The Van Buren press., 1912-09-21

spirited official correspondence which
has up to The present time escaped
the attention Of the public.
Mr. Griffin ou August addressed a
communication to GOV. Donaghey, ten,
dering through him his resignation,
and giving at length his reasons
therefor The principal count was
that David \. Gates, one OF the COM
missioners, had forced him and the
secretary a. c. Martineau, to agree to
pay out Of their salaries SiO0 for the
payment of a salary 10 his son,
Stanley NJ. Gates. This, he declared,
appeared to him the yilest species Of
graft" which ne believed to be act
ionable under The laws of the state
August 3. on the eve of his de
parture for Seagirt. Gov Donaghey
replied briefly that he had no jurisdic-
ton in the matter, adding: AS
chief executive of the state it is my
duty to see as far as possible, that
every one gets a fair deal My iuier-
est in ali matters is, first to see that
the state gets a square deal and
second, that all individuals and en-
ployes are treated fairly
Governor Oisappoints Griffin.
In reply, Mr. Griffin says that the
governors letter is a very grave
disappointment to him He said his
statement had been made as an offc-
ial and not as a mere individual and
that as such he had expected an ad.
iustment of the matters q now say
frankly, said he in conclusion, that
there is only one course left open for
me and that is an appeal to the
public"
The next chapter was written by
Commissioner Gates August 6, when
he addressed a communication COW
ering thirteen typewriter pages, to
the governor, going into detail in eX-
planation of the transaction OF which
Mr.. Griffin had complained, and as
serting that Mr.. Griffin was thorough
ly inefficient, incompetent and un-
trustworthy in a clerical capacity
Mr. Gates concluded with the fol-
lowing:
There are two acts Of mine con
nected with Griffin's employment by
the commission for which | ought to
be censured, First, | should not have
fn n inn hp
believing him to be incompetent, and
second, | should not have consented
to his continuing in the employ Of
the state after it was demonstrated
that he was wholly incompetent and
could not az clerk earn ten per
cent Of the salary the state was pay.
ing him"
MIR. Griffin's Grievance.
Going more into detail as to his
grievances, to the end that he "mght
appeal to the masses Of his fellow
countrymen OF Arkansas for iusitIca.
tion,' Mr., Griffin says the cIerkship
was rendered him i'm January l9ll,
without his solicitation, and THAI he
was assured II he would withdraw
from the race for chief clerk Of The
house, and accept It, the position
would be permanent at least through
the administration. The salary was
then 800 per month, which the leg.
islature then in session raised to $50,
The governor vetoed the item in the
appropriation for the stonographer's
salary. Griffin alleges that .CommIs.
/ s,oncr Gates complained that the
| commission must have stenograph.
err ana that the raises made by the
| legislature in the salaries Of secre.
/ lary and clerk were excessive, and
that ne further made the demand
that the secretary and the CLERK
would have to make good the salary
Of the stenographcr for five months
at 500 o month"; Griffin further
alleges that Gates demanded tha, ne
| and Nartineau should pay his son $
| NJ, Gates, out Of their salaries, $500
for five months work, which would
, enable the commission to employ the
necessary stcnographer. They finally
agreed to furnish $500, the other 500
to be raised ON rebates on mileage
| credentials, They hoped the loEIsla.
uro would refund this amount TO
them, The banks refused to help
them, as the Commission would not
guarantee the claims Griffin paid,
according to his statement $3.50,
and M0rtncau S20o
Demands Were HumIllatlna
"ThIa loo u balance OF NiG50,"
says Griffin, "thot | am yet supposed
TO puy into the contingent fund "
the commission 10 make good the
amount drawn tbororrom which was
paid to the stonograpbor after we
/ had accepted the conditions OF the
demands This YOU must appreciate
has been very humlllHlmg and calcu.
lated to render ono UNFIT for the best
Of service, yet with all lha, ! have
/ tried to do my duty ot all times and
/ with that ubmiHslyouow that Dolt
/ q subordinate should respect hig aus
/ porlors and lU connection wIDh all
agreements with the facts above stat
/ Dl and acting under the belief chat
everything would roma.u as they
. vuro and In order chat mlubl ron.
der tNo best service commemorate
/ With my ability and experience I
mudo % WoufIou and old wN homo I'm
/ Conway nat October moved mv Dm.
/ fly hero whore lt would rive mo ul'
Ihn advantage possible in performing
. o. services CHAT was expected of mo,
pud Jo which mNu devoted my time
ta required under wN oath 10 DO,