Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1910-11-26
NIXON EMPLOYS
 AN ACCOUNTANT To Audit the Books of Past and Present County
 Officials. PHILPOT WON'T ACT Prosecutor Will Pay Him Out cf His Own POcket-Houstoi. Texas,
 Man Selected.
PHILPOT WON'T ACT

ACtIA6 iN dCCOiud9lCe With a reSOiu- tion, adopted by the Jefferson Coun- ty Leyying Court at it's meeting on October 3 authorizing him to employ all expert accountant to audit the looks of the various county officials and appropriating $2,500 for that purpose, with view to ascertaining if any of the past or present county office holders are indebted to Jefferson county in fees in excess of the sal aries allowed them by law, Prescott. ing Attorney T. Hav;s Nixon, at whose solicitation the resolution was adopted, yesterday contracted with F.. J. Huey, of Houston Texas, an ex- pert accountant, to- do the work. The contract was drawn up by Prose- cutor Nixon after conference was held with County Judge c. M. Phil pot, who was requested by the Prose- cutting Attorney to employ the expert accountant and enter into a contract with him for the work outlined.
 Judge Philpot declined to enter in- to contract with any expert ac- countant. He said that the resolu- tion of the County Levying court au- thorized Prosecuting Attorney Nixon to contract for such work; that he advised him to go ahead with the in- n1o if his account is filed and is found to be legal, he will allow it. He said that Mir. Nixon wanted him to make contract with a man whom he wanted.
 Judge Philpot said that the law provides for the appointment of com missioners of accounts for the pur- pose of auditing the county records, by the circuit judge, but does not say anything about the county judge be- ing authorized to employ an expert accountant for that purpose.
 T referred MT. Nixon to Judge Grace, and when I received his let ter the other day I submitted it to Judge Grace and asked an opinion on the matter. Judge Grace told me what he had told MT. Nixon some days ago, declaring that the circuit court alone was given the authority to employ men for that purpose out lined by MT. Nixon"
 Prosecuting Attorney Nixon declar- ed in his campaign several months ago, when candidate for prosecut- ing attorney of the Eleventh Judi- cial district, that if elected he would compel every county official past and present, to return whatever mon- ey they had collected from the coun- ty in excess of the fees allowed by law. Since his election he has been making arrangements with ex- pert accountants from other cities to come here and bid on the work, first securing an appropriation from the County Levy;ng Court for that pur- pose. Four expert accountants were called here, to arrive yesterday, but only one, MT. Huey, put in an ap- pearance. The others were unavoid- ably detained, but wired that they would come here today.
 The contract entered into by Prose. cutor Nixon, with Huey, is to the eff feet that he will personally guarantee to the accountant; that if for any reason. he is not paid by the county for his services. he Nixon, will Ter sonally pay for his services. MT. Huey stated yesterday that he will begin the work here about January 1.
 On November 16, Prosecuting Alt torney addressed the following let ter to County Judge c. M. Philpot:
 My Dear Sir:-I have arranged to have present at my office on the 25th day of this month the personal rep