The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-12-23
Commissions Paid From
Miller Fund to Be
Returned.
is E XO.N E r A TED
FROM w ROMG DOING
Board Believes Second Auditor
Thought Amount Was Due
Hin1-Bird Elected Superin-
tendent Over Protest Of At
torney-G General Williams.
Collect Old Fines.

Ending a long fight to secure resti-
| tuition of funds satd TO have been IL
| illegally paid TO Second Auditor John g
Dew, the members of the State Boarc
OF Education. sitting last night as the
Board of the Miller Fund, adopted a
resolution directing Judge Dew to re.
turn the sum OF $50, which he had
secured in payment OF commission
for tho marketing of certain bonds
Demand for the return of this money
was made before the board at a meet
ing held on March 20 last. BY Judge
John II. White, OF Charlottesville, who
read an earnest and even impassioned
plea for such action He set forth that
certain bonds belonging to the Miller
Fund had been sold and certain other
bonds purchased. This work was dome
by second Auditor Dew. who, under
the terms of Mr.. Miiler's will. is secre-
tary 10 the board, whose members are
Identical with those of the State Board
OF Education.
Gave Him Commission.
Upon completion of the task, the
board voted Judge Dew $3.50 IN COM
missions He stated at the meeting
last March that had the work been
done by brokers the cost to the Miller
fund would have been something like
SO. 600. and that he saved 1t this
amount
Further, 1t appeared that in tho
transaction there was further sum of
$500. which Judge White said had been
improperly transferred from the in
come account TO the Investment ac-
count He asked that this be returned
10 the income account.
a committee was thereupon appoint
ed frcm the board composed OF Coz
ernor Mann, Attorney-General VII
liams and NJ NJ. Lynch, OF Win
chester, to examine into the matter anu ana
make report later. The matter mas
dragged along until last night, when
the committee made its report.
without Authority.
IT sets forth that the action of the
board of December is, 1907. when a
commission OF $3.50 was ordered paid to
Judge Dew. was without authority.
Further. that lnasmuch as the Second
Auditor had right to rely on the
boards action and had made eApendi-
lures based on IT, no interest should
be charged him on the amount he had
received Continuing, the report says
that IL has been found that Judge Dew
has paid $3.50 into the fund, for which
he is entitled to credit.
Therefore i, is directed that he pay
into the Miller fund the sum of $500,
without interest; that this sum so to
the income account, and that Judge
Dew sell $500 of the Lynchburg bonds
held By the Miller Manual School and
pay this sum also to the income ac-
count. so as to reimburse this part of
the fund by the total of s1,4lS.25.
Concluding, the report says that
- 81, ion
which affects the integrity of Judge
Dew. in whom the board has entire
confidence The order of December IS,
1907, is declared to be q mistake, due
to the honest belief of the Second Aud
itor that he was entitled TO the amount
which was paid him.
OHered to Refund.
1t is we'll known that Judge Dew has
time and time again said that he would
return the sum at any time upon de-
mand OF the board.
Over the protest of Attorney General
Samuel w. Williams, Hugh S. Bird was
elected division superintendent OF the
public schools of Fredericksburg by the
State Board OF Education. His resig-
nation as superintendent for James
CITY county and Williamsburg was ac-
cepted. Judge Williams voted against
Mr.. Bird for the reason tha. he disap-
proves the principle of having any one
occupy the double position of superin-
tendent and principal, which latter Of
flee Mr.. Bird holds in Fredericksburg.
Judge Williams said that this was un-
desirable. In cases where the division
is not large enough to have a superin-
tendent, he would consolidate 1t with
some other county or counties.
A resolution offered by Judge Will
II adnpta5 anfboriZiper the Sill
perintendent of Public Instruction,
with the advice of the Attorney-Gen-
eral, to place in the hands of local at
torneys throughout the State for col
lection the old fines due the Literary
Fund. This is not to apply to fines
accrued during the terms of any Com
wcalth's attorneys now in office, for
they are supposed to collect these
amounts 1t is hoped in this way to
add to the school funds by large
amounts collected from sources which
have been regarded as hopeless.
Mr.. Munford's Book.
The board adopted the work of the
late b. b. Munford, "Virginia's Atti
tude Toward Slavery and Secession,
for supplementary use in high schools.
1t also adopted Carpenters English
Grammar for use in the third and
fourth years in high schools. AT the
recent adoption this contract was given
to Buhler's Grammar but the publish
ers would not make contract, having
several objections. Carpenters is pub
lished by the Macmillan Company. and
sells for 60 cents retail. with 80 cents
exchange.
The board then adjourned to meet at o
O'Clock to-day, The other vacancies In
division superintendent We're not
takea UP.
All the members are present--Gov-
ernor Mann, superintendent of Public
instruction j. D. Eggleston. Jr,, Attor-
Samuel w. Williams, DIR.
j. NJ Page, of the University of Yir-
ginia; DR., j, L. Jarman. of the State
Female Normal School, at Farmville;
Colonel N. r. Tucker, of the Virginia
Military Institute, Professor $. Rhea
of Bristol, and M M. Lynch,
of Winchester. with Secretary r. G.
rpoa r,