The Grenada sentinel. [volume] (Grenada, Miss.) 1868-1955, 1901-09-07

much was deposited with each. and
GATE thereof? OBJ What security was
taken by you as indicated in printed
statement? State fully or file list. (c)
Has there been any consideration
paid or agreed to be paid by any de-
posltory or any one else for the use of
the States funds deposited with or
used by them? Cd Were entries of
said deposits made by you on the books
In the treasurer's office? If SO, give the
dates on entry, nam OF book and
pages thereof. (e) What evidence did
you take from the banks showing such
deposits? Exhibit same or copies there
OF with your statement. 90 Ii there
are any other facts connected with the
treasury discrepancy which you deem
proper to communicate. please make
statement as if specially Intercepted
by me.
Il would thank you for the informa-
ton herein requested by 8 o'clock a. m.
the 2Sth instant. if practicable.
Respectfully,
"A. H. LONGING, Governor"
Treasurer showers Reply.
Mr.. Showers replied as follows:
TREASURY DEPT, JACKSON. Miss.
August 2S, 1901.
"A. II. Longino, Governor, Jackson,
Miss:
"Sir-Your communication of Au-
gust p, 1901, was handed me at 4
O'Clock p. m. In said communication
you call attention to my statement
printed in the newspapers OF August
%. and call upon me for certain infor-
nation under the authority conferred
upon you by paragraph L of section
2155 of the code. In compliance with
your request | beg leave to submit the
following: Since my tenure of the Of
nee or State Treasurer began there
has been an unprecedented accumula-
ton Of money in the treasury, so much
SO that it has been impossible to find
room for even all the currency within
the steel safe secured by the time lock.
Often all the silver and part of the
currency had to be kept outside of the
steel safe in the insecure vault, and at
this time there is $4,000 of silver in
the treasury, which has to be kept out
side OF the safe. This insecure state of
the money in the treasury has been a
source OF alarm to me all the time; and
in this feeling of alarm for the danger
OF the situation you and other State Of
ficers participated to the extent that
an extra guard was appointed by you.
With this extra pr~ecaution the danger
OF the situation is not relieved, be-
cause these two guards could easily be
overcome and silenced by a band of
expert safe robbers after so valuable a
prize. Now | am mo- a lawyer and do
not pretend to be learned in the
technicalities Of the law, but in read
ing the statutes upon the duties of
the treasurer of the State | have con-
ceived it TO be my duty to receive and
keep the moneys of the State, to dis
burse the same agreeably to law, and
to take receipts and vouchers for
moneys disbursed and to keep proper
accounts of the receipts and eXpendi-
lures. For the faithful discharge of
this duty | gave bond with good sure
ties, and took the oath of office to per-
form them. This | have honestly en-
deavored to do and have done. In
studying the statute and laws, regulat-
ing the duties of my office, I have
never found a requirement that all the
money of the State shall be kept in
the vault and safe, especially under
circumstances like those which |
have encountered, where the crowded
COllulllCIl5 VI lut llGdcul AdQG IL uAA-
safe to keep 1t there. | have conceived
the law to be the same with reference
to the State treasurer and county
t~reasurers, and it is well known that
funds of nearly every county in the
State are deposited in a bank, subject,
of course, at all times, to the call and
control of the treasurer, and ready to
be counted. In reading section 1877 of
| A. 80 rhn Sfntn panFffrip O
the semiannual statement to be pub
lished by the treasurer, showing the
condition of the treasury, with a certi-
ficate of the governor that he has
verified the count Of the funds in the
treasury and found the balance stated
by the treasurer actually in the
vaults. or as the truth may be- | did
not conceive this to be a requirement
that the cash necessarily had to be in
the vault at all times, and under all
circumstances, whether safe or unsafe.
On the contrary, | supposed that If the
cash balance in the treasury was in
the vault or in good faith under the
control of the treasurer, safely kept and
ready to be counted. the law and the
condition were strictly complied with.
Now. if | have made a mistake in
this view of the law and in acting
Hereunder, it has been an honest mis-
take: but be that as 1t may, 1t was
in this view of the law and under the
peculiar conditions OF an overdowlng
and unsafe treasury vault that the In
structions to Mr.. Raiford, mentioned
In my published statement, from
which you quote. were given. And you
will observe that | was careful to pro
tect the funds of the State and to Keep
them absolutely safe, by requiring the
cashier to have an amount or state
bonds or other good bonds, In lieu Oh
cash, and the solvency OF the BANK was
not even trusted. ! can not conceive
how I could have been more eare1al Oh
the States interest. l beg leave y