The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1904-07-07
IRREGULARITlES ARE CHARGED.
Georgia Legislative. investigating Com
mittee Severely Criticized.

Georgia Legislative investigating Com
mittee Severely Criticized.
Georgia capitol officials, who were
criticized by the report OF the iegis-
latiye committee and some members
of the legislature are doing a little
criticizi1g in retaliation.
The committee in its report point
ed out. every irregu,arity that could
be found in. every department OF: the
state, but it did not say anything about
the extra expert accountant employed
BY the committee nor the stenogra.
pher it, employed.
There are many legislators and
state house officers who contend that
the eopmittee violated the law when
the extra men were employed and one
member of the house went so far as to
state that he would fight any measure
to payfor the extra help.
The resolution creating the commit
tee and outlining the work did not ap
propriate money for the work Of the
committee further than four dol
lars per day for each member. The
resolution stated that the committee
should employ only one expert &C.
countant or bookkeeper The commit
tee employed an assistant bookkeeper,
contrary to the law, and a stenogra.
pher besides. The committee states in
its report that two accountants and
one stenographer was employed. The
report does not mention that only one
accountant and no stenographer was
allowed the committee.
Another question that the legisla-
tors are inquiring about. and which
some of the capitol officials who were
criticised by the committee think
should @be looked into was the pay
ment on the part of the governor of
about $500 to one of the expert &C.
countants Of the committee. The com.
mittee does not mention in~its report
that this was done. Governor Terrell
when seen about the matter Wednes.
day, said: ,.....,...,.,-..,.
Eyes. 7 paid about $500 to one Of the
expert accountants ON approval Of the
committee. There was no specific law
for the payment, but took the money
out of my contingent fund upon the
agreement that when the legislature
met the committee would secure an
appropriation and pay back the money.
I had the authority, am sure, to draw
the money out, but there was no spe-
ctal law authorizing me to do So"
The committee made no mention OF
that transaction, but laid particular
stress on the fact that the state house
officers were too lax in raising saia
ries without authority.
The official stenographer Of the com.
mit:ee was employed at a fixed salary
of s5 per day for taking testimony
and IS per day for writing it out Tht
stenographer, Mr.. W. F. Blue, is in
Mr.. Halls Office in Macon. The as
sistant expert account, J. T. Duncan,
Jr., was the nephew Of Senator ]. T.
Duncan "a member of the commit.
tee. Mr.. Hall was chairman Of the
committee.
The expert accountants were paid
ten and FIVE dollars a dcy each, so it
is claimed by some No mention OF
the pay is made in the report to the
house. It is charged by some Of the
capitol officials that the accountants
were around the capitol several days
doing no work, waiting on instructions
from the committee. At the same time
they claim the accountants were
drawing their pay.