The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-15
AUDITOR'S REPORT
 IS SENSATIONAL
Apparent Shortage of S2O,000
 In Management of Fair
INVESTIGATION IS ORDERED
Report Reflects On Three Prominent Men In Charge of the 1906 Fair at Montgomery-New
 Officers Elected.

| NHe5oihSiy, Jd0udry 14.-tSpeclal.) I-Sensational disclosures were made at the annual stockholders meeting to- day of the Alabama Agricultural as soclation, by a report of Auditor C. P Cole, who had been employed to audit the finances of the state fairs for 1906 and 1907. This report reflects on the management of the fair in 1906, though the management of the last fair in 1907 was commended, the books and accounts of Secretary Tait being found correct. The report of Auditor Cole shows an apparent shortage of about $20,O00 in 1906.
 At the meeting the stockholders were determined that the matter should be sitted to the bottom and committee of five stockholders was, on motion of W. D. McCurdy, elected to take all nec- essary steps to ferret out matters and to employ counsel for this purpose if necessary. This committee is composed or A. G. Forbes, S. Roman, c. z. Zirkle J. H. Cook and w. D. McCurdy
 The state fair as a whole seems to be in a bad fix financially. In round numbers it owes SS9,OOO which if not | property will be sold to pay off it's debts. A Judgment of Cook & Laurie. contractors for building, for about S1OOO, has been levied on the property, which cost in all over $50, 900, and the property is now under sheriff's adyer- tisement to be sold on the 27th of this month.
 President Davidson stated at the stockh olders' meeting that an issue of $oO,0OO of bonds had been made, of which amount about $7000 had been sold at par, and If the balance. could be sold the debts of the fair could be paid ol ana the property put on it's feet
 President Vandiver III.
 The meeting this morning exper- fenced difficulty in obtaining a quorum. After delay of over two hours a. quorum was finally obtained and the meeting got to work. H. c. Davidson. acting president, read letter from President Vandiver. explaining that he was compelled to be absent from tn e meeting on account of his health which | was In critical condition. MT. Da- Nldson explained that MT. Vandiver had sent in his resignation soma time last summer, but that the direc- tors had refused to accept 1t, instead granting him six months leave of ab- sence, which he spent in Europe
 The first business before the meet ing was the report of the last fair in l9O7, read by Secretary Tait. This gave in round numbers receipts of S27938 with expenditures of $27, showing net boss of $11. This report was re- | ceived and adopted
 | MT. Davidson then made A state,,,ant showing that the attendance at the last lair owing to the financial panic was | less than in 1906, the street railway and the Western railway each having l hauled about $500 passengers less this 1 year than 1906. In spite of this fact l however, and the well known fact that l there was d smaller actual attendance | thls year than .last, the gate receipts of this year we're far in excess of last | year, being $17,O00 as against $1O,OOO in | 1906.
 The 1906 Fair.
 For long time it has been current | rumor that Auditor Coles report of the l fair operations of 1906 would show some | great discrepancies. The question came ] up in the stockholders meeting as to | whether this report should be read R l J. Chambers opposed reading the report | saying 1t reflected on three prominent | gentlemen and that there was no evil
 
 while there had been great irregularities 1t was impossible to say who was guilty. | MT. Chambers said that the three gentle men affected by the report in serious way had appeared before the executive | committee last night and made state ments entirely differing from MT. Coles | report.
 | The stockholders, however demanded | that the report be read.
 1 This report was made in October l 1907. Auditor Cole said that there had l practically been no bookkeeping of the | fair of 1906, that there was no regular | books kept by anyone, that there were 1 spasmodic entries, some in pencil but 1 that was about all That one bank book | was missing, and that the accounts had l been kept in such way as to cut off l all chance of audit.
 l The report went into detail and con 1 tained serious reflections on the treas- l urer, secretary, and ticket manager 1 Some discussion followed the reading of l this report, R. J. Chambers contending | that no action should be taken until | further investigation. F. P. Glass said l that if the matter was not attended to l by the stockholders and this cloud on ] the reputation of the fair association re- | moved that it would be impossible to float l any bonds and that it would give Mont l gomery a black eye for years to come. 1 MT. Glass position was sustained and | look into the matter.
 1 New Officers. l On motion the number of directors l was reduced from 60 to 15 and the execu- | tive committee to ', a majority of each to constituate a quorum.
 l John Crommein, M. P LeGrand and | Louis McCrudy were appointed com l mittee of three to nominate officers for l the ensuing year.
 On motion the number of members of | the board of directors was increased | from 15 to 25 with 10 as quorum l The board of directors is charged with l the business of electing president five | vice presidents, secretaary-treasurer and | manager.
 The following are the names of the board elected today: w. F. Webber, w. D. Westcott, w. F. Vandiver, Horace Hood, R. J. Chambers, J. c. Haas, E. Mertief, w. D. McCurdy, M. P. LeGrand, c. P. Anderson, Meyer Greil, w. N. Cox J. G. Crommelin, H. c. Davidson, F. B. Fisk. A. G. Forbes. s. Gassen- heimer. F. A. Gulledge. J. M. Kennedy, T. J. Reynolds. B. L. Holt, F. D. Kohn, | l.. H. McCurdy, M. c. Scott, J. H. Cook.