El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-03-23
COUNTY AUDITOR
IS CRITICISED
Commissioners Ask Why 2
$4,000 Warrants Were Paid
and a $40 One Held up.


Criticised for having approved the
two $4,000 warrants paid TO Turney q
Burgess for legal work in connection
with the TeNas-New Mexico boundary
suit and with having approved bills for
rent for the court Of civil appeals
both held TO be Illegal, county auditor
Roy D. Barnum was under fire in the
county commissioners court for fully
30 minutes Tuesday morning.
The matter was brought up through
the holding up Of a justice OF the peace
bill for SO on the ground that it was
illegal Commissioner J. W WaAing
asked Mr.. Baruum whether he had
signed the two warrants for $4,000 paid
stated that he had He also admitted
having approved the monthly bills for
rent for the court OF civil appeals.
Cross Fire of Questions.
But YOU held up justice Of the
peace bill for SO. didn't yOuT COM
missioner WalIing asked
Yes ] did so because 7 had been
informed that IL was Illegal"
But you didn't hold up the two $4,000
warrants nor the court OF civil appeals
NO. FOR the reason that had never
been informed that they were illegal.
Had / been SO informed I would have
held them up the same as I held up the
$40 bill The head Of this court is a
lawyer; I am not II he thought the
bills were Illegal, he should have in
formed me"
Judge Eylar stated TO Mr.. Pendeu
and myself that the payment of $4,000
was Illegal declared Mr. WallinE.
IF judge Eylar thought they were
Illegal. he should have informed me-"
replied the auditor.
BarHum Refuses TO Answer.
Commissioner Seth OrndorT asked
Mr. Barnum who had informed him
that the justice Of the peace bill was
illegaL- Mr. Barnum replied that five
or six different persons had told him
about IL and that he then took il up
with the county attorneys Office and
had been advised TO hold IL up until
the matter could be looked into. Mr..
OrndOrn asked him to name those who
had first called his attention to il. but
Mr.. Barnum refused the information.
1t looks 10 me as though in pass
ing the two $4,000 warrants and the
court OF civil appeals bills without
question and holding up this SO bill
authorized by the court, you are trying
70 pick flaws in the actions Of the
missioner WallinC.
Il am not trying to pick flaws in
THIS court 1 am willing for it to stand
on its own record"
Holding Up MeIIIHney'S Bills
commissioner Penden called atten-
tion 70 the fact that the auditor had
held up the bills contracted By c. "
Mckinney, former purchasing agent
II was six weeks after Mr.. McKfn-
neys appointment before I held IN
bilE' Mr.. Barnum replied. "and onlv
after 1 had satisfied myself that his
appointment was illegal"
Commissioner Orndorff asked the
auditor If he thought he had the
authority under law TO override the
actions OF the commissioners court
II this court has no right to make
appropriations without your approval.
We should make you party to the suit
we are instituting against Turney &
burges 70 recover the $4,000 that has
not been returned" he said.
replied
Finally, commissioner Wauing asked
Mr. Barnum II he would pay the Justice
OF the peace bill He replied thai he
would Asked II he would continue to
pay the court OF civil appeals bills. he
9tateu lnal ne was not prepared TO saw.
Mhen about to leave the room. Mr..
Barnum reminded Mr.. Orndorff -of a
conversation in which the commissioner
mad declared that il he had sat in the
court at the time the So. 900 attorneys
Zee was authorized, he would have voted
for it,
To Sue Attorneys.
A resolution was passed authorizing
county Judge Adrian Pool TO employ
w inter, McBrOOm & Scott as attorneys
ln the suit to be Instituted against Tur-
ney a Burgess for the return Of the
$1,000 originally paid them as attor-
ney fees in the boundary dispute case,
Zee Of $1,000 20 be paid for their
services.
Commissioner Orndorff, brought 10
the attention of the court the state
inents o. certain property owners down
the valley that they had been told that
tLe commissioners court had authorized
raising the assessments
George Huffman. counGy assessor. was
called before the board He stated that
no deviation had been made from the
understanding with the court as TO as
scssments, but Improvements had
been added in some cases.
The following bids were received for
a carload of oats: West Texas Grain
and Fuel Co. S2.141s per 100 pounds:
Held Bros. S2.26 per 100 pounds; Fl Paso
Grain and Milling Co., S224 per ZOE
pounds The contract was awarded TO
the III Paso Grain and Milling Co.
c. H. LeaveM city alderman. present
ed bill for the construction Of the
sewer TO the county hospital showing a
total of S6241.2I- This is an excess Of
Sl,442-21 over the $500 appropriated by
the court, he stated. and gave as the
reasons the unprecedented Gather
when the work was done. the caving OF
bitches and uuicksaud encountered. The