The Robesonian. [volume] (Lumberton, N.C.) 1870-current, 1908-05-11
INVESTIGATION anC

Second: Their next reason Is
that it is not their duty to make :
settlement Of my accounts. +
The reply to this is that n" /
one ever contended it was their
luty to do so. The subpoena
did not require this. Your board
has never asked them TO make 1
any settlement. Your board
simply requested their board to
appear and assist you with
such information as they had in
their possession concerning the
various accounts and thereby
assist in making the settlement
1t is true it is the duty Of your
board to make the settlement,
but it is equally true that the
information and the figures
upon which this settlement
should be made should be fur
nished by the board of audit
and finance. This b. ard by
the terms of the statute ap-
pointing them provides that
the board shall exercise all the
duties heretofore exercised by
the finance committee. For
years the finance committee has
furnished the figures upon
which all sheriffs' final settsle-
. ments we're made. But not on
; ly is it the custom in Robson
I county to make the settlements
; in this way, but the statute it.
> self provides that they shall
{ make up the said statements
i The law, acts 1907, Oh. 4S8,
page us, sec. 4 provides:
a at shall be the duty of the
r said board of audit and finance
e toinquire into and investigate
ii and file a detailed and itemizcd
n account of the condition Of all
; county finances; the accounts
of all public officers of the
d county of Robson, including
7. the board of education and Of
d road commissioners, and make
y true report thereofand record
g the same in a book to be pro
h vided and kept by said board. .
er Third: They say, further
Is that it is not their duty to have
W anything to do with my &C
Sc counts until after the settl-
" ment has been made by your
d board and that then their duty
e is confined to looking it over
as and seeing if it is correct.
ut The reply to this is. that if thi:
i is all the functions of the board o
~ audit and finance, then we might
"a as we'll have no board atall. They
a admit, andsallege, that when tn
-, settlement is made by you
/ board, it is final and binding an
,, cannot be impeached except TO
dV fraud which no one has ever al
le legged. But such was not Away
ne the position of the board of audi
and finance. When they frs
he went to work they manifest ii
e. thought it was their duty to e1
Of anime into all the sheriff's az
he counts, for this was about tn
w. first thing they did, and the
W employed experts to do it at
" cost to the county, all told, {
ur from twelve to fifteen hundre
On dollars. II it was not their dut
It's to do this, why did they run tt
county to this expense? If it We
of not their duty to do this, why di
he they perform this unnecessar
ma work and raise all this troubl
nd and confusion which has bee
stirred up in tie county. WI
i even now are they at work er
81, gagged in the examination of tt
e5u accounts of the present sheriff
me If they have nothing to do wit
dit his accounts until after the cou
ell missioners settle with biz
in (which they have not yet don
ri why are they now at work up(
,n his books and why have The
W. "3 employed an assistant to he
'10 them at the cost of the county
IN do work which they say, now,
mt unnecessary, and not their dub.
Is Just here in itself is a contradi
ms ton Of their statement. The
are now engaged in making u
es: the settlement and are spendin
.rs the county's money for this pu
wa pose, when. at the same tim
~ they say it is not their dut
IL Consistency, thou art a jew,
CT That they thought it was the
,he duty to examine into these a
al counts and report the anoa
on due to the several funds by me
au- shown in their own language
,ue their own report fled on Febru
nd ry 28th, 1903. This report b.
or gins as follows:
of in compliance with the Ia
~ we submit herewith for public
~ ton final statement of the a
'ie counts of George B. Mcleod, e
on sheriff of Robson county"
is They evidently thought it W
their duty all along untilit W
osc found full of errors and until 70
lrd bOardrequested them to come
to fore you and explain their fgur
The and how they arrived at the
fu conclusions. Then what hi
fo3;r been their duty, before that tim
= "a to perform" without fear, favor
elu aft ycLion" las they have 50 oft