The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-09-22
MUCH COMMENT ON
 CASE SHORTAGE
Pacific Means Will be Exhaust
 ed to Get Settlement
CONVICT CONTRACT MADE
Commissioner Poole Believes Farmers Will Get 12Ia Gents for Cotton and Advises Them to
 Hold the Staple.

Montgomery, September A.-9spee'al'- The reported shortage of former Tax 1 Collector Jehn Case of Mobile county is 1 tbe subia,. of general discussion here | today Sir, prise is felt that 1t had not 1 been turned up before, especially as two 1 o, three examinations had been made py l state as,.miners since the settlement with
 inc auditor in 1899, one of which went very minutely into a discussion ot me
 hooks of Mr. Case. It is thought that l if never would have been discovered put l for the tip said to have been given by former Clerk Wilkins, who had desk
 in the office of MT. Case while he was in | position.
 l The total amount charged to MT. Case in 1889 was S153, ,635 .S4 To offset this he | had a credit of like amount. There had
 been, however according to the report 1 of the examiner, credited to him previous | to this time, for errors, the sum of $sO4s- | "A, yet there was shown in the abstract
 credits for this reason, of s9274.69, which
 were allowed by the auditor. The ex- | aminer finds here a double credit with
 
 | the examiner asserts Mir. Case was enti-
 tied to only s144, 72e.9S which Is the whole | amount charged less the credits shown | to have been made by the county boarf
 of equalization before the abstract was
 made up
 Method of Procedure. In cases of this kind it is the prac- tice of the governor to turn the papers l over to the auditor to make collection of what is decided to be due. The audi tor exhausts all pacific means to get settlement and falling, turns the pa pers over to the attorney general, Wlth instructions to make the money out or ms bondsmen The bond of an official holus good for at least ten years, some say much longer. That made by MT. case was with security company, ana IS per fectly good, insuring that the state VIII secure the entire amount of any snort age that may exist. So far as this re- port indicates the shortage will be nearly eleven thousand dollars which includes the interest for four years.
 It is reported here that Mr. Case, who is now chief of police of Mobile, VIII resign his post.
 It is the duty of the board of rev enue or court of county commissioners whenever the tax collector presents ms list of errors and insolvinecies to make careful and rigid examinations and give the collector credit for only such amounts as are ascertained to be insolvent or er- roneous assessments. In the settlement | of the accounts of tax collectors the state auditor allows credits to the col | lectors for such amounts as errors ana insolvences as are certified to him by the presidents of the boards of revenue as having been allowed by that board. Made Good Contracts. 1 President J. M Carmichael of the state 1 convict board of convict inspectors Is very much pleased with contract made at the regular monthly meeting of the board yesterday whereby fifty male negro conyicts are to be let to N. A. Thaggard at Damascus, at good price, leaving
 the state in direct control of them at
 last To the writer he said today:
 The board of inspectors yesterday
 made a contract with N. A. Thaggard, Esq, for the hire of fifty colored male convicts, not suitable for mine work, but suitable for turpentine work, to be em- ployed in that labor, at or near Damas- GUS Ala, at and for the price of $25 per month each. The employer is to furnish all necessary prisons, and equipment of every description. including cook stoves heaters water, wood, garden truck, horse power. houses for the employees of the state, and everything else necessary for the equipment of the camp, and to furnish all necessary rations to feed the convicts and the em- ployes of tho state. The state is to pre- pare the food, furnish clothing. shoes and medical attention In case of sickness, and to have exclusive care and charge of the convicts, furnishing needed officers and guards therefor.
 Poole on Cotton.
 Commissioner of Agriculture R. R. Poole who has just returned from lengthy stay at his home in Marengo county, Is of the opinion that the cotton crop Of this year will not go above 100000 bales and that the Alabama output will be little fl any more than last year.
 He believes the farmers will get 12b2 cents for the staple before the first of February. and possible 15 cents and that there was no use in rushing 1t to mar ket The most of the cotton In Alabama Is open and the pickers are getting 90 per cent of It. The grade is very high and consequently the price received is good
 Mir. Poole is president of the association of commissioners of agriculture of the cctton states which meets early in Octo- Der at Baton Rouge. La. In his address he will say that he does not believe future crops of the staple will go much above 10 00n GOO bales. passing his idea of decrease on the ravaaes of the boil weevil and ether cotton crop pests.
 Capital Notes. The Grasctih Chemical company of Bir- | niagham las filed notice with the secre- | tary Of state that John P. Tilman of Bir- | mngharn is it's regular Alabama agent l ani authorized to represent 1t. 1 Volume 129 Alabam supreme court re- | porss are ready -or distribution. IT. T. Dent of Waverly has been ap- ] pointed 6 notary public.
 Notice of Administrators Sale.
 Estate of William F. Riddle, deceased.