The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1913-07-25
|GRAFTERS IN
STATE MAIN
SUBJECT
PEOPLE OF MISSISSIPPI ARE DIS
CUSSING THIEVES
THESE DAYS.
NUMEROUS DISCLOSURES
Revelations Inaugurated When
Governor Brewer Started In
vestigating Prevailing
Rumors.
NUMEROUS DISCLOSURES

| jackson, and the state of Mississippi
tor that matter, are not talking about
anything these days but grating,
thieves, rogues, ETC., and that is not
at all surprising in view of the dis
closures Of the past few weeks, and
the promises of the investigators
that there are Others"
The governor of the state lnaugu-
rated the investigation of the affairs
Of the pententiary several months
ago. 1t had been charged that the
grafters were flourishing, and that
the state had been robbed of many
thousands of dollars on account Of
the sales of state cotton. Governor
Brewer took the matter up and an
nounced that he had heard such
charges before, and was going to see
if there was anything in the rurnors,
He called on the trustees of the PEN
itentiary to assist him in the work,
but they refused to do so, and when
the governor expressed his surprise
and criticised them for their unWill-
ingness to assist him they got mad
about it, said he was rejecting on
their honor and entered suit against
him for s30O,00O. That was after
wards reduced to $500, ,000, Colonel
Taylor, one of the trustees, having
declined to join his associates in any
such suits.
WANTED TO KNOW TRUTH
He stated at the time that if there
had been any grating he did not
know it, and wanted to find out the
truth. The board refused to cons
tribute to the expenses of the ins
yestigation, and Governor Brewer
went it alone. 1t was given out
during the special session OF the
that Governor Brewer had |
spent $4,000 of his own
money in running down the penr
tentiary grafters, and that he was
lot done. The legislature was i'm
,ressed with the good work he had
done and placed another $4,000 at
bis disposal with which TO continue
he work.
The board Of trustees had stated
hey had no funds at their disposal
o help pay for such investigation,
,ut they finally voted to employ two
,r three accountants at SO per day
ZACH. That was May IS, and they |
ire still at work on the books doing
the same work the gover-
lor's accountants did several months
lgo, it is charged.
The governor has got many results
0 show for his work, but so far has
lot been able to show that Boyce
md Company have defrauded the
tate, as has been charged. He and
us detectives charged that the state
las been robbed of a quarter OF a
million dollars on false weights and
ase gradings of cotton, but they
ave been unable so far to prove
heir charge.
But the probe that was inserted
fter the alleged cotton frauds has
urned out little of everything else.
rhe governor was not after Lawrence
ierger, the secretary OF the FH'on
,oard, but he happened toget caught
n the drag-net, and was forced to-
.onfess to a shortage of more than
80 900 and has been sent up for ten
,ears. The governor declares ferger
rad accomplices in his steals. but
(erger says rot and sticks TO it, and
he state has failed TO fasten the
.rines he has admitted on any other
,ersons as accessories. 1t is stated
hat tie books kept by ferger show
shortage of more than $50, 600, and
ew here believe he ever got thai