The age-herald., 1897-09-23
MORE ABOUT MAJORCULVER
Examiner COwan Says He Is Not
 Prosecuted.
KNEW A SHORTAGE EXISTED
The Birmingham News Position That the Com missioner Was Treated Unfairly Comment
 ed Upon by the Montgomery Journal
snecial to The Acs-Herald.

Special to The Age-Herald.
 Montgomery, Sept. 22-The subject of a good deal of comment about the capi- tol today was the edf. o1ial in yesterdays Birmingham News which sought to create the impression that Commissioner Culver was being persscuted by Cover nor Johnston and State Examiner Cow an. The presence in Birmingham at sfs time of the commissioner himself n-tur- ally lent colon that he had inspired the, editorial which read in part as follows "Tbe disclosure of the facts in the mat fer of the so-caller shortage of Commis- sioner of Agriculture Culver will aecs ate the conviction. In the safe or the commissioner was s9mething over $4,ooo in cash his chief clark, after weeks or illness died; at the commissioner s le7 ouest his accounts were examined; the amount found by the examiner to pc cue cue to the state was. some Wrere near so'VvV, S130 odd dollars more than was III llis commissioners s3fa; the whole dmouIat due was instantly paid and receipt given therefor, before the report was fheo III the governors office
 aided by the press, to winch the fepoI IS gwen, aS SUOIt Po,oSO iA' Aii~ Does not this treatment of the old man border on brutality in its rank unfaar- ness?" u.o,. Tn an interview with q local reporter today concerning his report on th5 oil.oS of Commissioner Culver, Assistant Spate Isxar1direr. J. G. Coiwan sai1 l that Goyerh- or Johnston had ordered him ao examine tba office of the commissioner as he nad ordered him to examine others, ana added:
 there was a shortage-how much he could not tcll-th1t Sessions had car.asd off some of the money wlah hhm that should have gone into the treasury-he did rot know how much. He wanted me to check up his books, find the shor.aSe, let him know, and he would pay it; that pr. Sessions, the father of Clerk Ses- sions had been to see him and had tefr a blank check already signed, ana Una [ he would fill in the amount as soon as I could tell him what it was. He stated that he had found $1 300 in the bank and wauaed to pay it over, but the auditor would not receive it until his 5rePer:e' were filed and his acc ount5 adjus ed. Re came to me frequently during sthe eN7 animation to know if l had found thf amount due As she shortage incrsasel could inform him. He said he would 8 | to Union Springs, see Dr. Sessions a; | come back, and for me not to makea | report until he could do so and pE | the H1OdNsy III tflt LItdSuIy anu itl 1nJ,o port show it had been done. He was
 the state on the 1st of September $5,5oo | 55. He showed me voucher for S, deposited with the treasurer Sep
 On Sept ' he deposited g. GOO. ,,,s |
 This left him due $2,03S.55. I sh;,,e him this statement and afier expla s ire
 it to him that the amount had bee n
 creased several hundred dollars te | TOTS found, he said it was more Hu,,a expected. His clerk showed me a = e,o fo, Ja- nf apd}n liC l date eff Sept. 15 he had an-ther ,a,. r- for $1, ,400 was ready 10 hand i.ais i,. r. port when the Commissioner az, .ns .ns balance due. I Informed him tfr U N.as mas closed or he would get the bsna n,, ,o ',ra' ,.a evening I said I would hold art1 1nS t.,rt i port until next day, but in eris siu'i while his clerk came into ns 5H eo.'ari aa,u handed me voucher for {''sI sSa eoss era,,- ing ghe balance This way e' eA
 aAt mn time d,,r;np 5 examination | did t the s40 commissioner 9lln T q me that dae had all the money hht he re made h three as sSa or four trips ito, to into the treasury
 @ and l,oaa1s the ipressoa wsf Eft on my mind that his trips to Unioml r...S9 o,,as, "'sf~ ii@uo III order to get the rei t;,,,o. ,.,,,,o
 ,,siss ashsu hiili hia bks to file his reports naay al,,nr tpa Flss they and let me check astar i,i. nSs,+' +'e insisted that I check az tb,a ,, n,,E',ss, due the state first, ard tho,, ,,,,sa tss.ssst was he would pay, as hi, diI net low alow much it would be-
 pe,serr,,o ,,the matter the Montgom- .,.,, r,,,,,,,aa ys etiitorially this after noon: E
 ..rt,o ro,r,,AA publishes a remarkable oa;ta,.;aa ers.,t ths Birmingham News s.ritio s,r sar ~, overnor for making pub- 1;n tha rsnoP on thfs offices of public aesoinS si,,sshcrt or delinquent by the .n,,s;,s,r ,s;,s tpublic accounts It says 1eanai,,entS ehrystalizing, and very
 ;Si- s iective minds that the etate adp,i,,;st,,,s t,a sn is making unn:cesgary asi,ii;ts asalleged shortcomings and 's ave,sluencies of state officials" sTse ahsdity of this proposition is ,n,,,,'s,Je 9y ,,,n its face. The reports of appaaslss tha n,,s l of public accounts have u,ri ,s,,,'i,,, Den made public No report af ,f'i tha 1ee, tipn of any public officer ,a a, tlhheld from the press. Es- "ea,a1ts,m U mhis true of the reports on pGasnlss End delinquent. If Governor Jni',,o., Is found more delinqusnts in tl,s his predecessors, it is barely
 ,nns;,rn iS das been more vigilant or ppsSie ,ss .a,a ars more delinquents to be fn,,nd nna than formerly, but certainly as lo.S1 no he cause, no cause for com 1a;,tt Mnast oa,, justly charged against him fnr ,,,oLin @ the reports public, which is ot LOT nn,f, e custom but the duty of the saS los S',,y as,. ptive. Section S3 of the code cnI1l-e "such reports shall be public
 says thatA that the governor may
 records anpies to be printed for the
 cause 75O gislature."
 use of the office is a public trust. It
 "A publs e snap Is not aaSas.a is found unworthy: if
 "If am,ateia.e whether from dishon-
 he is folisSsis N,Tor the dishonesty of
 esty of hh.e N Awn to dlave been lax
 otllerss if R nobetent and inefficient,
 in his dntisbe hftAe strict accouEta-
 he should fo inc Nllt of that accounl.a-
 bility Asie lends upolhe facts"
 fjilty dep&Arac thagthe governor has
 "trhe uIs 3arsh rpicity Ito the facts
 given to<yzsss.-===. -