The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-11-19
FORMER OFFICIAL OF LEE
DUE MONEY, SAYS GORMAN

contracts not authorized by law.
''On January 6th, 1900 Mr.. Warren APP
proved two contracts for transferred
pupils from Township 10, Range q. to the
Opelika public school. These contracts
purport to have been made with M. III.
Arnold, who was then principal on said
public school, but said contracts are
Illegal for several reasons and Mr. War
rem was not justified in paying any money
under them. In the first place although
said contracts were approved by Mr.. War
rem, Professor Arnold never signed them
and in the second place contract to
transfer pupils to the Opeaika school
should have been made with the Opelika
Board of Education.
"On the pay rolls for the quarter end
ing April S0th, 1900, June 30th, 1900 ana
September 80, 1900. the names OF w. ii;
Arnold appears on the pay rolls, instead
of M. H Arnold, with whom the con-
tracts purport to have been made, ana
two of them are receipted wv. III. Ar
mold" Professor Arnold informs me tn&t
he never collected any of this money, but
was under the impression it was paid
to the Treasurer of the Opelika Board OF
Education. Instead, however, OF being
paid to said board, 1t was paid dlrectiy
to the parents or guardians OF the trans
ing to SIS rs are clearly dllegal: subdivis-
ion of Section 1862 of the Code PROVIDES
that payments can be made 70 the parent
or guardian, where the children cannot
conveniently De LTdHelcTfto ~ PeDi'N
school in another district, but in this in
stance the pupils were transferred ana
actually attended school in the Openka
School District, consequently Mr. war
rem owes the State this SsS ~. WIN inter
est thereon, from the dates OF payment
making a total of $N 80.
Irregular and Illegal.
Several Of Mr.. warren's transactions
are very irregular and illegal. In extern
uation or justification of these transac-
hat tpNr g.
tration Of his predecessor and during his
administration, there was considerable
adjustment of township lines and the ere
alton of separate school districts in Lee
County and not fully knowing the extent
of these charges, he made the apportion-
ments for the respective townships on the
same basis that they had hitherto been
made. Upon these apportionments the
trustees made their contracts with the
teachers. which ne approved and which
resulted in several townships in making
him liable for over payments. there not
being sufficient funds. especially poll tax,
to meet the apportionments.
Mr.. Warren made a statement and
explanation Of these overpayments to the
State Superintendent of Education, and
received letter which, he thinks, justi-
ICED him to make transfers or transpo-
sitions of the school funds to reimburse
himself for overpaymsnts: The educa-
tional department. in auditing and ad-
tendents, allows the transposition from
one fund to another in the same township
in cases of over payments THESE trans
positions are of doubtful legality. but as
made in the department do not cause any
loss to the township or State.
II do not think that any letters of the
State Superintendent authorized any such
transposttions, as Mr.. Warren claims he
made to balance his accounts and reim-
burse himself for overpayments.
For the year ending September 30,
1899. Mr.. Warren made overpayments
amounting to mos and for the year
to only $1S.77. am informed by the De-
partment of Education that all proper
transpositions were made in Mr.. War
ren's accounts in Montgomery, and these
claims adjusted, and which his books and
accounts show.
There was, consequently, no occasion
or necessity for him to make these trans
positions TO reimburse himself for over
payments and the Department further in
forms me that he was relieved of all these
overpayments and not required to pay one
cent of them.
Unauthorized Transactions.
THE following are the transactions, to
which l refer as illegal, and would be
unauthorized. regardless of any question
Of overpayments. In Township H. Range
81, Misses Cecil Lesseuer and Mary Rob-
,tnson had contracts to teach for the schol-
astic year 1SS9-1900. Their contracts ex
pired and they received ali the money
due them on the quarter ending June 3d.
1900. yet their names appear on the pay
roll for the quarter ending September 80
1900. and their receipts appear thereto as
having received $3.50 each. Mr.. Warren
admits that he placed their names on
said pay roll and signed their names to
receipts and applied the money to REIN
burse himself for overpayments. Several
months after his retirement from office
he refunded $12 of this amount to T. A.
Whatley, one of the trustees in that
township, who applied the $l2 to the pay
ment OF colored school teacher employ
ed in said township. A1r. Warren is now
due the State the 50 balance, and the in
terest thereon, making a total of s.. 90.
In Township 1S Range 26. Josie Ty-
son had a contract for the scholastic year
lSS9-19OO, for four months at 50 per month,
making total of $50. She taught two
months and abandoned her school. The
trustees approved her reports for $1S for
the two months, and the checks show that
the SIS was paid. yet the pay roll for the
quarter ending June 30, 1900. Is receipted
for 49, the amount of the four months
contract and the pay roll for the quarter
ending September 30, 1900, Is receipted for
S1.6o additional, poll tax. J. ]. Thomp-
son. one of the trustees, certifes that the
report was only approved for SIS that
being all the said Josie Tyson was en-
titled to, and Josie Tyson certifes she
only received $1S and never receipted
eNher pay roll. On this transaction Mr.
Warren has credit for SO 90 more than
nc pdlu ana ne IS therefore due the state
this amount and the interest thereon,
making total of $34. 80.
In the same township, for the same
year, Miss Sallie Collier had a contract
for $3.50. Her contract expired and she
received all the money due her on the
quarter ending June 30, 1900, yet her name
appears on the pay roll for September
&c. 1900, as having received $l2 additional
on that quarter. j. j. Thompson cert
fies that Miss Collier had no contract for
that amount and that no report was ap-
crates him. consequently Mr.. Warren is
due the State on this trans action $l2 and
interest thereon, making a total of $14.0S.
In Township Is, Range Is, William
Flakes name Is recelpted on the pay roll
for the quarter ending September 80, 1900,
for $66 81. His report for that quarter is
approved for $1 81. The check shows.
that was the amount paid him and he
swears that is the amount he received.
Mr.. Warren Is therefore due the State
on this transaction s.. and interest there
on, making. a total of $5.S
In Township 10, Range o. for the
scholastic year 1s99-19OO, Mary Ben
ford had a contract for $50. The
trustees, approved her report for $36.
The check shows that was the
amount paid G. w. Collier, enc
all she ever received. She swears
she only received the $50 yet the
pay roll for the quarter ending Septem-
Der 30. 1900, is receipted for SOL which she
swears she never signed as she had trans
ferred her contract. Mr.. Warren owes
the State SIS, on this transaction, and in