The Pensacola journal., 1907-05-08

The Board of County Commission
erS, acting Jointly with County So
licitor LOftin. Will probe into the
matter Of repairs to the court house
building and if there was any irregu-
larity in the work done upon the
building they intend bringing it TO
light. This was decided upon at the
special session of the board held last
night when Solicitor LOftin was pres
ent and participated with the commits
SiOners in the mapping out of plans.
The investigation is 10 be held Friday
morning, commencing At 2 o clock,
and last night before aGiOurning the
board secured the bills and pay rolls
submitted at the time the work was
done and from these the names OF
parties employed were secured and
furnished the solicitor.
Many Witnesses TO Appear.
To Judge from the list made out
last night there will be forty or fifty
witnesses before the board when it
commences its investigation. These
partiess will be subpOenaed by the
county solicitor. inasmucn as there
is question as to whether the bOalA
has the authority 10 compel the at
tendance of witnesses and make them
testify under oath, but the county so
licitor has this authority and today
subpOenaeS will be issued for those
whom the board desires to hear re-
garding the court house work.
Action of Board.
After the board had considered the
matters that the meeting had been
called for. Chairman Merritt asked So
Iicitor LOftin as TO the investigation
of the court house matter Mr. Lot
tin replied that inasmuch as when the
Andrews case was considered the
board expressed itself as intending 10
further investigate county affairs. he
had not gone into an investigation
himself of the repair work on the
court house. preferring 10 act jointly
with the commissioners He said that
he had heard 50 many rumOrs and
complaints that he thought there
should be a very thorough investiGa-
tion and if there had been illegal acts
they should be made known
Resolved to Investigate.
The members of the board eX-
pressed themselves in a similar man.
ner and a resolution was passed 10
institute a thorough investigation
Jointly with the county solicitor. The
chairman then appointed Commission
ers Roberts and Stewart a commit
tee to obtain all the bills pay rolls
and warrants issued and present
them TO the county solicitor in order
that he may summon those whom he
may desire
Commissioner Stewart stated that
he believed there was only one month
when the names of those employed
on the work had been submitted. as
DriOr to that time statements were
rendered that a ceTain number OF
n1nn we're employed and that the total
nav roll amounted 10 certain sums,
and uuOn this warrants were issued
He said he refused. as member
Of the finance committee OF the board
10 aDDrOve bills made out IN such a
manner and that no report could oe
agreed upOn by this committee ana
was therefore acted upon by the en-
tire board. but his vote was only one
against three in favor Of approving
the nav rolls and issuing the war
rants.
Pay Rolls Submitted.
The sDeciaI commiIte 70 secure in
formation proceeded al once 10 get
wLsr vas desired and as the deputy
clerk furnished the bills and pay rolls
the committee a. once proceeded tD
invastiaate the solicitor taking down
the names of those he desired The
nav rolls showed some very high
nriced labor had been employed ano
that The total cost of the worh done
Wa between $4,000 and $4,000 one
of the members stated that mos, ot
Continued on Th.~a Page.