The age-herald., 1898-01-23
EXAMINER COWAN'S REPORT On the Accounts of Pike County
 Officers. SOME IN BAD CONDITION Ex-Sherf Carroll and Sheriff Reeves Turn Up Short-CIerk Worthy's Accounts Were
 in Splendid Order.
Special to The Age-Herald.

Special to The Age-Herald.
 Montgomery. Jan. 22.-Assistant Exam iner Cowan has sent to the government his report on the examination of the books and papers of Pike county officials. They are in part as follows:
 My examination covered the entire term of his incumbency in office. l care fully examined the feed bills paid him by the state, on account of the board of pris- oners while in jail. and compared them with the jail register and also with the sentences from the records in the office of the circuit clerk. He is due the state, on this account interest included, the sum of $7422. I find it to have been the com mon practice, where defendants were brought before justice of the peace, charged with a misdemeanor, convicted and confessed judgment for the fine and costs, the board of the defendant while In jail was included in the cost and paid the sheriff; yet at the same time, these board bills, having already been paid, are charged to the state and paid again. The sheriff thus received pay twice for the same service. I have consumed great deal of time and expended much labor in examining the dockets of the justices of the peace. where I could obtain them, to ferret out these items, and in every in- stance of this character I have charged the board bills back to MT. Carroll. I find he is due the state on this account, includ- ing interest, the sum of sS3.55.
 q find from an examination of the ex- ecutive dockets in his office, and also from the books in the office of the circuit clerk that he has collected under execution number of feed bills and also one removal fee which he has failed to pay over to the clerk, as required by Jaw. This amount is $65, interest included.
 q find that he has been paid many bills for the removal of prisoners which should not have been paid. It occurred in cases where warrants were sued out before jus tice of the peace in many instances for petty misdemeanors, and the defendants being arrested in other counties, the sher- fir applies to the probate judge for an order of removal, which is granted. The de- fendant is brought back kept in jail for a time, taken before the justice, either discharged or bound over to a higher court and this is the last of it. The state is out for the removal fees and his feed bill"
 Sheriff s. M. Reeves
 ''My examination covered the time from 1896, when MT. Reeves came into office, to Jan l, 1898. Upon checking his feed bills, which have been paid by the state, and comparing them with the jail register and the records in the office of the circuit clerk, I find few minor errors, all against the
 r1,iH A" attached to this report. I find he is due the state on this account $32.7o
 q find he has pursued the same course of his predecessors in receiving pay for the board of prisoners, where they confess judgment for the fine and costs before jus tices of the peace. and the same is again charged up to and paid by the state. l have charged these amounts back to him. They are specifically set forth in exhibit a." attached to this report l find he is due the state on this account S29.70. I also find that he has collected few feed bills under execution amounting to $6.so, which he has failed to pay over to the clerk.
 From an inspection of his feed bills, it is seen that the jail is a source of much revenue to the sheriff, conducted in the manner as it is, and if the present practices are continued, it will require m extra appropriation by the legislature 10 meet. the demand. While I am 10th 10 charge a collision between the sheriff and Charles Cox, Esq, justice of the peace, who has his office with the sheriff, with filling up the jail in order to increase the board bills and turnkey fees, yet the cir cumstances are such as to almost warrant such a conclusion. l have examined some witnesses in regard to this matter, and their testimony is almost convincing.
 Circuit Clerk 0. Worthy.
 "My examination commenced with Sep tember, 1892 and extended to Jan. 1, 1898. l found the books in splendid condition. I examined and checked his quarterly re- ports of solicitors fees and compared them with data furnished by the auditor, and find he has accounted for all moneys re- ceived from this source. I also examined his accounts for feed bills refunded. and I find hes has covered all moneys received into the treasury. l also examined his cost bills against the convict bureau and compared them with the records in the office, and found only one small error of $2. Upon calling his attention to 1t he ad- mitted that it was an error and promptly rt nitted it to the treasurer MT. Worthy exhibits a great deal of system in his of flee, and it is conducted in thorough business-like way"
 Delegates to Tampa.
 Montgomery, Jan. 22.--The governor will