The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-21
COURT OF INQUIRY
 AGAIN M. SESSION

following communication was rendered I Geaerai HeIcs Letter.
 Montgomery. Ala. Feb. goth, 1908 . MT. H. Y. Brooke,
 Asst Examiner Public Accounts,
 City:
 "Sir:-In connection with your re- port to the Governor on the accounts of the Alabama National Guard, in con sequence of which Col. c. R. Bricken, Commanding End infantry, A. N. c., requested the Governor to call a court of inquiry, to examine his accounts In connection with your report.
 'I was not present when this court was convened, nor was l called upon to be present, not notified that l was personally concerned in any of the matters to be taken up. hence I was very much surprised when my atten- ton was called to the following arr aicle published in The Montgomery Advertiser of Jan. 20. 1909, vtz-:
 Examiner Brooke shows that Quar- termaster- General R. l.. Holt of Mont gomery. Is due the State S4es.s7 for vouchers drawn without warrant or law. He says General Holt expended this money in payment of claims that were rejected by the Auditor of the United States Army, when the Alabama National Guardsmen were paid under the provisions of the Dick bill and that the code does not authorize such payments from money appropriated by the State. altogether the ouartermas- ter-General paid out on account of the Sate $7,113. 56.'
 "The Montgomery Journal of Jan. 2s. 1909. also contained the following statement, viz.:
 The report also states that Quar- ermaster B. l.. Holt had vouchers drawn for $46s. 3T without warrant of law. The sum was expended, the Au- ditor says. in payment of claims that were rejected by the United States. Surprised at Injustice. "I must confess that I was very much surprised at the injustice of such report as this. and must think that there has been an error committed by some one, as I do not know of any fea- son that anyone could have, to do the damage that has been done to my in- tegrity and honesty, as well as to my | record as an ofiicer Of tRe Alabama National Guard, during 2 continuous service of more than twenty years, and without recompense, other than | duty we'll performed. Although the statements referred to are incorrect. the damage referred to, has been done. and no correction can entirely over come the same.
 T beg 10 state tnArNin the urht piaCe made no expenditures of any money appropriated by the General Govern ment under the Dick bill for the Ala batna National Guard, consequently none of the accounts paid by me as Quartermaster-Ge General came before the | Auditor of the United States army, to 1 be passed upon. In the second place, all accounts that were paid by me, as l Quartermaster-Ge General, acting under orders from the Governor, were paid out of the appropriation made by the State, consequently did not have to be examined or to come before the Audi tor of the United States army.
 'Tn the third place. of the amount mentioned, viz, s46S.87, only the sum of $40. 50 was paid out by me; this was paid for transportation to Col :. c. R. Bricken, and the receipt for this was turned over to you by me, to-
 gether with my other vouchers, the balance of the amount. viz., s42s.S1.
 was not expended by me. but was re- turned to the Governor through mill- | tary channels, and the receipt of the l Adjutant-Generai taken as Adjutant-
 Geenral for the same. This amount,