The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-03-16
OFFICIALS REGRET
CHANGE IN THE LAW

Officials at the capitol today were de-
ploring the fact that the laws regulating
the convict department had been SO
amended as to provide for quarterly re-
turns to the state auditor, rather than
daily payments of all moneys turned i'll
to the office. as was the custom prior
to 1907
Prior to 1907 the code provided that
the president of the convict board should
make daily returns to the auditor OF all
moneys received by the department. This
law was amended in February. 1907 so
as to provide for quarterly returns on
the part of the convict department. thus
enabling large sums of money to accu-
mulate before being turned over to the
treasurer. 1t has been pointed out that
it would have been impossible for the
state to have lost 50 large a sum of
money as that which Lacy secured had
the old law been in effect.
Chauffeurs Examined
The investigation of the governor today
lead to an examination of four chauffeurs,
bartender and several persons who were
seen in Lacy's company Wednesday aft
ernoon and evening. The dispositions of
each of these persons was taken by Maj.
r. Il. Steiner, of the firm of Steiner,
Crum & We'll, special attorneys employed
by the governor to represent the state in
the embezzlement case.
In addition to the investigation which
the governor. attorney general and spe-
cial counsel are making, detective agen-
cies in all parts of the country have been
notified of the disappearance of Lacy,
and special Burns Detective agency
sleuth has been employed to run to earth
the fugitive from justice. CHIEF OF Police
w. H. TAYLOR of Montgomery and the en-
tire police force of the city have been
making a diigent investigation for the
past three days. examining every possi-
BILE clue, and bending every energy to ap-
prehend the man who is supposed to have
embezzled about $1500t0 of the states
money during the last two years. So far
the police force of Montgomery has OBJ
tained no clue Chief of Police Taylor
was closeted with Governor O'Neal for
an hour Saturday morning.
All Examiners at Work
Every state examiner of public ac-
counts has been put to work by Gov
ernor O'Neal in an effort TO ascer-
tain the exact amount of the shortage
IN the convict department. In order
to arrive at the correct amount the
examiners have been sent to the var1-
Gus mines and camps from which the
state has been accustomed to receive
revenue. 1t is the purpose of the gov
several years, which will carry the
investigation back into the previous
administration.
chief Examiner of Public Accounts
Charles e. Mccall will remain in Mont
gomeryA during the investigation Of tho
various mines and lumber camps and
will hive general supervision over the
entire examination. The investigation
NAV continue several weeks and 1t is
unlikely that tho full report of the
shortage will be filed with the gov
ernor before the first q the month.
Paid Checks Received y Governor
Governor O'Neal Sat'A lay received
the cancelled checks for $29.000 from
the cotton firm of Good. Reid & Co..
If cincinnati. This amount represent
ed the first real discrepancy which
was ascertained in the books of the
convict department reported to the
governor by Examiner Frank " Evans
on last Tuesday morning.
Examiner Evans filed his report on the