The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-24
TREASURER KNIGHT SAYS
HE ADVANCED MONEY TC
AMOUNT OF So, 800 FROM TIE
SCHOOL FUND.
ABOUT THE sHERIFF's SETTLEMENT
A Tax Payer Does not Understand that $2i9OC
Item and Thinks the Sheriff Ought to
have Settled in Full.


market.
few days ago a man who had a
county order went into the office of Il
gentleman who is in the habit of buy
to sell his county order at Il discount.
The gentleman refused to buy, saying
that he did not buy, county orders of
any county that took the money of the
little children to pay ordinary expen-
SEES.
Recently figures were published in
these columns showing that out of a
total of $4,000 tax due, Sheriff Jones,
Wakes Republican sheriff, had paid the
county nearly $4,000 less than Sheriff
Page paid out of $4,000 worth of
taxes. Unless the Mckinley wave has
made it impossible to collect the taxes,
what is the explanation?
WHAT Is THIS $2,651.4s FOR?
A taxpayer, who keeps posted on
county affairs, said yesterday TO Il re-
porter of this paper:
Sct III NOnt DlpIl III tlNAVdhb W
the settlement with the present sheriff
of the county that the sheriff is credited
by uncoIlected charges on textbooks with
$2,651.4 How is this? Don't the
sheriff have to settle for all taxes on
the first day of May? Did the County
Commissioners intend to make a present
of this amount of the peoples money to
the sheriff.
The law requires the sheriff of Wake
county to settle with the State Treasu-
rer on the first Monday in May. The
records of the proceedings of the Board
of County Commissioners shows no set
tlement in accordance WITH the law. Why
was not the law complied with to the
letter? 1t is not until June that the
record gives a statement of the settle
ment with the sheriff. and it contains
that credit of S2.651 .4S amount which
is not understood by taxpayers. Are
the men who owe that tax insolvents?
If so. the sheriff ought to have been
allowed that sum with his $4,000 allow
ance for insolyent taxes. If it is not
due by insolyents, where is the authority
of law to give the sheriff time to pay it?
If the law requires a full settlement the
first Monday in May and the commits
sioners without warrant of law indulge
him till June. are they not stretching
their authority to give him this credit? If
that money is not due by insolvents it
ought to be paid now. The sheriff has
abundant power to collect. And when
the county orders go begging on the
streets, ought the Commissioners with
$4,000 less than last year, to give the
sheriff further indulgence?
But this is not all. The worst is to
come. The school fund is sacred fund
in the hands of the County Treasurer
to be paid out fof the conduct of the
schools and for no other purpose. There
is not lodged in the hands of the COM
missioners or the county treasurer war
rant of law to pay a cent of that money
for any other purpose. In fact there
is special prohibition against taking the
children's money and using it for county
purposes. And yet the Treasurer of
Wake county has been taking this sa-
cred fund to enable the County Commits
sioners to keep the people from knowing
that under the new order of things the
Wake county treasury is bankrupt.
/ have always thought well Of County
Treasurer Knight and believe now that
he is personally honest and when |
heard that he was using the sacred
school fund to pay for running the coun-
ty. | went to see him. Here is our con-
Yersati0n:
Reporter much money have
you now on hand to the credit Of the
county fund.-" .
Mr. Knight-"None at al"
Reporter-"H much money have yOu
borrowed for the county in the last
two months.
Mr. Knight-''None, but have an or
der from the County Commissioners to
borrow what it will take to carry us"
Reborter-"Have you used any of the
public school money for county pur-
poses?"
Mr.. Knight-"Are you going to print
what | sayg'
Reporter Certainly. That's why I
have come for the information"
Mr.. Knight-"Yes, | have used some,
but the chairman of the Board Of County
Commissioners has promised to borrow
some money and pay il back"
Reporter-'H0w much?v
Mr.. Knight will not nav any more.
The commissioners promised to raise the
money by the first Of the month and
reimburse me. They havn't done it and
/ will not pay any more There are
now some outstanding county orders but
] do not intend to pay them.''
Reporter-"How much of the school
fund have you used to pay county or
dersY
Mr.. Knight-"About $4,000. I don't
know exactly. but in that neighborhood. .
Reporter-"By what authority did YOU
so use the school fund"
Mr.. Knight-"Mr. Hill. chairman of
the Board Of County Commissioners
asked me to do it, and said the commits
sioners would borrow money in June
and pay me. Last Monday was the time
set but they didn't get the money. The
commissioners said that it VIC Id saw,
the county interest if | would pay coun
ty orders ont of the school fund.-
Reporter-"By what authority did yol
use the school money for the cOunty?'
Mr.. Knight-''The commissioners
wanted me to do it,"
Reporter-"Do you not know that i