The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-02-04
ANKETELL WILL ANSWER
WRITES 4 LETTER TO THAT EFFECT
 40 COMMITTEE.

M eeting of the Committee Last Evening
 sition In Regard to MT. Anketell's Re-
 fusal to Answer Questions-Clerk Cole
 Not Considered.
 The state committee to investigate state expenditures met in the New Ha- ven house and held secret session last evening lasting till nearly mid night. Members of the committee pres ent were Chairman T. Attwater Barnes, ex-Governor Thomas M. Waller, Sem ator Converse and Messrs. Williams and Bennett At the close of the meet ing ex-Gov. Waller as spokesman of the committee and in their presence made the following statement for pub- lication:
 ''The state committee in the division of its labors appointed Senator Con- verse on the subcommittee on judIclal incomes and expenditures with NIT. Williams and eX-Gov. Waller. This subcommittee delegated Senator Con verse to ascertain the incomes of the sheriffs and clerks of the courts of the state. Senator Converse made a digest of all the fees allowed by the state of Connecticut to clerks of courts and made up list of from forty to fifty questions. About January 21, having prepared his questions, he commenced his examination of clerk fees with Hartford county. He then in turn eA- amined the clerks of Fairfield and Tol- land counties. Last Friday he exam ined Frederick L. Averill, clerk of the common pleas court of New Haven county, and Assistant Clerk John S. Fowler of the superior court. They answered readily and gave all the in- formaton of which they were possess ed. Some questions. however, they were unable to answer because only MT. Anketell had the information which was sought. Mr. Anketell made an appointment with Senator Converse for his examination on the following Monday. The failure of Senator Con- verse to obtain information from MT. Anketell at the time and the circum- stances connected with it have been already publicly discussed.
 Il refusal of MT. Anketell to answer the questions submitted to hold a public meeting and summon MT. Anketell be- fore it for examination, but the com- mittee received on Wednesday last let ters from MT. Anketell assuring the commission that he did not desire to embarrass them in their work or de- ceive in regard to the income of his office, regretting that he was unable to give the informaton to Senator Con- verse that he requested and expressing a willingness to answer all the ques- tions that had been asked or that could be asked in regard to the income from the clerks office. MT. Anketell said that at the present time he was very much engaged in the duties of his office as there are three sessions of the supe- rior court, two civil and one criminal, of which he is clerk that he expected to be partially relieved from this ex- traordinarY labor within few days and it would be convenient for him if short time could be allowed him to answer the questions. I give the sub stance and not the exact language of his letter, as should not care to pub fish his letters without his permission.
 ''As MT. Anketell has expressed his willingness to answer all the questions the commission may wish to ask and in view of his present duties the com mission will consider his suggestion and arrange time when the questions and answers will be submitted" In regard to Mir. Cole. clerk of the district court of Waterbury, who also refused to answer Senator Converse's ques- tions, Governor Waller said the com mission had not considered him. This week Senator Converse has completed the examination of the clerks of New London county.
 The committee will hold a meeting to-day, but the hour and place are not announced. Senator Converse has completed the examination of the in comes of all the sheriffs of the state and all the hospitals and all but one of tho fails