The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1908-03-29
REGARDING LEvEE BOARD APP.
POINTMENT
ASKS The PEOPLE TO JUDGE
The Merits of the Charges Made
Against Him, Which, He Says,
Caused Governor To Appoint Hon.
z. n. Thomas Commissioner

long statement to the people OF
the lcvee district. in which he sets I
forth the reasons as to why he was
not appointed member of the levee
board commission. He claims that
two charges were made against him,
on by Capt J. B. Scruggs and the
other by Mr.. Tha0nas, and that for
tins reason Senator Hebron would
oppose his appointment if made by
Gov. Noel, when the appointment
would be brought to the senate for
confirmation.
The charge made by Capt. Scruggs,
avs DR. Atterbcry. was that he
tScruggs) secured his election IS
secretary of the board on the prom
Use that one-half of the funds OF the
board were to be deposited in the
First National Bank and the other
half in the Merchants & Planters
Bank The second charge, DR. At
terbury says, the governor said was
made by Mr. E N Thomas, and was
to the effect that while he was pres
ident of the board had purchased
land belonging to the levee board,
namely the Joor land. Says DR.. At
terbury:
"As to the first charge, that Capt
Scruggs as secretary and treasurer
of THE board of Mississippi levee
commissioners, agreed prior to his
election to put one half of the monty
in the First National Bank and one
half in the Merchants and Planters
Bank, it is true There is no occasion
TO deny it, or to apologize for it. 1t
was perfectly we'll known by all who
take any interest IN 1evee board mat
@ters.- and none supposed that a treas
urer would be elected without the
board knowing where THE money
would be deposited If the pact was
wrongful one, and this 7 fail &c
perceive, Capt. Scruggs was the bene-
fciary of it for two years.
''As to the charge which the gov
ernor stated Mr. Thomas made; that
I, while president of the leves board
tad purchased levee board lane, car
rying with it the implication that
had improperly used my position a:
president of the levee board in deal
ing with leyee board property, | de
sire to say that while president of tn,
Board purchased a piece of wood
land known as the Joor land for ST.
an acre Messrs. Percy and Camp
bell represented me as attorneys. an
examined the title, and Mr. F. n
Thomas represented Mr. Writ AID
ans, revenue agent. who sold til
land, and made fee out OF the trans
action. The land never belonged t
IN levee board. The purchase wa
made by me from Mr.. Writ Adam:
state revenue agent; the transactio
was open and above board, and
took several months to clear up til
it'll Neither /. as president of tn
ievee board, or the board as a bod,
could have influenced or affected til
price at which Mr.. Adams sold til
land, Neither had l any voIcs "a ifs
ing the price. No suggestion til:
there was any moral delinquency {
i impropriety on my part in purchasin
the land ever occurred to ms. Nor
was ever made by Mr.. Campbell |
Mr. Thomas in the months require
for the contamination Of the title ]
tn many months tliiat have int
vened since | was connected with Il
board. not the slightest criticism HI
ever been made of this transactfo
although it was of record, could ha'
been known to all msn, and certain
was we'll known by Mr. Thomas.
was guilty on wrong-doing in tt
transaction, / was, and am. too me
ally obtuse to perceive it.
"a largely signed petition was Sc
10 tbs governor some nfonths a
asking that he appoint DIR. Attcrbu
a commissioner on the lcvee boa
and one was also circulated and 81
sseralIy signed asking the appointing
tef Hon E. N. Thomas 10 the Pc
ftion The Times draws no conc
sssions in the matter prcferrine
swait for statements Of Sen. Heb
and Mr.. Thomas, and the above
given as nssrrly as an item Of ne
20 its readers.