The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-01-18

ARE DUE $S,O57.99
AMOUNT CHARGED AGAINST OF.
FICIALs OF WALKER.
Examiner sedberry Submits Report
to Governor Showing Result Of
His Investigation Of Coun-
ty Officials.

According to reports submitted yester-
day to Governor Jelks by George +. sed-
berry, Assistant State Examiner OF Pub
. lie Accounts, officials of Walker County
are due the State $8,007.S9.
These charges against officials OF Walk
err County are due almost entirely to
errors and no wrongdoing Ia charged. In
/ fact, Examiner Sedberry makes II plain
that the Indebtedness Is due to. miscon-
struction OF laws and to clerical nnis-
takes.
He also tells the Governor that the off,
cials afforded him every facility for maxi
ing his examination.
The report OF Examiner sedberry on
the books and accounts OF Probate Judge
James w. Shepard of Walker shows that
Judge Shepard accepted s.. 202.46 In fees
allowed by the County Commissioners
without authority Of law.
The Examiner says:
81 have given this office q careful ex-
animation and hnd that all money be-
longing to the county, coming into Judge
Shepard's hands, has been promptly paid
to the County Treasurer except as here
The money Improperly received is that
already referred 10 as having been al
lowed by the County Commissioners
A large amount of money received by
Judge Shepard on order from the County
Commissioners was for writing the min
utes OF the Commissioners Court and Elk
a.miner Sedberry says he has been un-
able to find in the code any authority
for the fees allowed the Probate Judge
for his service.
| accounts OF n. L. Little. Clerk Of the Cir
cult Court Of Walker County. Examiner
| Sedberry says:
IT and that Mr.. Little is due the county
OF Walker s2Ooi.26 TO wit:
ITO the fne and forfeiture fund S&2h1;
to the general fund s1.1eA04
mo interest has been included In the
i above amount. Should 1t be deemed prop
er to require Mr.. Little to pay interest
that may be added when final settlement
/ Is made"
The accounts of Sheriff j. 8. Moore Of
/ Walker County were found to be in good
/ condition, but as hard labor agent OF the
| county, Examiner Sedberrx found thai
| Sheriff Moore was due s16z.4s on account
convicts while working ont fines imposed
''It is due to Mr.. Moore" says ths
| Examiner, '-as well as his predecessor
been received by either Of them, but
/ 1t was their duty TO collect It and hav-
/ ing failed to do so, the amounts are
| charged to them respectively. As soon
AZ this matter was called TO the atten-
ton of Sheriff Moore he promptly took
up the matter with the contractors and
| / am informed that steps are now being
taken to collect the entire amount due
| the county on this amount"
| In reporting on the books and accounts
/ Of =. w. Miller, treasurer OF Walker
County, Examiner sedberry shows that
| Mr.. Miller Is due the county STILLS
''Mr. Miller owes the county NU.lS,
| says the Examiner, (which amount was
improperly paid out Dy him az Solicitor 9
| fees in excess Of the amount received a.
such fees. Under a special law for
| Walker County all Solicitors fees earned
in the County Court belong to the Solicit
tor and when collected by the Clerk
| should be paid directly to him. And
| since the creation Of the Law and Equity
| Court for said county all Solicitors fees
| earned go directly to that officer and %
| far as ! am informed, there Is no law
| authorizing either the payment into or
| out of the treasury.
II am informed by Mr.. Miller that the
amounts will be paid back Into the
| treasury"
The books and accounts Of B. n.
| O'Rear and G.. H. Cutlery, ax-shsriffs
Of the county were also examined, Ex-
/ aminer Sedberry found that Mr.. O'ReaE
/ was due the county $685. on account OF
| the flne and forfeiture fund and $3.50.
| on account of the general fund, total
| OIL s, 285.9t.
Mr. Cutlery IL charged with $e3S. Il
sl9S33 Of which Is due on the fine and
forfeiture fund and S74oSS on the general
| fund.
Examiner Sedberry found that c. @,
| Kelly ex-clerk of the Circuit Court OF
| Walker County was due the county STAG
A large portion Of which Is on account
| of his failure to properly tax the costs II
misdemeanor cases convicted in the Coun'
The report Of the Examiner were re
ferred by the Governor 10 State Auditor
Thomas l.. Sowell for his Information anc
adjustment.