The news & observer., 1898-09-13
7 thompson FLOORED
le,ontinned from Second Page.

Duncan. Il Republican politician, who
has. | understand had it published and
distributed over the State for party pur-
noses. This statement Mr.. Denmark
signed as clerk of the Treasury Depart
ment. to give it the effect of official au-
thenticity. Now this statement is III no
sense a copy of the record of the Trea-
surv Department. and | should be slow
TO believe that the head of that Depart
ment would sanction the perversion of
the Department for any such partisan
purpose.
But to the matter. On some of the
five accounts the law was for monthly
settlements: on others the period was
not specified. When | entered upon the
office, | found that the rule there and
in the other department was to make
quarterly settlements. | attempted no
change in that respect. The statements
were monthly and the payments quar-
terly. The settlements were made i'll
reference to the balance found due on
the day for quarterly payment; and
although for some cause or other there
might be delay in making the settle
mont and actual payment, that would
i'll no wise effect the amount that would
be turned over to the Treasury. For
the amount due on the day of the last
quarterly settlement would control 1t
always happened that between the day
for quarterly settlement and the ascer-
taining the balance on that date, and
the payment to the treasury-that there
would be colections-but they would be
charged up on the books in the office as
they came in and deposited in the bank
to await the day for the next quarterly
settlement. The payment to the treasury
would be credited on the book on the
day when it was actually made, ana
would in order of time and position on
the book appear after other collection
had been made. The payment always
representcd the amount due on the
last day of the preceding quartely. In
terycninc collections went i'll the next
quarterly payment. The public VIII
understand this. 1t would be affecting
charity to assume that DIR. Thompson
and Mr.. Denmark did not understand
it too.
The inference that DR.. Thompson
wants the public to draw from this part
of his speech is suggested by him in
these words: eff he had put these ar
rearages at interest and paid the State
interest on them. it might have been
some excuse for his delinquency, though
Il violation of the law. But he did not
do that"
Yes. DIR. Thompson stumbled on the
truth then-in saying that | did not do
that; that / did not put these ar
rearages at interest; and his purpose to
suggest it to the public will fail to be of
the political benefit and advantage that
he hoped to reap from his insinuatIon.
DIR. Thompson has the record of my
bank accounts in his office and sees the
book daily. and has before him record
of where every cent was. Not one cent
of interest was ever charged or received.
The deposits for the most part were
made in the Citizens National bank.
Less than $4,000 in the aggregate was
deposited in the Farmers and Merchants
Bank of Louisburg. The certificate OF
deposit copied was given for the balance
in. that bank in December. 1896, and for
the purpose of passing it over to DR.
Thompson in the settlement; and there
was something less than five thousand
dollars on deposit in the Commercial and
Farmers Bank of Raleigh. These |
think are all banks of deposit for State
funds, and made so by the State trea-
surer.
In regard to the charge DR.. Thomp-
son makes with reference to the condl-
tion of the stock of books on hand, ana
the place of storage, viii say that the
books were in that warehouse when
came in. and | had no other place to
nut them The council of State had
for years desired to have storage
building erected, but lacking the an-
thority to erect one, they had some
wears before | came into office rented
Stronach's warehouse to store. not only
these books. but all other books be-
longing to the various departments. In
the absence of better building, the
Council of State rented that one.
The matter was not under my con-
troll.
The appointments of the General
Agents of Insurance Companies were
filed in the office, and were there when
| left.
There were some commissioners of
affidayits and netaries public appoint
ed during my term, and the oath OF
each that was received was properly
filed as the law required.
The statement of Mr.. Batchelor eX-
plains why some of the charters OF IN
corporation were not recorded.
DR. Il Thomson found no letters re-
ceived during my administration CON
tanning money or other things of value
belonging to the State.
He did tell me that he found stored
away in some ont of the way place
some letters of many years back con-
tanning sums of money of small value
and some checks and draft. Of these
/ saw nothing-while ! was in the office.
They were not in the desks of daily
use. If Col. Saunders or Col. Cooke
were here they might explain to whom
these moneys and checks really belonged,
or why they had not been disposed OF.
They might have been for fees belong-
ing to them. In any event, they had
not been carried out of the office, nor
appropriated.
Now. in regard to the condition of my
office when it was turned over to Dr.
THOMPSON. He says he verify belleVes
that there was not an office of a keg-
ister Of Deeds in the State of North
Carolina that was not i'll better condI-
ton. And then DR.. Thompson ADDS;
"Somc of the former Secretaries Kept a
bar-room there and. of course, Things