The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-11-19
Examiner Reports on Super
intendent of Education.
He Declares That ]. o. Warren's On
cial Course Was Marked by r.
Irregularities and nlegalities.
Report in Full.

In q report submitted yesterday to
Governor Jellxs, John T. German, State
Examiner of Public Accounts, shows
that J. O.. Warren. fsrmcr Superintend-
emit Of Education of Lee County. is due
the State s2ss.o2 and the teachers Of the
county slo2.1s.
Mr.. German reports to the Governor
that Mr.. Warren managed his ONCE ille-
gally and irreeularly and makes state
ments that are highly interesting to the
people of Lee Couaty.
The full text of the report Is as fol-
lows:
Hon. William D. Jelks. Governor. Mont
gomery. Alabama:
"Governor-In compliance with your
instructions, l examined the books and
accounts Of Hon. J. o. Warren, Coun-
ty Superintendent of Education of Lee
County. Ala, from October j. 1888. the
September 30. 1900 the date of his retire.
ment from ONCE.
'sMr. Warren received from his prede-
cessOr, $1,000, and from the State during
his term Of offioe. $1S,54b5s, making a
total of SIS. 1855. received. His books
teachers. $7137 commissions and SIS II,
turned over TO his successor, the receipts
and disbursements balancing each other
on their face.
"It was impossible to make thorough
examination, as several township trustees
and teachers have moved from the county
and many do not recollect the transac-
lions, relative TO their contracts and in
some instances the records do not show
them. The law 10 absolutely plain on the
proposition! that county superintendent
on his retirement from ONCE must turn
over to his successor all the books and
official papers pertaining to the ONCE, yet
Mr.. Warren never turned over TO his
successor the teachers quarterly reports
and orders from the township trustees.
Under the law the county superintendent
cannot pay any amount to any teacher
without quarterly report properly made
out and certified to by the township trus-
tees. He cannot legally pay money TO a
teacher on an order OF q trustee, unac-
companied by a quarterly report. These
reports are his only authority for the
payment Of money due teachers. issued
q subpoena duces tecum to Mr.. Warren
to produce these quarterly reports, which
he had retained in his possession, since
his retirement from office. On the 10th
inst. he produced all that he had in his
possession, but many of the reports are
missing the pay rolls showing payments
for which there are no corresponding re-
ports. AS In most instances, however l
verified the payments by the contracts
anu CIHcChS, L CiO HOI CHdl &c NIL w ga ca
the amounts paid on the missing reports
where such verification was possible.
Most of the contracts are on file in the
office of the County Superintendent. Some
Of them are only signed by one trustee
and some do not show the date of APP
prevail by Mr.. Warren.
Many Cases Cited.
I'm Township IS, Range "a. there were
no trustees appointed for the scholastic
year ending September goth. 1900, Mr..
Warren claiming there were no house
holders or freeholders in said township
possessing the necessary qualifications to
discharge the duties of trustees. He con-
sequently contracted with the teachers In
that township himself and also made con-
tracts for transferred pupils. County
superin tendents have no authority to con-
tract directly with teachers, nor to make
contracts for transferred pupils. Section
$500 of the Code requires county super
intendents to appoint township trustees,
who under Section 1861 Of the Code have
the immediate supervision of the employ
ment of teachers and the establishment
and location Of schools in their respective
townships and who under Section 1868
have the authority to contract for trans
ferred pupils. The apportionment for this
township for the scholastic year ending
September 80. 1900. was sll9 81. While
Mr.. Warren had no authority TO make
these contracts in this township, yet as
the teachers he employed, received their