The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-23
Dew Received $3.50 as Commits
sion on Trade in State
DEMAND is MADE. FOR REFUND
Questions Right Of State Board
to So Dispose Of Miller
Fund.
Bonds.

Vigorous protest was entered last
night at the meeting of tho State
Board of Education against the action
OF the board IN approving commits
sion OF $3.50 to Second Auditor John G.
Dew for his services in negotiating
the sale of certain bonds of the Miller
Fund and in purchasing other bonds
a demand for return of the amount
was made by Judge John NJ White. OF
Charlottesville, judge of the Eighth
judicial Circuit, In behalf of the Miller
Manual School.
The legality Of the boards action
was questioned. and Judge White de-
clared plainly that the payment of
such an amount when in fact the
Second Auditor receives regular
commission for his services regarding
this fund, was not right. In his re-
ply. Judge Dew maintained that under
the terms OF the Miller Will. he was
entitled to such compensation. and
that he stands ready now, as he has
always done. to return the amount II
the board thinks he should do 50.
Left With Committee.
Action was taken to the extent OF
referring the matter to a subcommit-
tee composed Of the Governor, the
Attorney General and Professor Lynch
with instructions to mako n report at
the next meeting
Those present at last nights meet
ing were Governor William Hodges
Mann. Acknowledgement Samuel w.
Williams, Superintendent of Public In
ssructon I. D. Egsles ton MI, 1r pr
of Virginia; DR. j. L. Jarman, lpresi-
dent of the State Female Normal
School, at Farmville; Professor NJ M.
Lynch, of Winchester. and Professor
S. r. McChesney, of Bristol.
Judge White and DR.. r. ]. Fulton.
president Of the Miller School, were
present, and the former presented his
case.
It appears that some time ago it
was deemed advisable to effect sale
as Century bonds. held as an invest
ment for the Miller fund, and drawing
Gle per cent, interest. and to buy
bonds of the city Of Charlottesville,
bearing a 1-2 per cent Second Auditor
Dew was authorized by the State
board to manage the transaction, and
was given authority to employ a
broker If he found 1t necessary. To
some extent brokers were engaged in
the work, and were paid commissions
In the discharge OF his duties Judge
Dew discovered that he could market
the state bonds to better advantage by
personal efforts. Ills statement. as
he read 1t last night. shows that he
saved about $4,000 for the State in the
money realized, and In obviating the
payment of commissions
Was Paid Commission.
It appeared to him later that mas
much as he had gone to additional
trouble in managing this matter, no
should be allowed compensation for
it, The will of Mr.. Miller was so
construed as to allow the payment of
for services. He said that he
would be satisfied with compensation
Of Ia OF l per. cent. and the board,
after consideration, made that allow
ance. amounting to $3.50.
When, later on, the Second Auditors.
tors OF the Miller School objected to
the payment Of the commission and
doubted It's LEGALITY. Judge White
wrote a letter OF protest to Judge
Dew, to which the latter replied.
stating his position as outlined above.
board, Judge Dew appeared before it.
and declared that If asked to do so,
he would refund the whole amount of
the commission, no matter to how
much. trouble he might be put to se-s
euro the money.
the appeal of the Miller school direc-
tors has been delayed, for one cause
or another. Last night, however, it
was brought to head. 5
Thinks Action Illegal.
Judge White read a carefully pre-
pared statement. lie produced por-
lions Of the Millerwill, made in 1859,
and read court decisions covering the
points OF officers being paid additional
com pensation. Il esmade the point that
when an o fticial accepts a trust he
does so Knowing what his pay Will
be, and should receive no more. IT
was, he said. illcsnl and Improper to
allow extra coltpensation when spe-
cial services we've not REQUIRED.
Tho Charlottesville jurist evidently
felt strongly on the bject.E lie said
1t was not right. He had been told
that If this matter We're made public.
the State board would be- oyerWte lmed
with protests. and in his letter no en-,
tered hts own protest In solemn and
te n'ifis'e 81 the viii iii second Auditor
was allowed commission on all in,
hands, and this was, he argued, all
that the officer should receive
In conclus ion, he asked that Judge
Dew refund the amount of $3.50 to the
income fund. and that In adnltionSthef
board direct tho payment of about
s70O additional from tho & Investment,
fund to the income fund, this being
part OF the. Inference between the sale
price OF the old and the purchase
price OF the new bonds. The latter
Is mere detail or book eepi N q & a 3ist