The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1909-05-21
REPLY 70 CRITICISMS,

To the People 0f JACKSON County:
There appeared In the various county
papers last week 4 letter from Mr.. I. r.
Deimss, chsncerv clerk and county
suditor, and Mr.. n. A. Roberts, member
~ board Of supervisors from beat No. 3,
In q somewhat caustic vein
the recent grand Jury for making some
suggestions TO the board OF supervisors
which, In their Judgment, we're neces-
sary and proper, and clearly within the
purview OF their duties.
Mr.. Delmas opens his letter with the
words ain the report Of the foreman Of
the grand jury =" and closes: ~
am treating this matter AS The report Of
the foreman Of the grand jury, as do
not believe that hts fellow grand Jurors
we're fully advised OF what they we're
reporting"
Mr.. Roberts says: "When the grand
jury adjourned on April 30 the foreman
thereof filed a report wherein he made
some 'suggestions' to the board OF su-
pervisors." Farther on: ~ have no de-
sire to complain at the entire member.
ship Of the grand jury"
From this l gather the gentlemen feel
am solely responsible for the "sugges-
tions" therein-that the other gentle
men composing that jury were but
putty In my hands, intellectual imbe-
Giles, and incapable Of independent
thought. have served on the grand
jury in this county three times previous
to this one and have no hesitancy In
saying never yet served on one which
could be controlled by its foreman, OF
any other one man for that matter, and
the "recenw grand jury was no excep
ton. Furthermore, do not think
there is man who served on that grand
jury who desires to shirk any responsi
bility attaching, and who will no
resent the gratuitous suggestion that i
was necessary for some one else to ds
his thinking.
/ was not responsible for my name be
ing placed In the jury box, had nothing
TO do with being drawn on the jnr,
panel for the spring term OF court, or Of
the grand jury In open court Believing
however, that jury service is duty ever,
good citizen owes to his community
duty neither to be sought nor shirked-
after being qualified and sworn, and ar
pointed foreman Of the grand jury b.
the court, proceeded to do my duty -
conceived II, without fear or favor (un
less the handling Of matter under dil
cussion can be so construed), and willis
during the Ave days session was calle
upon to do some things personally
would rather have not done, have n
apologies to make, particularly alon
lines Of the letters under .eply. Ever
s'suggestion" (ss my friend Robert
puts ~ In that report Is founded o
facts, and can be proven by good and re
sponsible witnesses, and the recordl
and no one Ia more cognizant OF thi
. than Mr.. Roberts and Mr.. Delma
Necessarily our oath as grand juror
precludes ut this time disclosing OF
source Of information; when iimitatio
absolves me from that oath, gentlemen
II you still want 1t, l will give it.
The theme Of both appears to be th,
. paragraph OF the report which begin,
). 1--WE have not had time TO examine II
books Of the various county officers
D l reiterate, aud do so advisedly, that =
grand Jury, with the limited time 4
their disposal, can examine, with IN
Q degree Of efficiency, the books and :
!. counts OF the various officers, and repo
on their condition; moreover, they q
s not capable Of doing so-they are n,
composed OF expert accountants %
public auditors; this is, by law, Il
i duty Of the county auditor and reven,
agent. There is nothing remarkable
. In that paragraph Of the reports, o.
/. except for hair splitting purposes, {,
begging the question, and BY the grea
est possible stretch OF the imsginatio
can II be so read.
Sections 34s to $50, both inclusive, Coo
1906, prescribe the method Of paymel
10 OF county auditors salary and the 80
eral duties imposed upon him. Becsu,
= OF lack Of space your attention ID call,
o thereto when considering the matt,
contained herein.
D Section S4s provides: sThat On ALLOW
!. ance therefor (msantng for salary
county auditory shal! never b. made al
u til q committee Of three mem bers Of u
a board shall have boon appointed Z,
that purpose and reported that the
. have carefully examined into the ma
ter and had found that every duty hs
been fully performed BY The coun,
auditor, and that all bis books had bee
correctly kept and posted. The rspo
a shall be sworn 10 and be entered on II
minutes immediately preceding u
= order OF allowance"
Will Mr.. Delmss plssse explain 70 u
people OF jackson county why. |
. county auditor, hs permitted the nm,
settlement for ilscal year 1907 O. VII
the tag collector TO 20 from October
Z 1908, to March |, 1905? VIII he please q
plain why % lats q March !, 1908, !.
= counts appearing In hts book - count
auditor had not bseu ruled on ana b.
ancsd % Of ocsobsr !, isss wnl b