The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-10-04
Mr.. ROGERS SIDE
OF HIS FEE SUIT
Has Vouchers For All He
Received.
NO CRIMlNALIlY CHARGED
His Books Carefully Examined by
Committee.
THE "ovfRcHARGEs" THAT THEY FOUND
The investigation Grew Out OF the Discovery
That Mr.. Rogers Made More Out Of
His Office Than Anybody
Else Ever Did.

The news of the suit ordered
brought against him by the county
commissioners for the recovery of Ger
tain fees brought ex-Register of Deeds
j. j. Rogers to the city yesterday. He
came to consult his attorney Mr.. j. {.
L.Marris, and after a conference with
him, he said:
81 regret that anything has been
published in the papers about this
case. for ] fear it may be misunder-
stood. I had hoped it all might be
settled without a suit in court. Every
dollar that | received in fees from the
county during my term of office was
first investigated and passed on by the
commissioners and voucher was reg
ularly issued for it. | now have all OF
these vouchers. If any of them are
Illegal and investigation so proves,
why | have no desire to retain the
money obtained on them, though in
most of the cases | paid out the fees
received to clerks hired who did the
work.
''As I understand it, there is no
charge of criminality in the suit, but
simply charge of misapplication
Of money by the commissioners.
This charge, | do not believe can be
sustained, in any view of the case"
As stated yesterday Mr.. Rogers is
charged with having received $500
($250 a year for two years. for making
out abstracts for the State board OF
equalization-a duty that should have
been performed, under the law, by the
sheriff.
1.-THE making of this abstract" he
explained, was a long and arduous
task. The sheriff could not perform
it without hiring a number of clerks,
and so the commissioners turned the
work over to me to have it done. /
hired clerks and did it, and was allow
ed $3.50 each year therefor. The mon
ev did not go into my pocket. but into
the pockets of the clerks who did the
work"
Speaking of this part Of the county's
claim against Mr.. Rogers, his attorney
said:
''It must be remembered in this con-
nection, also, that the county has not
lost cent Of this $500, for it has
made the State pay it and there
Is III w dke COullN COuIl IlS III
now suit brought by the State Treas
urer to recover it. In addition to this.
the county of Wake has for a long
number of years, under Democratic
as we'll as Fusion administration. made
the State paw for making out its tax
abstracts. This was done before the
State board of equalization was estab-
lished and has been done since, until
the amount aggregates about $1,000,
and the suit above. referred to was
brought by the State Treasurer to re-
cover the entire amount. ~
Until that case is decided in favor
Of the State, the county can have no
claim against Mr.. Rogers; and even
then. I can't see what the county can
base its claim on. The work has been
done and the county must pay for it.
People can't be expected to do its
work for nothing"
The remaining 5000 of the claim is
made up of various items. Principal
among them being overcharges for or
ders, overchage. for recording the
school census, and overcharge for re-
cording election returns.
The charges against Mr.. Rogers were
made by the commissioners after thor
ough examination of his books and
accounts by committee appointed for
that purpose. This committee was
composed of County Attorney Armis-