The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-11-05
Entered Into Contract

"On May IT, Colonel Bowman entered into contract with A.. A. Gambill In which 1t was agreed that Gambill was to have the active control and man agenenr of tho county tax commis- sioner's office. There is no reserya- ton of powers by the county tax com missioner, but the whole office was placed under the control of Mir. Gam Dill. In the latter clause of said con tract is the following remarkable statement: It Is further agreed by both the parties to this contract that the party of the second part (GambilD de- vote as much of his time to the con- duct of the business in the office of the county tax commissioner as in his (Gambil) Judgment may seem meet and proper for the proper conduct of said business, It is remarkable, to say the least, that subordinate should be placed in absolute control and manage ment of an office and then be given a license to say what amount of time he should devote to the office
 Tn addition to that, on the 4th day of August, 1911, P. G. Bowman executed a power of attorney to said Gambil which is set out in full in the testimony of Gambill, and in that power of at- torneys are the following words: q dos hereby grant unto my said attorney full power and authority to do the acts neces- sary and proper to be done in or in con- nection with the office of county tax com- missioner of Jefferson county care full construing of the contract and the power of attorney will show that this office passed absolutely into the posses sion of A. A. Gambill, and the only reser- vation of powers whatsoever Is the fol- lowing: Though in the conduct of the business of the office, the party of the second part (GambilD Is to consult with the party of the first part in reference to the general policy of the office, But with that in the contract 1t appears to be clear that Colonel Bown. reserved no control over the office
 Note to GambilI
 "On the 27th day of May $onel Bow man executed to Gambill aAs0te for $25oo, payable on the 2Ith day of November, 1912, with interest at per cent, and on the same day he executed an order to A. A. Gambil ITO collect and retain out of my commissions as tax collector for said county the sum of $2500 with per cent interest thereon for the purpose of payment of my said note This trans action passed to Gambill the absolute con- trol, management and the emoluments of said office up to an amount Of $2500 with 8 per cent interest thereon.
 ''I have investigated the various rumors as to other monetary considerations, and find that mos, likely these rumors grew mt of the following transaction: On May 6. 1s1l the American Trust and Savings bank took over the Peoples Savings Bank and Trust company. Among other papers that they took over in that transaction was one from Gambll to the Peoples Savings Bank and Trust company for s1O SOO The date of the original paper I have not been able to obtain. It was renewed on May 8. 1911, and on August 4 1911, 1t was again renewed by the pay ment of 5000 on the principle and reduced to sSs00 The collateral to secure this note is certificate No. II for 90 shares of the Moore Gambill Real Estate & Insurance company stock, and the date of the cer- tifcate is March 23. 1910. This paper is still the property of the owners of the old Peoples Savings Bank and Trust com pany, and is merely in tine possession of the American Trust and Savings bank for collection Nnd liquidation under the con- tract by which said bank and it's securi- ties were taken over.
 Another Note Given
 'In August there was also q note givsn to the First National bank for Si5O0, which note was indorsed by R. D. Burnett. On the day that this note was discounted about $500 was paid on check of said Gambill to Burnett. so50O was drawn out by Gambill in cash, and 5000 was applied to the nayment of past due paper held by that bank This accounts fully for all transactions of q financial nature that runor has connected with the disposi- ton of the tax commissioners office.
 "The most serious development in this examination is the fact if the testimony of tho witnesses can be be- lieved, that a systematic effort was made to have people let their property :
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