The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1910-01-28

Judge Gordon does not answer my
charge as to his extravaganza and mis-
management, further than to say thai
the office of Judge is purely ministe
rial" and to try to shift the RESPONSE
bility of the deplorable condition OF
county finances upon the Magistrates
and Board of Road Commissioners
Now let us examine the facts. The
great majority of the accounts (espe
cially those that are exorbitant and
should not be paid are never submit
ted to the court for their approval
For example, a few days ago in the
Criminal Court he had lot of jurors
summoned to try a case; the case was
continued, the jury was never empan-
neled, and yet he allowed and paid the
whole venire their per diem. Now
Judge what authority had you for
making this allowance? You knew
that they were not entitled to any pay
for this service They knew them
selves that they were not, and yet
acting upon your purely ministerial
authority you allowed it and issued
them warrants for it, Can it be pos
sible that you are attempting to use
the Criminal Court to advance your
political fortunes.
Again. you have been paying certain
Jail fees every month that the County
Attorney has given you an opinion on
as being illegal, fees that are not al
lowed by the Comptroller for the
State. Do you pay these in your min
isterial capacity?
You made a contract to have the
new court house floor and closet re-
paired You paid the contractor
S199.8O for the job Who passed upon
this account?
Was it presented to the court for al
lowance? Were the details of this work
You make contracts for
the county, have bridges painted and
repaired, public buildings repaired,
buy books, stationery and disinfec-
tants. etc, issue your warrant for
same without ever submitting them to
the court for allowance Is this the
purely ministerial part of the office?
Until the last Legislature you were
chairman of the County Road Board
and was as a member, responsible for
their acts. AS a matter of public pol
lev YOU were removed from that board,
and now you come and seek to shift
the entire responsibility upon them.
Can you explain to the people how
the expenses of this county for one
year increased from 40 to 81 thousand
dollars Is there any other explana-
ton to offer, save the statement that
| made (Which you did not answer)
that taxes must be raised, bonds is
sued. or county warrants go below
par? You are today borrowing money
Illegally in order to keep your war
rants at mar. In this connection
want to say that the Revenue Commits
sioners. ]. Shelby Coffey and w. J.
Fowler, duly elected by the County
Court made out and had printed
statement of the outstanding indebted
ness of the county at the adjourned
Term of County Court. That this re-
port was submitted to Judge Gordon
"a printed copy of which | have), and
when same was called for by one OF
he magistrates before court adj
iourned, that Judge Gordon stated to
he Court that on account of the abb
,ence of Mr.. Turner (the other Com
nissioner) the report was not ready.
ask the question. is this part OF
the evidence he decided to exclude
rom the "Jury" before whom he says
he is being tried, before they pass on
his guilt or innocence? Does he want
The people of Maury county to know
hat the outstanding lnueDteuhess 10
,45 thousand dollars, that he has Dor
-owed some 40 thousand dollars to pay
expenses, and has only 30 thousand to
oay It back with, and pay this years
expenses, before they appear at the
ballot box to give him that majority
hat will make a run-off unnecessary?
Is II a probable or possible conclu-
sion that the County Judge OF this
county is using his high prerogative
o deceive the people, to be reelected
o the office which he has filled with
such profound and marked ability. re-
lecting credit of so high an order up
IN himself and his constituency?
Judge Gordon is appealing, in some