The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1910-05-27
GOV N0fL'S En-
PhAIIC RfJOlNDER

uses Pla,a Essllsl u tse ssply = tns
sasl.sstisaA-
Governor Noel today made : very
emphatic rejoinder to the insinuations
q ex-0ov. yardaman, editer Of sThe
Issue" and his substitute writer, Dr..
Frank HAllam. that tho contingent lind
vouchers, ~concerning which thsre has
been : ereat deal Of discussion recent
". YER purposely removed from the
executive once.
'sThs Issue" practically charged that
Gov. Noel hSd STOLEN the papers, and In
reply tAepeto CIV. Noel ussa roma salty
and strsightforw.rd language. His au-
thorixed interview II - follows,
sDaring the latter part Of tho re-
cent legislature . joint resolution was
adopted, directing one Of the standing
Joint cnuaMittees HpoA whom that duty
rested, to make invsstisntion and ~
port Of expenditures at tho executive
contingent fund, made during my I'D
wipstation and that Of my predecessor.
Until after its adoption Ay the hopae, I
had never heard Of the resolution,
which was framed, / was told, - ; sub
s~titute, by one Of Governor vardaman's
supporters,a legislator OF high char
acter. As had always invited rigid
scrutiny Of my Official conduct, / neith-
~ felt. nor expressed any dissatisfac-
tion at the measure.
sThe committee and Mr.. 9. 4. Moore.
the expert accountant, whom they en-
ployed, vera referred for any ipforma-
tion not clearly developed by the item-
ICED acpoants which / had previously
submitted to the legislature, to Mr.. W.
]. Buck, who had beea the private Sec
rotary throughout my administration
and during the last IA months Of that
| OF my predecessor. At the same time,
l told the committee was ready, at
any time, to 60 before them as to any
matter.
"After several weeks Of dilligent
probing and the taking down by stem
ographers of my testimony, hat Of Mr..
]. K. vardaman, MI. W. J. Buck and
other witnesses, nothing va found
against my conduct o accounts except
one mistake by which the state gained
p at my expense.
nu--- 49, A~>I ~kA -3Ah A.
original memoranda thereon, showing
the explanation, or failure Of explanar
tion, Of the parposes for which e<ecu-
tive contineent funds were dFawn, from
Governor stones administration till
that time. wa then, and IL now in the
Office and custody OF the governors
private secretary; sud also, - Nh
Buck then testified, without contradic.
tion, every single voucher that was left
there by my predecessor. During my
term the whereabouts Of these vouch.
ers which were kept In ono Or more ei
the hundreds Of receptacles for papers
in the private secretary's Office, some 81
which he kept locked with NO key az.
cept in his possession, were unknown
to anyone connected with the Office. ex.
cept Mr.. Buck. into whose exclusive
custody they were kept until he listed
and delivered them to the expert &C.
countant Of tho committee, G.. ]. Moore
sMy predecessor warmly commended
the yeteptjon Of Mr.. w. J.. Buck. - pri
vate secretary, d~eclsring to me, thai
Mi. Buck. was. ss I found him to be, il
every respect efficient, honorable ana
absolutely trustworthy; and such va,
, the verdict OF the people OF Jackso,
about ten days ago. when Mr.. Buck wa
given much the largest vote Of any can
; didate for alderman at large, In an cleo
tion in which partisan and factiona
feeling ran high.
"The report Of the committee tina
investigated this whole question, viii
a verbatim s~tstcHeat Of each witness
: covering every phase Of the subject
/, the two factions being equally repre-
: scented On the committee, is nov in tn
!. hands Of the public printer, and vii
. ON1A - 81 0S0Ay ANWAU 0OWoO 00A DC
cessible to every citizen, and viii shoy
nm informed, that Nj, ]. K. Yarda
man. testified:
81 didn't take any vouchers. It W.
not necessary to take vouchers. TIL
, law gave me the right to spend tn
money, and I could have spent It hunt
ing h~ook-worms, il l had desired to d
20
AWhea . msn who was published
year Or 70 ago Throughout tho Union .
being IN St Louis, by menta