the last Legislature a
year and a half ago, when the law
made no provision for payment of over
time work
Attorney-General Fitzgerald said
that in every public office in the State
the chief was always obliged to depend
to greater or less extent upon the men
under him. There had formerly been
an expert for the Board of Examiners
for just such emergencies as the pres
ent, but he had been discharged because
there was nothing to do. He did not OBJ
Ject to appointing an expert to examine
the books, but thought that the State
Printer himself should expert his own
books and lay them before the board
Mr. Johnston said he had no objection
to his books being exported, and con-
tended that in carrying unemployed
persons on the payroll he was merely
following a precedent set by his pre-
II in, h,,c
worked day and night through the
Legislature and had received no com
pensation for it.
Here the Governor called to the at
tention of Mr.. Johnston that a number
of the men on the roll had drawn pay
for overtime during the session of the
Legislature, singing out Mr.. Ogg from
among the rest.
Mr.. Johnston said that the placing of
the name of Ogg on the roll had been a
mistake, and that he had no objection
to having it eliminated.
The Governor contended that If a i
mistake had been made here it might
have been made in numerous other in
stances, and it only strengthened his
argument in favor of the appointment
of an expert.
The AttorneyGeneral once more
stated that he had no objection to the
appointment of an expert, but that he
did not know G. NJ. Harrison, and had
never heard his abilities as an expert
spoken of.
The Governor said Mr. Harrison was
an old printer and good Democrat.
Which is his misfortune" growled
the Attorney-General.
Il should say much to his glory" re-
sponded the Governor; but if you OBJ
ject to him on political grounds I'll try
to find a Republican"
The Attorney General insisted that
Mr.. Johnston be allowed further time
to set matters straight, and the latter
stating that he could do so if given
time, the business was passed.
This, however, did not prevent Gov
ernor Budd from saying that if the
State would not furnish an expert in the
business, he would not sign a single
warrant