The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1912-03-23

employed by the county on the roads
padded their accounts and wrongfully
obtained large sums of money on such
fraudulent reports. We deplore the
existence of system which makes
such frauds possible. In proper cases
we have found indictments, and, in ad-
dition to these indictments, we desire
to say that the whole system has bsen
mism anaged, resulting, in our opinion,
in.great financial loss to the county of
Hancock. We are also informed that
the county property is used for pri-
vate purposes, which is wrong and
should be investigated.
We think that in the future the Board
OF Supervisors should not in any case
turn over the money due laborers to
any person other than the laborers
themselves. Warrants should be drawn
to the employees themselves and given
to them in person. In the past, the
whole payroll seems to have been
turned over to foremen of gangs, and,
while the laborers seem. to have OBJ
tanned from these foremen the money
due them, yet the county has been de-
frauded by virtue of the payrolls, and
reports have been padded, and the FORE
men seem to have put the difference
IN their pockets. We do not intend by
these expressions to condemn all per-
sons connected with the working of
the public roads, but the instances of
fraud and mismanagement have been
80 glaring as to deserve an expression
OF disapproval of this grand jury.
We are of the opinion that the adop-
ton OF the system of letting the pub
lie roads out on contracts would Weld
better results to the county. Under
the present system too many important
matters are left to the discretion and re-
sponsibility of individuals who are no
bonded and obligated to the faithful
performance of their duties. Necessa-
rily, in our opinion, the Board of Su-
pervisors cannot, when the amount of
pay which they receive aud the limited
scope OF their authority is taken into
consideration, properly look after the
working OF SO extensive system as the
general care of the public roads under
the present arrangement. If the work
is conhded to bonded contractors who
are only paid when the work is actually
performed according to contract, and
then only after inspection and accent
ance of such work, the opportunity for
fraud is far less than with the present
system, when the matter of working the
roads is submitted to unbonded indi-
viduals, and who are paid salaries for
the time put in, and not for the WORT,
actually performed according to a re-
quired standard. If there shouId hs
fraud under the contract system, the
loss would then fall on the contractor
who has permitted it, and not on tba
county under the present ARRANGEMENT
In our opinion, the continuance Of the
present system of working the roads viii
resultin the financial ruin of the CONN,
We have inspected the iail of tSe
county and found same well kent snd
cleanly. However, we do NOT tb;nI
that the lall "a safe for the keeping of
dangerous criminals.
We have inspected the books n :. ar
various county officers and four : s,1as sns
correct and well kept, SO far a.s - o,,r Saine ~
vestigation disclosed. uA AZ
In conclusion, We beg to sb.np tha
court and the various ocSanty officers for
Ine coureeous treatnAe1t and assistance.
ano now, naylNS reported our labors.
Respectfully submitted this 18th a.u
Of March, 1912. - Aosn uas
RAYFQRD MURPHY.
Foreman