The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1914-05-20
State Auditor Tells Governor
Department of Justice
Is Short
APPROPRIATION OF
S35O,OOO NEARLY GONE

S~~S ~'~O~S
tectives' Services.
BURLINGTON, May 20.-Gov. Allen
NJ. Fletcher fter-considering letter
from State Auditor Horace f. Graham
in which the latter calls attention to
the fact that the appropriation for the
of justice is practically
exhausted and asks for the authorize
ton of a special fund as provided by
statute, decided today that he is un-
willing to authorize the appropriation
as requested but he will authorize the
payment of salaries already accrued
for the judges of the Supreme court,
Superior judges, judges of Municipal
courts, justices of the peace, sherlhs,
states attorneys, judges of Probate,
the attorney general and the five state
paid grand jurors, all of whom are /
paid quarterly and whose salaries are
due June /. (
He will further authorize the pay
ment of bills of costs in Municipal |
courts, Justice courts and bills for the
board of Jail prisoners from the emer- |
gency fund. He will not allow the use
of this fund for the Supreme court for
the balance of the year or for de |
tective services or for the County
courts.
The correspondence between the gov
ernor and state auditor follows:-
Auditor Graham's Letter.
Montpelier, May 10, 1914.
ITO Hon. Allen NJ. Fletcher, Proctors
Vile:
I
tion to the fact that there was avail
| able at the close of business on May
! - for the support of the administra-
| tIOn of Justice So, S9S.U2.
| 1.-The balance Will not be sufficient
to carry the department to the close of
the fiscal year, July l, next, as the
| salaries and expense accounts of the
| justices Of the Supreme court, Superior
judges, judges OF Probate, state 5 at
torneys, sheritfs, Municipal judges and
| other officers will become due June /
| and also the expenses of the June
terms of court. There Is ample money
! in the treasury for these purposes but
it has not been appropriated.
The appropriation for this depart
ment was made by Section 10 of No.
30 of the Acts of 1912 and was $3.50
600. Section 1t of the same act pro-
vides that if any one of the appropria-
tions should be inadequate or INSULT
cient that the auditor of accounts. with
the approval OF the governor may use
a sum not to exceed 500, 600 for the
purpose of maintaining the institu-
, tions or departments for the support
OF which appropriation Is not sufficient
Will you kindly say whether you vii
] authorize the expenditure of any of the
: appropriation mentioned in Section II
for the support of the administration
e of Justice to July l. next. and if so
2 how much.
u call this to your attention nov
as l am of the opinion that l shall
have no authority to pay bills for thi:
department that accrue before July
! out of the appropriation that be
comes available July l unless It be TIT
L expense of the June terms which, by
I Section 81, p. S, are to be carrie,
into the succeeding year.
- Yours respectfully.
HORACE T. GRAHAM.
, Auditor of Accounts.
= Governor s Reply to Auditor.
Proctorsville May 10. 1914.
> | Hon. Horace F. Graham, Auditor o
" Accounts, Montpelier:
Dear SRI have your letter o
May -, stating that the appropriate
= for the administration of justice TO
the present fiscal year is substantial
). expended and asking me, as governor
- to approve the use of the contingen
appropriation, made by Section IA, 0
No. 80 of the Acts of 1912.
- have carefully considered TIA
matter and am unwilling to grant you
request, yet | feel that the salaries an
=, expense accounts for the present qual
L ter, due June l, of the incumbents G
the judicial Offices, who are in the mai
constitutional officers, ought to be pal
G. and | also feel that notwithstanding
that our present judicial system
costing large sum of money an
ought to be simplifed and made les
expensive yet the cost of maintainin
e the jails and paying the bills of COS
y, of the minor courts ought to he m,
III that there may be no lack of euforc
v mcnt of the criminal law because
v insufficient funds.
\ . therefore authorize you TO dra
! upon the contingent appropriation
- sufficient amount to pay the salari,
> and expense accounts of the judici
officers and their necessary clerks an
| further authorize you to pay the bill
:. of cost of the justices of the peac
~ ~ and Municipal courts and the jail a
:. counts.
u ''In so far as the payments for IL
4 June terms of County court are co
T. cerned / do not understand it to be
60 matter properly before me for actiC
~ at this time but rather a question
Il, be first decided by the state treasure
u do not authorize the payment
90 any claims for detective service for
av any such service becomes necessary
,rt feel l have ample authority to care f
20 it under Sections 3403-34O5, of Il
Public Statutes.
:" With high esteem, | am,
la Yours sincerely,
-ie "ALLEN NJ. FLETCHER,
Governor.