The Columbus commercial. (Columbus, Miss.) 1893-1922, 1907-01-08
Jackson News Jan. 1st. says:

property from the board of con
troll to the new board of trustees
Warden J. j. Henry submitting
a final report in which charges o.
graft are preferred against Gov
error Vardaman.
Warden Henry asserts his
charge in bold and straight.
forward manner, alleging thai
on two occasions the governor
purchased horses for his private
use and had them shipped at the
expense of the state, and in the
same cars with horses purchased
for the state. He also calls at
tention to the fact that the gov
ernor used convicts around the
mansion as servants, when he
declared at the beginning of his
administration that he consider
ed such employment of convicts
a form of dishonesty.
The report has been filed with
the secretary of the board of con-
troll, and is as follows:
To the Honorable Board oi
Control: In addition to my regu-
lar and prior report, and supple
mental thereto, desire to refer
to the charges OF incompetency
and unfaithfulness that have
been brought against me by his
excellency, James K. Vardaman
chairman of the board of control.
In this connection | wish to say
that after | had served under
him from January to November,
and after he had every opportu-
nifty to judge of my competency
the governor considered me wor-
thy to fill the responsible posi-
ton which [ then led and now
hold, end cast his vote for me at
the election of officers of the pen
itentiary in November, 1904 1t
may not be improper to state
that toe governor was the first
member of the present board OF
control who voted TO make me
warden for regular term.
Since that action on his part
the governor decided it suited his
purpose TO establish me as ''in-
competent" The apparent fea-
son for this is that did not rec
ognize the governor as the whole
board. In reply TO the charge oil
incompetency | will specify two
| business transactions, among
many, Which show that the gov
ernCr himself is so very incom-
peeent that he is not capable oil
judging of the competency of any
one. The board will pardon my
reference 10 these two particular
transactions which establish the
governors incompetency.
First. The honorable board oil
control at his request, allowed
the governor to manage the Oan.
ley place for the year 1906. Un-
der his management the records
show a net loss of 81 .215.20.
Second. The board followed
the insistence of the Governor ir
the purchase of mares for raising
mules on the Oakley place, anC
in the spring of 1905 invested
S6, 140.68 in this venture. This
records show the net and sole re-.
suit of this venture is one little
mule. The board will pardon
the reminder that | opposed botf
propositions.
In addition to his frequent at.
| tacks on me in the newspaper
the governor most wrongful,
misrepresented me in mis- mes
sage to the legislature. quot,
i this extract from that state pa
per:
The predecessor of the pres
ent incum bent (warden) was dis
charged for clearing his owl
land with state convicts. and tn.
present Incum bent Chat is me
recommended the leasing of hi
friends land when he knew tha
| the welfare of the convicts an,
the interests of the state demand
I ed that the convicts be concen
trated upon the states property
This statement IS directly i
conflict with the facts as show
by the records. The records 9
the board of control (Minut