The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-29
EFFICIENT OFFICERS
GREENE COUNTY OFFICIALS ARE
 CONTAMINATED.
State Examiner of Public Accounts German Finds Only One Error in Books-Old Claim
 of State.

John T. German, State Examiner of
 Pubic Accounts, yesterday submitted 10 Governor Jelks reports upon the result of his examination of the books and ac- counts of the officials of Greene County. after spending several days at Eutaw, the county seat. The Examiner highly com pliments the present officials or the county.
 In reference to an old claim of the State against A. c. Hill. former Circuit Clerk of Greene County. for VIA. MT.
 German says the money was paid by MT. Hill to the County Treasurer. and. in the opinion of Mir. German, special act by the Legislature will be necessary to au-
 thorize the County Treasurer to transfer the money to the credit of the State. The books of Hon. A. P. Smith, Fro
 bate Judge: E. c. Meredith. Sheriff; q. F.
 Hardy, Tax Assessor, and 2. D. Parham,
 Tax Collector, were examined by MT. Cor
 man, and with the exec ption of MT Par
 ham, the accounts were found to be cor
 rect.
 Referring to Tax Collector Parham, Mir. German says he is very efficient of- ficer and that his books were neatly and correctly kept He found, however. that Mir. -Parham had failed to report fifty six escaped poll taxes assessed and col iected in 1898. 1898 and 1900. On ths ac- count, he has charged MT. Parham with s90 90.
 The office of G. F. Hardy, Tax Asses sor, Mr. German says is in splendid con- dition Ho adds that he was informed by Judge Smith. the Probate Judge. that the County Commissioners have not discov- cred an error in the books of MT. Hardy in nine years.
 Hon. A. P. Smith, Probate Judge. is highly commended by MT. German. Re- ferring to his books, the Examiner says: Judge Smith is most competent and efficient officer His office Is model or neatness and convenience. His books are correctly and accurately kept He strict ly complies with every statutory provision in the discharge of his duties. Misses Mary Dunlap and Edna Smith. his clerks. are also very efficient in the discharge or their duties. Judge Smith and his clerks were very courteous and accommodating and gave me all the assistance in their power in making this examination" The books and accounts of E.NC. Mere- dith, Sheriff, and T. N. Eastman, former | Sheriff, were found to be in good condi- l ton and correct. MT. German says MT. Meredith is a capable and diligent of | ficer.'
 l The following is the complete text of
 MT. Germans special report on the claim | against A. C. Hill. former Circuit Clerk | of the county:
 | Hon. w. D. Jelks. Governor, Montgom' | >fy, Ala:
 | "Sir-In compliance with the request of | the Auditors office, made an examina- l ton in reference to an amount found due l the State by A. C. Hill, ex-Circuit Clerk of Greene County. In report made by
 ex-Assistant Examiner Foster, filed Mo- | vember 7th, 1898. and which amount has | never been paid the State. | In ha MT Foster charged MT l Hill with STA for removal bills that had been paid by the State, in cases in which I the defendants had been convicted and
 sentenced to hard labor for Greene County.
 while MT. Hill properly taxed these | removal bills, as part of the costs he | never collected them. The contractor
 who hired the Greene County convicts | paid STA the amount of these removal bills, to MT. B. B. Barnes County Treas
 urer of Greene County. as part of the fine and forfeiture fund, and at the time MT | Fosters report was filed, MT. Hill had | retired from office and MT. Barnes did not think that he could legally pay hin this money. This $ll4 belonging to the State is still In the possession of Mir | Barnes, the County Treasurer.
 Judge Smith does not think that the
 Commissioners Court can legally au | thorize the payment of this amount to the | State out of the fine and forfeiture fund | of Greene County without a special act | of the Legislature authorizing 1t. l an | informed that MT. Barnes. the County ! Treasurer, Is ready and willing to pay the State the STA when he can obtain a legal receipt.
 After careful investigation, I think that a special act of the Legislature will
 be necessary to authorize the payment oi l this STA to the State.
 | Respectfully submitted, l John T. German, | State Examiner of Public Accounts