The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-31
AUDITOR REPLIES
TO CRITIC|SM S
Judge Dew Issues Statement
Regarding Appointment of
Bookkeeper.

Second Auditor John G. Dew yester-
day issued the following statement re-
garding tho criticisms of his official
conduct made by the Joint Auditing
in it's report to the Governor:
whilst / neither seek nor desire to
be drawn into n newspaper controversy
IN regard to any legitimate criticism
| the report of the Auditing Committee
| of the Legislature of Virginia, which
| was published In your paper of yes
| terday. is misleading and unfair. not
| to say unjust, in its criticism of the
| Office of Second Auditor of Virginia.
| have been urged by friends to make
a plain statement of the facts. so that
| the public may decide II there has been
| which would justify such severe criti-
| cism at the hands of the committee.
| Has Sole Right.
| "The appointment of clerks in every
| department Is the sole prerogatlvo OF
! the head of each. and he of all others
| the best and most efficient service,
| which the appropriation given the Of
| flee will afford. The office had been,
! up to the last session of the Lcgisla
| ture, provided with four clerks, viz,
| first clerk, at a salary Of $500; sec
| ond clerk, $1,000, and two other clerks,
| at $1,000 each.
\ TT was as much as this small force
/ COulu 90 10 II SCNdtSp inc udiIy
| work of the Office and make proper en-
| tries on the subsidiary books CARRYING
I accounts of the various funds admin.
| istered in the office. The work GS the
Office has greatly increased, In lager
| ratio perhaps than the cost of living.
| The clerical force has done excellent
| work, observed longer hours 2han
| those prescribed by law. and has been
paid eom5paratively small salaries. |
years ago of having q general book
| keeper for the office, so that all the
/ accounts and transactions of the office
| might be carried on one general ledger.
and sought an appropriation therefor
at the hands OF the Legislature.
| Accountant Engaged.
I'm anticipation of the last leEisla
| tive term. and upon the urgent recon-.
/, mendation of the Auditing Committee
and the accountant employed by the
| committee, the Governor engaged the
said accountant with the aid of an
expert bookkeeper. to open the neces :
| sary books to carry all the accounts of
| the several funds under the control OF
the Second Auditor. with the hope and
expectation that provision would be
made by the Legislature at the APP
preaching session, for an appropriation alto.
keeper in said Office.
"The Senate Finance Committee con-
i sidered the proposition in advance of
the Legislative session, and, after in
! least amount that would be necessary
to engage the service of such book
appropriation bill was passed 1T car
ried an appropriation for only sl,soo
for the salary of a bookkeeper In the
office of Second Auditor, When the
!, suited suited With the bookkeeper who
opened up the books and installed the
new system, and the most expert
bookkeeper of whom I knew, aud he
IL 1,,tr 4 ltN
appointment of Mr. Marshall, who was
a good accountant, Thoroughly ac-
. quainted with the records Of the, offlce
and the several funds handled IN the
self under the instructions of the
special bookkeeper who opened the
books, and set UP the several accounts
as to the bookkeeping feature OF , the
I with and aid him at any time it might
be desired
Appointed Bookkeepcr.
Under those circumstances, Mr.. Mar
shall resigned his clerkship and | ap-
pointed him hookkeeper with the sal
airy as provided under the appropria-
ton. bill OF S1.soo, upon which basis
he has, been regularly paid, and no
any other use or purpose, The other
clerks were designated at the salaries
attached to same. The next clerk he !, !.
ling to that position. In selecting a
fourth clerk ! was fortunate In tinding
one who is also good stenographer.
which adds materially to his efficiency,
and at the same time saves the ex
pense OF special stencgrapher. which
Is now regarded as Indispensable In
every public as well as private ofilee,
From the foregoing 1t will readily
be seen that there has been no diver
sion of funds for the purpose OF in
creasing salaries, and no appointment
without authority of law" But on the
contrary, the spirit as we'll as the LETT
ter of the appropriation act have been
/ followed, and the sequence has shown
that the work of the office has been
i promptly and efficiently discharged.
and mp to the present time have had
4 no occasion to doubt this wisdom of
the selections made"
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One Man shoots Another.
Especial to The Times pispatch.J
frr- y &IN.>,, trv1.