The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-27
SPRUNG QUITE A SENSATION.
CHARGES AGAINST WARES SCHOOL
COMMISSIONER.

Grand Jury Finds That He Has been
Paid 81 ,O6s I'm Two Years-RecOm-
mends That He He Directed to Pay
Rack $1,O6s and Then Resign.
Commissioner Smith Says the Pay
ments Were All Resular-Other
Waycross News.
Waycross, Ca. April 26-The grand jury
of the April term of Ware Superior Court
has sprung another sensation. Mr.. j. d.
Smith has been County School Commits
sioner for over sixteen years, and has. done
much to build up the schools of Ware
county
The committee appointed by the grand
jury to examine the books of the various
county officers discovered some irregular
tiles in the manner in which Commissioner
Smiths books were kept The grand jury,
after discussing the matter, embodied the
following in the general presentments;
1--WE find that $1,66s has been appropri-
ated by the County School Commissioner
and Board of Education to the payment of
the salary of the commissioner for the
years 1898 and 1899, and that 1t has been
the custom of the chairman of said board
to sign vouchers for the payment of the
public funds without knowing the contents
of said vouchers. We consider that 500
would be an ample compensation
for the services rendered by the com
missioner for the said two years, there
fore we recommend that the County
School Commissioner be asked TO return
the sum of $1,06S to the school fund of
said county and resign.
I'VE find, further. that there Is evil
dence of fraud and corruption in the man
agement of the public school funds during
the past two years, and we recommend
THAI the honorable judge of this court be
requested to appoint an expert immedi
ately, to make thorough investigation
of the books and records of the commits
sioner and Board of Education and report
his findings in written statement prop
erly sworn to, to the County Board of
Education. said statement to form part
of the records of said board, and that
the County Commissioners pay said ex
pert from the county funds.
"In the event that said report develops
that fraud or malfeasance in Office has
been practced in the office of commits
sioner. that they adopt measures for
che redress of the wrongs committed"
The Commissioners Side of 1t.
Commissioner Smith was seen in regard
to the above recommendations and gave
out the following statement:
In regard to The presentmeuts of the
| late grand jury which reflects upon me,
| desire to say that their finding relative to
fraud and corruption existing in the man
agement of the public school fund is en-
tirey without foundation, and there exists
no reason for such charges.
1.-THE law provides that the County
School Commissioner may receive SO per
day for services rendered, and the County
Board of Education is so!ely the judge
how well rerder the service and the num-
Der of days l devote to it, My vouchers
have invariably been made out and sub
mltted to them for approval. by their pr s.
ident a. their regular meetings, with the
exception OF one time. when the president
approved my vouchers in my office, and
not on the streets, and this was done ow
ing to the fact that no meeting OF fthe
board would be held soon, and they in
structed the president to sign my voucher
when it was presented to him This has
| been the universal custom when Judge
Brewer and Mr.. H. c. Williams were pres
idents of the board.
my books have always been open for in
| spection, and committees from the grand
| iuries, since l have held that office, have
regularly inspected and approved them; my
vouchers as well. have been approved by
| the State School Commissioner.
III is true there was a mistake in my
| books for the year 1899 (and who is 1t
that does not make any mistakesD but
| as soon as my attention was called to IL
| | readily and eheerfully corrected it. /
| shall hold myself ready for any examina-
| ton that may be had or desired realiz-
| ing as | do that | have performed the du-
| ties of that Office which required some at
teution all the time, and that have re-
| ceived no more than l am entitled to I'M
der the law. Having done no wrong,
have no fear of the result"
/ ~
| Miss Alice Mallon and Mr.. A. p. New
| born we're married last night at Trinity
parsonage by the pastor, Rev. j. NJ.
| Glenn.
The grand jury recommends the APP
| pointment of A. A. Walden, of wildwood
| to succeed ]. A. Cason. and Elisha Moore,
Of Bickly to succeed J. l.. Wolfe as mem
| bors Of the County School Board.
Mrs. Envy Taylor, living near Wares
toro, fell and broke her leg a few days
| ago She fell from the piazza of her
house She is hfty-hvs years Of age
W A. Mcneil, postmaster, has
received the news of the serious
| Illness of his son, ". D. MCNEIL. in At
lanta The young man was formerly re-
porter on the Macon Evening News and
later with the Athens Daily Banner as
| city editor.
News reaches here Of the death Of Mrs.
Rachael Williamson in Screven county.
She was a sister Of Alderman John G.
| Humphreys of this city.
| The late grand jury decided not to adopt
the dog law. They recommend the pay
| ment of $25 out of the general fund for
| the Georgia Industrial Home at Macon.
| They also recommend that our senator
! and representative vote for the establish
ment of a reformatory for youthful Grim