The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-10-17
THE CRISMOND
INVESTIGATION
Shortage Nearly Four
Thousand Dollars.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
The Items in Dstsii-Report viii LIE
Over for Inspection, Etc.

The committee appointed by Judge
Waller at the August term oil the tounty
court of Spotsylvania to investigate the
condition OF the Clerks office and the lee
books of j. T. II Crismond made their
final report 10 Judge Waller "Wednesday
the County court report being handed IN
To Judge Waller and the Circuit report
being filed in the Clerks office OF the Cir-
cult court for Judge Mason. The reports
are ia length and show in detail an IN
yestigation into all matters Oh BOOKS
transacted in the Clerk = office OF the two
ronrts from July LIST. 1881. when Clerk
Crismond, first qualified to February -
1903. when he made his last report 10
the Auditor of Public Accounts.
The examination Of the committee EN-,
braeed all deeds admitted 10 record, all
Wills prObates, all administrations upon
the estates of deceased persons, all re-
moved warrents, all appeals IRON thr
Board Oi Supervisors and all ueiihluen'
taxes and levies. also the physical cOnul'
ton of the office, including the condition
of the books and records, and how the
clerk had performed the duties as such.
In the Circuit court, the report einoraceu
all actions at law and suit equities and
all wills and administrations anu the
condition Of the records OF the 'ircult
court. W,
The committee reported to Judge W al
Ter that when they first entered upon the
examination the physical condition oil
the office was very bad and the ONCE
dirty. that the books were not IN gool
condition an J that numbers OF the Ola
volumes needed rebinding; that the deeds
had not been admitted 10 record WIN
any regard to the time they were re-
ceiyed in oiIre: that deeds were aS much
as five wears out Of way on the books,
that il that some OF the deeds instead
Of being recorded in their proper places
were in positions five years back or lot
ward The delinquent personal proper
ty and capitatiOn tax return hau no'
been recorded. and some reports OF 'ne
Treasurer a. the delinquent lands had
not been reported The tax book Oh
monies due the Commonwealth In the
County court had not been kept. ~ the
law requires nor had like seperat4 book
been kept 10 the Circuit Court Very lew
of the deeds after having been recorded
were marked examined rs the law re-
ouires. aud the vacation orders and de
crees of the Circuit Court bore M certiii-
Gates OF the Clerk rs TO the time the same
were received in Office for record. HE
rule dockets had not been kept proper
and many causes started and did not ap-
pear on the docket at oil.
The committee returned with their re
mort detailed information aud recapitn-
Iation Of each seperate item IN the vari-
Gus classes with interest on the short
aye calculated TO August 3lst, l'O3
/ In some instances the Clerk had reported
more administrations aud removed war
rants than the committee could ma any
record of and in these cases the commit
tee gave foil credit Tor all excess records
with credit by interest up To August
I3lst. 1903 The committee gave fur
Their credit TO the Clerk for all receipts
produced before them by the Representa-
tives of Clerk Crismond, and a. lowing oil
r, ceipts. their report shows the follow
ing shortage with interest TO August
n ~