The age-herald., 1897-10-01
H,D.LANE'S SACCOUNTS SHORT
Chief Clerk Again to Bear the
 Blame.
CONAN STILL AFTER THEM
"letho Guilty Man Escape Seems to Be His Motto-Mr. Lane and Mir. Smith
 Both Explain"
Special to The Age-Herald:

Special to The Age-Herald:
 Montgomlsry, Sept. S0-Stats Examiner Cowan reported to the governor this ae- ternoon the result of his investigation of the books and accounts of the depart ment of agriculture during the u.rm of office of Ex-Commissioner Hector D. Lame. The sum of the repoiIt is that Mr Lane's chief clerk, MT Leslie A. Smith, of Limestone. has been found to be due the state $2,750. The amount will be made good in a few days as MT. Smith has means sufficient to protect the static from 9oss and his bondsmen are worth many times the amount. Ig
 The whole delinquency is found in about thrse items.
 The report shows sales of fertilizer tags amounting to $500 in March, 1894, s116.25 in April. 1894, and $500 in March, 1895, aggregating $716.25, which was not reported or converted into the treasury. The tag books in each case showed the sales but they v,ne not carried into the reports or covered ineo the treasury.
 Hb lLt tilSu SHONS lIltl SOIllulSSlOiISI Lane purchased from D. Landreth & Sons, of Philadelphia, bin of seeds on Jnauary 25, 1885, amounting to $1,35s, and again on February 6, 1895, a bll amounting to s11.SS. Thsee bills appear to be receipted by Landreth & Sons, and were credited and allowed the commits sioner in his February report. The next month separate receipt of Landreth & Sons appears, and on its face it says it is fer bills of January 20 and February amounting to 1,366 and the commits sfoner took credit for the same in his March repcGt When this item was dis covered Landrelth & Sons were tele- graphed and stated they only sold the two bills named on January 20 and on February 6 during that spring, and we're paid S1,366 March 7, the difference s3.43 being exchange.
 On July 6. 1866, the partmant bought from Ihe same pa.itjas a bill amounting to $160 and took credit for the same in the July report, this bill appearing to be recaip.ed by Landr,ith & Sons. In the August report r,dat is i.al1en again for the S160, and the voucher was a receipt of Land.eth & Son for a sale on July 16. In shows on it's face, according to the report that il! was changed on the bin from July 6 to July 16, ard was, in fact, for the same bill that was paid in July to Landreth 6 Sons.
 n'he amount of these and one or two dller small errors, aggregating $2,750, which is charged to the commissioner The exaIn.iner reports that there was during the administra ton some delay in making reports and covering money into the Treasury. The reports of Mo- ve1nber and Dscenbel,, 1895, aud July, 1896, were not fledsin the auditors office until February II, 1896, and the February report was net filed until August 1.
 MT. Lane was advised of the fac: tha these errors had been found in his ac- courts, and came down with his chief clerk, Mn. Smith, and had opportunity to explain the items.
 With regard to lre foregoing sta.e- ment MT. Srnl!, h said: Corresponding er- TOTS must have occurred in the payment of accounts, for which I did rot take proper credit. I will make a systematic effort at once to locate these items and verify them, and thereby explain the cx- ist.rig discrepancies"
 x-Commtssioner Isne said: q ann surprised to learn of the irregularities found in the books of the agricultural department. They were in charge of ihe chief clerk, who, by law, was charged with the collection of the funds and was authorized to pay the legteimats &C., counts MT. Smith was a distinct and borded sJate officer, and I had confidence in him. and he hopes yet to give sat fsfactory explanation of the apparen- er-