The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1914-02-05
SECRETARY OF COMMITTEE IN
vEsTIeATiNe BREWERS Ac-
TIvITIEs REPORTS LOSS.
DETECTIVE WILL Be EMPLOYED
Governor Suggests That Best Method
to Find Thief Would Be To Hire
Will Try to Devise Plan.

Jackson, Miss, Feb. 5.-Representa- |
tive s. M. Nabors, secretary of the
joint committee Of the legislature
which is conducting an investigation
Of Governor Brewers activities into
ferreting out alleged Irregularities in
the states penitentiary system, made
a statement before the committee
Wednesday charging that his desk in
the capitol had been riied during the
night and important papers and docu-
| ments bearing upon the investigation
stolen. 1t is likely that the theft will
Ibe made the subject Of another legis-
llative investigation.
committee, declared that when the
committee recessed Tuesday night at
$50 o'clock he went from the COM
mittee room, which is the office of
Lieutenant Governor Bilbo, to his
desk in the hall of representatives.
Later he came down in the elevator
| Will II. n. It dSdu anu OCudtoi w lthClo.
NJ. Pagan. expert accountant and
special agent OF Governor Brewer in
the penitentiary investigation, had
been a witness before the committee
up to the hour of adjournment Tues
day night.
Continuing his statement, Mr.. Ma
bors said:
Senator Withers, Mr.. Pagan and
myself went from the capitol down the
street and we parted at S. J. Johnsons
corner I went to my room. On re-
turning to the capitol this morning,
and after the house had been in ses-
sion for some time, | unlocked my
desk to put book in there, which
was public record, an official report
of the banking laws of Oklahoma,
which had been handed to me by SEN
ator Taylor. l discovered that there
were some papers and the secretary's
book missing from my desk.
Mr.. Norwood-You mean the secre-
tary of this committee?
Mr.. Nabors-Yes, sir; the secretary
of this committee. The book contain
ing all proceedings of this committee,
with the correspondence had with your
secretary and parties who had been
summoned before this committee,
copies of almost all of the subpoeneas
issued, including the subpoena for Mr..
Lehon, manager of Burns Detective
Agency, New Orleans; subpoena for
the document paper in his possession
concerning the penitentiary investiga-
tion, and so on; also copy of the sub.
poena to T. M. Harrell, of New Or.
, leans. summoned these two gentle
men and sent the papers and docu
ments by registered letter"
Name Slips Are Taken.
"In the book was letter from S. H
Rubel. of Corinth, in which DR.. Rubel
stated positively that the evidence he
gave before the committee was the
whole truth to the best of his knowl
edge. There was also a communica
tion from Rev. ]. D. Ellis, who hat
: testified before the committee. In thi
communication Mr.. Ellis referred t,
the bitter attack made on him by Dr
]. C. Gathings. He wished to have thi
read into the record, as l had mad
S mention to the committee Of the fac
that I wished to have the two letter
e read into the record.
There was in the secretarys boo
r copy of testimony given by Cove
e nor Brewer and Mr.. Lehon before tn
investigating committee which was al
e pointed in June. There were tn
l. names of several parties on slips {
1t paper In the book who would hav
5 been summoned; also some letters
20 the desk containing Information.
"All of these-books, papers and le
ters Of information-I found on ope
. ing my desk this morning had bee
. stolen by some sneaking. undermine
. thief. Now, gentlemen, that's the CO
. dition of affairs"
. Following his statement, Mr.. Nabo
= asked that the boys who clean up Il
~, tContinued on Page Eight