The age-herald., 1897-08-05
Examiner Fosters Report on
 Henry County Officials
Ex-TAx COLLECTOR SHORT
Over $500 in His Accounts-Tax Collector HeDdley Nearly S2,OO0 Delinquent and
 the Circuit Clerk Over Sl, ,600

lie accounts, has filed in the Governors office additional reports on the county officers of Henry county.
 Of Collector John Grice he reports that this work consumed much time, and gave him a great deal of trouble. owing to the bad condition of the assess nent books, and to the loss Of a number of the stub books.
 MT. Grice stated under oath that it was not his custom to turn over stub books to the judge of probate at the end of each tax year, did not know that the law required this of him.
 Stated further that he did not know what had become of these stubs, that they were left in the court house. find Mr. Grice did not report any escapes collected by him for 1895. He stated he was sick most of the tin~ during that year and depended upon his deputies to do the work
 .The examination shows that he is due the state the sum of $400.52. and to the county the sum of $2S247. interest to Au- gust 1, 1897 having been added
 sf Collector Hendley
 MT. Foster reports on Tax Collector J. z Hendley that in the assessment of 1896. he was s4overcharged on state tax $126. .22 and on special state taxes $11.4S, and he is therefore entitled to these crSq- its. These errors occurred in the addn- tion of the assessment book of that
  report "Collector's Escapes" amounting to for state $27.S2, special state $2.53, and polls SIP, and is therefore chatgeable with these amounts. After having all lowed these credits less the amount for which he is chargeahle, 1 find that he is still due the state $1,0S9.26 interest to August l.. 1897, having been added. My examination further shows that after having allowed him all proper credits to date, and charging him with interest |. s, | k1n.N county of Henry $91S5 56. 1 examined MT. Hendley under oath as to why these es capes collected by him were not reported, he stated that 1t was his intention to re- port all of them, and he thought until this investigation was made that he had done SO, The evidence shows in many cases that no assessment sheet was made out when he collected these escapes, and as a matter of course, many of them were thus overlooked. find further that MT. Hendley has failed to make mopthly re:ports of polls collected to state ard county supernte ndents of education as required by section 403S of the revenue code.
 "The evidence also shows that he fail- ed as a rule to administer the oath when assessing escaped taxes"
 On the offica of c. B. Searcy, circuit clerk, he says: My investigation of the books. papers and accounts of the cir cu1e clerk of Hcary coun-y, Alabama, f om 1893 to June 30, 1897, inclusive, shows I,hat he is due the state on account of so- Iicitor's fees collected by him and his q pul ies at Columbia and Dothan, which he has failed to account for, the sum Of $S247S, Interest 70 August l. 1897, $6S,3S total $S93, ,16 less his commissions of $4l.2 l leaving a balance due the state of $S5l .93. | MT. c. B. Searcy, the circuit clerk being examined under oath as to why these fees had not been reported and paid, stated subsaa ndtally as follows:
 My sem is ihe deputy clerk of the Co., lunlbia court and a large part of the fees which I haY:' failed to account for were collected by him, he falling in a number of cases to make proper report and pay money over to me. I did not eXalnine his books ais carefully as l should have done, and mus admit f.nat to some extent was cali: less in the matter, but promise 1t shall never occur again. As to the fees collected by me and not reported will say that ] cannot account for my failing to report them in amy other way 'dllan that they were overlooked in making up my dliafTerly reports. I desire to state fur ther that I am ready and willing to make good this anp1tbrt to the state"
 The examination further showed that he failasf in every instance to tax up as part of tl1e cost and issus execution Ll1grefoa' feed bills in cases of conviction These bilis, wi h interest to August l, 1897, added amount to $S40.S5.
 MT. Searcy states that until recently he was rt5t informed as to rhe law, but +iaF satisfied these bills could not have been colleet'sd had .execu tion been issued
 T note That in many cases he has failed 10 enter sheiiff's return of executions on his docketH kept for this purpose, and upon calling h.s altention. to this fac., promised to enter at once all such exe- cutionss end to keep this docket in good shape hereafter.
 ua "Thfs book is of great importance to fhe state in making examinations of so- hcitor's fees collected and all clerks should be required 60 enter promptly these returns
 In supplemental report MT. aToster states that, one party charged with grand larceny and charged with the solicitors fee for this offense. $50, was allowed to plead guilty to petit larceny, the fee in that offenee being but $75O. This allows tue circuit clerk, MT Searcy. a credit of $22.50 from the above amount
 The examiner reports that by a careful comparison of all his feed bills against the state from the time he went into of- fee September, 1s96) with his jail docket, and with the dockets in the clerks office as D dates of commitment and sentence of prisoners. said bills are correcti 3 'T note in the investigation of this and fthe clerks office that many executions for fines and costs in ca ses of conviction where parties with their sureties have confessed judgment have been returned to the clerk with the following ndors ment: Money not made for want of time
 "Flle evidence shows that in a number of these eases that the money could a d can be made, as the sureties are perfect ly solvent. I examined Mr. Pitcher Lr- der oath in regard to this matter and he stated that he had perhaps been too len ient in some of these cases, but would at once. make the money or all executions possible, and pay it over to the clerk as the law requires
 'He farther stated that in mary of the cases the execution was not handed to him until short time before the circuit ' court convened. and fle really did not have time to collect them. as each snra'y would always insist on only paying his pro rata part of the judgment thus re- 5quiring htiH to see and collect from each of them.,-r npors
 at-a q sIIO IT e