The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-02-23

president OF the court martial, sat and
took no part in conducting the hearing.
except to rule whenever l appealed to
him to be allowed to make some explana-
ton, that l could. not be allowed to do
so, but must confine myself to the charges
and either admit or deny them. Mr.
Green, chairman of the Board of Commits
sioners, was the only witness called upon
to prove a single charge or any part of
any charge, and what was the sum of his
testimony. A statement that certain
supervisor had stated to him that he was
up with all the work l had laid off for
HIM and asked Mr.. Green what he must
do. This | denied and am prepared to
diSprove by member OF the board who
travelled that road. But what OF the char
acter Of this evidence if it had been evl-
dence at all? Mr.. Green has stated to
me repeatedly that it had come to his
knowledge that this same supervisor had
been guilty of Incorporating the coun-
ty property, that he had bought feed and
had charged it 70 the county and then
hauled it TO his own home to be used
there, that he had taken the county teams
and hauled wagon loads of lightwood
twenty miles to his own home and Tor
his private nse.
L. have not heard of any charges being
preferred against this supervisor, but
things are On such a hustle just now per
haps / am not keeping up with the pro-
cessio2.
Upon such evidence and with such
hearing the board have announced
through the public press that they had
removed me from an Office which l am
legally holding.
After the court adjourned one member
had the courage and honesty to state
when questioned about the matter, that
they did it in the interest of economy,
that they learned that they could get Mr..
Allen to take the place for $40 per month,
while Mr. Ellington cost them $15. The
people will soon be asking whether this
change is really in the interest of econ
omy. The law compels the commission
ers to employ a competent surveyor or
civil engineer to carefully locate and eS
tablish the required grades on all roads
before any work is allowed to be done on
the same Will they obey the law? They
required me to do all Of this work, and
also all the work imposed upon the Super
intendent of Roads by the law, and all OF
this at salary of SIS per month, fur
nishing my own horse and buggy and in
strument at a cost to me of $3.50. and pay
ing all my expenses. l make this state
ment simply to let the people see that |
have not profited by any extravaganza.
The newly installed superintendent, 1
understand. is to receive $40 as Superin-
tendent of Roads He is already receiving
$50 per month as Superintendent of the
County Home and as the farmers say in
hiring hands on the farm with a truck
patch thrown in. In this case the truck
patch consists of a six hundred acre farm
with splendid and costly buildings. This
farm is maintained entirely at the ex-
pense of the county and in connection
with the County Home, and in addition
to products of the farm used for the sup,
port OF this institution and the superln-
tendent and his family, the books show
under Expenses of County Home pay
roll amounting to about fifteen hundred
dollars each month. Later on l will give
some figures and let the people judge
whether this board have been guilty of
any extravaganza.
Before closing 1 wish to make state
ment which | think is due some members
of the board. With the exception of the
prosecutor and witness. A. H. Green, no
member of the board had a word to say
during the so-called hearing.
j. C. ELLINGTON.