The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-08-15
PARCHMENT OF PUR|FOY URGED BY HOUSE COMMITTEE
Majority and Minority Re- ports Put Formally Be- fore the House
 Yesterday
By HUGH ". ROBERTS

Montgomery, August 14.-tspeeiai} The report of the house Judiciary com filittee recommending that impeach- ment proceedings against John Purifoy. secretary of state, be instituted, and the minority report of the same com mittee urging the legislature to forego serious consideration of charges pre- ferred against the secretary by B. c. Brown of Birmingham, were put for mnlly before the lower branch of the general assembly late this afternoon.
 MT. Brown charged. as is remembered, that Judge Purifoy secured the retire ment of his sole political opponent certain moneys paid Into the automo bile license fund of the secretary of states office had not been properly ac- counted for.
 The majority report was fiercely de- nunciatory and brought In effect charges against the judge of offenses involving moral turpitude, of perjury, of incom- potency and embezzlement. The minor ity report took the position that an all
 
 committed prior to officials induction into office. could not be construed as grounds of impeachment, and that if any improper monetary transactions or artful bookkeeping had occurred or been practiced In the office of secretary of state, the secretary was not responsi- ble. but blame should properly be laid before the door of the clerk in ques ton, J. l.. Purifoy. son of the secre- tary. The majority members contend that even if the above point was prop erly presented, the secretary was never theess guilty of condonng or pardoning the alleged offense by continuing his son in office.
 The report of the majority of the mem bers of the committee recommended tho impeachment of Judge Purifoy on nine articles of impeachment.
 Articles 1, and 8 demand the impeach- ment ofsthe secretary on the charge that he committed an offense involving moral turpitude; that Is, paid to his opponent in his race for office, J. H. Nunnellee, the sum of 5000 to secure his retirement from the race. The minority report con tends that acts of officials committed prior to their induction Into office do not constitute grounds for Impeachment. The report reads: "If perjury was com mitted by John Purifoy in the filing of
  which the sum alleged to have been paid Nunnellee was not included) under the provisions of said section 6S23 of the code of Alabama of 1907. this was an offense committed In connection with the office of secretary of state of the state oi Alabama, and for such offense he should be impeached and removed from office. ' | Articles 4. B. and of the report charge Judge Purifoy with having embedded specified sums of money therein stated. Sums Were Embexzled
 In this connection the report reads l. sThe evidence before the Judiciary com. mittee establishes without dispute that 6 portion if not all of the several sums oi money stated in said articles 1. 5, and lT were embedded either by the saiG John Purifoy secretary of state, or by lJ. l.. Purifoy, son of John Purifoy. ant who was at the time an appointee of the said John Purifoy in the office of said secretary of state of the state of Ala bama. The evidence further showed l that the conversion of said funds wal had and done under such circumstances as to clearly make out prima facis case of guilt on the part of John Purifoy secretary of state. and we are clear to thu opinion that said evidence warrants thu prefering of said charges against tn, said John Purifoy, secretary of state ol the state of Alabama"
 In another paragraph the repori reads:
 "Thc evidence before this committe, further showed that despite the fac that there had been an embezzlemen 1 of either portion or all of said fund.- by either John Purifoy. direct. or b, the said J. L. Purifoy. the said Johi
 SCentnued sn Paoe Tsel