The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-07-19
JURY NOT WORRIED
WILL APPOINT ACCOUNTANT TO
EXAMINE OFFICERS BOOKS.
DON'T MIND COMMISSIONERS.
THEY WILL HAVE To FIGHT 1T OUT
WITH JUDGE HARROW.

George j. Mills, Chairman of the
Special Committee, Says the Atti-
tude of the Commissioner Has Not
Caused the Grand Jury to Recede
From It's PurpOse-ActinE Under
Judge Barrow's Charge They VIII
Go Ahead and Make the Appoint
ment-Grand Jury Not Anxious to
Put County to Expense-Expert Ex-
animation of Books Ought to Be
Made Every Few Years.
The grand jury's Committee on
County officers will proceed to the Sc
lection of an expert accountant to ex-
anime these officers books and vouch-
ers as soon as it has settled upon the
right man. The committee is quite
conscious of the fact that it has until
December to conclude it's labors, and
that there 1t is no necessity for it to
hurry. 1t isn't hurrying.
Mr.. George J. Mills, chairman of the
committee, said yesterday that as soon
as the right man was found he would
be given the appointment and put TO
work, but that no particular effort
would be made to begin the investi-
cation at any particular time.
"Then you are not going to be
scared off by the attitude of the Coun-
ty Commissioners as to the payment
of the accountants fee," it was sug-
gested to Mr.. Mills.
Up to the Judge.
x,-.- H.
Judge Barrow has charged and
recharged the grand jury that
it had a right to make such an
appointment and the appointment will
be made. If the County Commission
ers refuse to honor the bill, it will be
a matter between them and Judge
Barrow. The grand jury will have
acted only in accordance with the in
structions of the court, and very
cEarly must be left out"
Mr. Mills was asked at what amount
it was estimated by his committee
the fee of the expert it was proposed to
engage would be fixed.
That" he said, will depend en-
tirely upon circumstances. If the ex-
pert finds the books in proper shape,
the vouchers properly at hand and
the affairs of the Office properly con-
Quoted, his labors will prove exceed
ingly simple and his compensation
will be relatively modest. On the
other hand, if he finds the books care
lessly kept, the affairs of the office
in confusion and a totally incorrect
system prevailing or Irregularities ex-
listing, his work will be corresponding
ly arduous and his compensation cor
respondingly high.
Not an Extraordinary Expense.
"Of course" continued Mr.. Mills,
"the members of the grand jury have
no desire to put the county to any I'M
necessary expense. We are taxpay-
ers ourselves. and it is the taxpayers,
and not the County Commissioners,
in their official capacity, at any rate,
who have ultimately to foot the bills.
"At the same time the grand jury
realizes that the books and accounts
of officers handling county funds
should be given a thorough expert ex-
animation at least once every three or
| four years. Such an examination is
never made by the committees Of
grand juries, for the very sufficient
reason that the grand jurors are busy
and do not have the time to devote
to the work. To say that examina-
tions of county officers by grand jury
committees is cursory puts 1T very
mildly. For the protection of the pub
lie it is wise and proper that occa-
sionally rigid and searching exam
ination should be made"
The grand jury is still looking about
for the right man to do the work. 1t
was originally proposed to give the
appointment to Mr.. Homer A. Dunn,
until recently auditor of the Central
Railway, but the charge of Judge Bar
row, to the effect that any expert ap-
pointed must of necessity be a resi-
dent of the county, effectually ended
this expectation, as Mr.. Dunn is now
a resident of New York. Some one else
will be selected to do the work.