The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-07-28
RECONSTRUCTION DAYS
Reproduced Under the
Fusion Regime.
RLEEClNG THB TREASURY

! Agricultural Department Brought 10
Light by the Investigating Commit
tee-Exorbitant Charges for Expenses
by Members of the Board Il esident
Members Paid for Board and Salaried
Omcers Drawing Per Diem Also.
Especial to the Messenger.)
Raleigh, N. c., July 26.-George T.
French, Carl Duncan, and Dan NJ.
Patrick, president of the Atlantic and
North Carolina railway, had a confer
ence with Governor Russell today.
State Chairman Simmons arrived to-
day from the east. He said the amend
ment is all right in the east.
The examination of ex-Secretary
Ramsey by the investigating committee
this afternoon developed some very in
teresting things. He testified that ].
G. L. Harris was paid in two years
1927 as attorney of the board of agri-
culture and $44S for attending board
meetings. Last December Harris was
paid in adavnce $1O0 extra on Hill E.
Kings motion, to "look after the leg
islature."
Ramsey said he did not know
whether Harris had ever even appeared
before the agricultural committee Of
the legislature.
1t was further shown that Harris
was actually paid for his license to
practice in the supreme court Of the
United States. The voucher for this
was for $116. One of Harris vouchers
gave him four days pay as a member
of board ($20); but paid his board for
five days ($10). On this voucher was
also one days pay and one days board
($6) for attending a meeting of the ex-
ecutive committee. Ramsey could not
explain that pay for five days when
there was only four days services. He
got pay for all trips and expenses. He
charged this extra. None of the other
attorneys did.
1t was shown that on same days the
board merely met and adjourned. On
one occasion it devoted its session to
conference with the governor, who had
summoned it.
The committee was unable to find
any verified expense account for the
holding of farmers institutes.
Ramsey admitted that he had audit
ed j. M. Aliens bill for $1S for buying
carpets and cuspidores and inspecting
carpets after the latter had been laid.
He admitted that all this time Allen
was clerk receiving $1,000 salary.
Jas. H. Young, colored, was in June
1897, on Harris motion, elected in
spector's clerk. Ramsey testified that
Young was never sent out to inspect
fertilizers, but that he put in most of
his time in the Office wrapping ferti-
lizer tags and bulletins. For this he
was paid $1,000 salary. Young was
first elected for two years or at the
pleasure of the board, but at the next
meeting a resolution was adopted, On
motion of Hill E. King, striking out
the words ''or at pleasure of the board"
This was done to give Young cinch
on the Office.
Examination of the minutes of the
board meetings developed that A. @.
Holiday, then president of the Agri-
cultural and Mechanical college, was
allowed at the last December meeting
$25 monthly as chairman of the exper-
iment station committee for such ser
vices since he began to discharge those
duties.
1t was found that while the old and
the new boards of agriculture which
met in April adjourned to meet May
26th, yet the old board met May oath at
the call of ]. c. L. Harris, chairman of
the executive committee and those
members drew two days pay On the
25th.
There were fourteen fertilizer inspec-
tors on duty this year from January
1st to May 18th. Hill King and j. NJ.
Allen got not only regular salaries, but
pay for attendance on the board at $6
day at each meeting.
A @. Holiday who had $4,000 salary
as college president, also got pay and
board at $6 day.
]. c. Ray, of Wautaga, at first charg-
ed SIS for expenses from home to the
railway, but later increased this to $15.
Ramsey said it seemed that Ray must
have stopped to see some OF his kia-
folk along the route.