The Savannah morning news., 1903-02-04
THE CHARGE UNJUST
THEY DID NOT SEEK TO AVOID
THEIR DUTIES
SAY MEMBERS OF GRAND JURY.
WHO EMPLOYED EXPERTS TO EX-
ANIME COUNTY BOOKS.

Members of Committee of County
Offices of the June Term Grand
Jury Make Answer TO Charge Con-
tanned in Answer of County Com
missioners to suit of Expert Ac-
cOuntnnts - Say They Were only
should Not he Expected to DO
Clerical Work, They Say.
Many of the members of the June
term grand jury, whose committee en-
ployed experts, J. ]. Gaudry and w. G.
Tyson, to examine the books of the
county officers. were indignant when
they read the answer of the County
Commissioners to the suit instituted
against them for the recovery of the
compensation for their services. They
characterize the charges and insinua-
tons as wholly unjust.
The answer. which was printed in
the Morning News, charged that the
examination ordered by the Committee
on County Offices of the grand jury
was neither proper nor necessary, but
was made for the purpose of saving
the grand jurors the time and trouble
which a performance of the duties
with which they were charged by law
would entail The answer further
stated that there were a number of
gentlemen on the grand jury who
were as competent to perform the duty
Of examining the books as were the
gentlemen appointed.
The grand jurors say that they were
acting under explicit and repeated in
structions of the judge, who charged
them that If in their discretion they
deemed an examination by experts adj
visable, it was within their province
for them to do so. They say that the
step was taken after due deliberation,
and was occasioned by the belief that
it was in the county's interests for the
books to be examined, and the tax
payers apprised of whether their mon
ey was being properly accounted for.
No Suspicion of Wrong.
None of the members of the grand
jury will say that there was any sus-
picion that the books were not proper
ly kept and all the funds of the va
rious departments accurately account
ed for, but, in the light of the desul-
tory, and almost hap-hazard manner
in which the examination had been
conducted by previous grand juries, on
some of which they were members,
they considered a thorough examina-
ton necessary, If not imperative.
The charge that any of the men,
bers of the Committee on. County Off,
ces desired to evade the trouble which
was incident to a proper discharge of
the duties with which they were
charged by law is decidedly unjust, to
say the. least of it, said Mr.. C. G.
Bell, himself a member of that COM
mittee. There was nothing done by
that committee, or by any of the gen.
tlemen of the grand jury. which, in
my opinion. could possibly be. con-
strued with justice to indicate that
any member attempted to- shirk his
duty.
1--WE made an examination, and
found that, so far as the recollection
of the oldest citizen served him, there
had been no examination by experts of
the books of the county. We thought
that such an examination was neces-
sary and the result of the examina-
ton did not change our views, for
while the books were found to be sub
stantially correct, the people of the
county, the tax payers, were assured
of the fact that such was the case. l
think the work done was we'll worth
the money, and that the county got
value received.
should Pay the Bill.
They should pay the bill. The ex-
animation entailed a lot of labor, and
l do not believe that the gentlemen of
the grand jury, If they had devoted
their entire time to 1t, were compe-
tent to make the examination as thor
oughly as did the gentlemen which
we appointed. I do not advocate an
examination of the books at every
term. but / think that one should be
made at intervals. The charges We're
uncalled for
Other members of the grand jury
agreed. in substance. with Mr.. Bell.
They said that the bill presented was
not large one, considering the work
done. Whether the county was liable
for the payment of the bill they said
they did not know, but they thought
that If there was no authority under
which the bill could be paid, that the
grand jurors were not accountable for
that condition of affairs, and that they
should be given credit for the per-
Torrance of their duties as they saw
them.
When the grand jury first met and
the members qualified. Judge Barrow
charged them that if in their discre-
ton they thought 1t necessary, they
might employ experts to examine the
books of the county officers. When
we were discharged we were COM
mended for our action in so DOING
said Mr. George ]. Mills, another men,
Der of the Committee on County Of
fees. We were given full authority
we were told that it was our duty, if
we thought an examination necessary,
to appoint experts. We appointed two
men whom we considered we'll quail
fed for the work.
Not Duty of Grand Jury.
about the allegation that the mem
bers of the committee were as well
qualified, or rather as competent to
do the work as were the experts. Mr..
Mills-do you think that is true?" he
was asked
Il don't think the members of the
grand jury should be called upon to
do clerical work" he answered. II do
not think that they could do it as well
as the experts, have been on grand
juries before, and 1 know how those
thing are. The grand jurors are near
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