The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-05-09
FLORIDA TREASURER'S FALL.
THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES
RECOMMENDS HIS REMOVAL.

the state Funds as a Result of the
Treasurer's Management in Con-
nectiOn with Ocala's Defunct
Bank.
! Tallahassee, Fla, May S.-The chief fea-
ture of interest in the legislature to-day
has been the report of the joint committee
appointed to investigate the Office of State
! Treasurer c. b. Collins. The report PROV
/ ed to be a scathiug indictment of the un-
fortunate official and fully sustained all
| the charges ever made. The document
shows a curious condition of affairs exist
ing between Treasurer Collins and Mr.
Mcconnell. president of the defunct Mer-
chants National Bank of Ocala, and also
brings the name of j. N. c. stockton,
president of the National Bank of the
| State of Florida in Jacksonville, mem
Der Of the legislature and candidate by
| the grace of Call for the United States
| Senate, into unpleasant prominence.
The chief points in this voluminous re-
port are that Treasurer Collins statement
to Gov. Bloxham that he had on hand $780,
600 of collateral security for the state de-
/ posits is not borne out by the facts The
collateral was in possession Of Mr.. Stock
ton as security for a loan of $4,000 to the
Merchants National Bank.
Messrs. Mcconnell, Stockton anw Collins
met by appointment in Jacksonville Oc-
tober last, when Mr., Mcconnell endeavor-
| ed to borrow from the treasurer $4,000.
Mr.. Collins Knowing the condition of the
! bank refused to make the loan. Mr. Stock
| ton then agreed to make the loan, provid-
! ed Mr.. Collins would advance a like
amount to him. which was done, the state
holding no collateral security. The under
| standing seems to have been that what
was left of this collateral over and above
! the loan should be held for the protection
of the state, but the securities thus valued
| at some $4,000 so deprecated as to leave
nothing above the amount loaned The
| report shows that Mr.. Collins carried va
! rious unpaid checks as cash, amounting
| TO $0H.36, and that he also carried as
| cash Marion county school warrants for
some $1,000. which he claims to have loan
| ed the Marion county school board. but
| which the board repudiates in part or
! wholly. The latter was one OF the shady
deals of Mr.. Mcconnell, who seems to
have found in Mr.. Collins an easy dupe
| This loan the committee declares to have
been made without authority.
Mr. Collins sworn statement shows him
| never to have deposited money in the
Merchants National Bank after July 49,
1896, yet other statements tend to show
that money was placed in the bank much
later in the year. Mr.. Collins statement
| shows that he knew the bank to be in
| bad condition as long ago as 1894, and that
long after that he knew 1t would have
been useless TO draw on the institution.
The reports goes on to express the con-
| viction of the committee that from Mr.
| Collins own statement the tax certificate
redemption money, of which so much has
! been said, was never on deposit in the
bank, but that $4,000 of the general fund
was, a similar amount of the redemption
fund having been transferred to the gem
eral fund. The report shows a shortage
| in the general fund of $l6.0l4.36, and total
| shortage of $50,98l3
1t charges Mr.. Collins with using state
funds in private enterprises, as shown by
| the testimony, and conducting the affairs
| of the Office with utter disregard of his
| responsibilities, and recommends that he
be requested to resign or that steps be
| taken to remove him.
The reading of the report was the signal
| for a storm. Mi. Stockton said, with
| deep earnestness, that this was the first
! time In his life his character had been i'm.
| pugned The statement had been mace
that he owed the state $4,000 which he
! characterized as most extraordinary.
He declared the report would never have
been made to-day had certain things not
happened yesterday" and went ON 10 re-
late in detail his connection with Treas
urer Collins and various banks.
Mr. Standard suggested that Mr. Stock
ton be allowed to append his statement
to the committee report
Mr. Whitner OF the committee declared
| atf huA ia Ia Lg-
smirch any man and repudiated any state
ment charging the committee with i'm
! proper motives.
Mr.. Zewardski another member of the
committee, also spoke In its defense, de
cIarng that he and his associates had
made no side thrust at Mr. Stockton. IL
was the opinion Of that committee chat
the gentleman owed the state $4,000, an1
that the documentary evidence showed IT,
| Mr. Stockton. with great heat, reptile
| that it was false. aud that no such eVi-
dence could be submitted. Mr.. Stockton
seemed TO resent especially the fact that
| his name. Instead OF that OF his bank,
had been used, but It Is said the evidence
justifies the committee.
| At this juncture the scene became some-
| what exciting. Mr.. Stockton had several
times interrupted Mr.. lewardskl, when
| the latter objected TO any further inter-
/ ruption, TO which Mr.. Stockton replied
/ u
i and the speaker began using his gavel.
Mr. Pope spoke IN defense OF Mr.. Stock
! ton and moved for "A committee of five
TO report on his colleagues connection
with the affair.
| Mr. owens held that Mr.. Stockton
| should have been given an opportunity 10
| appear before the committee when Mr.
| Hyer OF the committee, asked Mr.. Stock
ton II he had not declined 20 20 appear
Mr.. Harris urged the House not 70 side
track 80 important a matter and after
| long and heated debate, Mr.. Pope's motion
10 defer the matter until Monday morn
/ ing. and appoint a select committee Of five,
was carried.
The chair named the following as the
committee: Messrs. Pope. Fulton Car
| Isle, Canty and Robertson. and these
/ members were In session all the af-
| ternoon with Mr.. Stockton before them
The report Of the committee was prompt
| " taken up in the Senate. which neverthe-
/ less. after the House acted, appointed a
select committee OF i've TO act IN cOnjunc-
i ton with the House committee.
The committee consisted OF ~. i. Gall
| lard chairman. H. w. Fuller B T. Whit