The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-07-03
PRESENTMENT OF GRAND JURY
MANY MATTERS OF GENERAL IN
TEREST TOUCHED ON BY
COMMITTEES.

OF Books of County Onicials-Ncw
Jail Badly Needed Says Committee
i'm its RcpOrt-As to Welfare of
Public SchOOIs-Pay of Police Of
ficers and Other Matters.
The following is the presentment of
the Grand Jury to his Honor Judge T.
j. Mauldin on Wednesday morning:
State Of South Carolina, Sumter Coun-
ty.
To His Honor Judge T. ]. Mauldin,
presiding:
Your Grand Jury beg leave to SUBJ
init the following Report for the
Summer Term of the Court of General
Sessions for 1915:
We have passed upon all bills Of
Indictment placed in our hands and
returned same to the Solicitor with
our findings endorsed thereon.
Reports from the various commit
tees appointed by our Foreman were
submitted to the Grand Jury as fol-
lows:
No. 1. Report of Finance Commit
tee Of the Grand Jury.
Mr.. Foreman and Gentleman of the
Grand Jury:
Your committee met in the early
part of May for the purpose Of MAX
ing the necessary examination of the
books and records of the County
Treasurer and County Supervisor bnt
upon being told by these officials that
their fiscal year ended on June 3oth
and that it would be practically i'm
possible to make an examination un-
til after that period, we deferred it
until a later date. In this connection.
your Chairman, realizing the i'm
portance Of making a thorough ex-
animation Of the various offices
wrote to AlOnzO Richardson q Co..
Atlanta, Ga, expert accountants, who
have done a great deal of work here
and very satisfactorily, to ascertain
what it would cost to make a com.
plete audit of the County records
Mr.. Richardson came here as a re.
suit of this correspondence, had ar
interview with the County officials
looked over the work to be done and
gave me an estimate of S22.5O pei
day for two men and their expenses
with a maximum cost Of $375.Oc fol
complete audit for the year.
Your committee recommends tht
acceptance Of this proposition, no
that we are trying to shirk any duty
or responsibility, but for the reesc.
that 1t is practically impossible fo,
bookkeepers not familiar with thi.
character Of work to be able to make
a thorough audit Of the records
Banks, Mercantile houses and Cor.
porations, are adopting this method
OF having an annual audit made o.
their books and, if they deem it ad
Visable to do so, we think it ever
more necessary that the County
should have it done, for too grea
a safeguard can not be used in the
protection of public funds. Realiz
Ing that some objection might bc
raised by our taxpayers to annua
audit of this character as being to,
expensive. we recommend to our leg
islative delegation the introduction OF
a bill at the next session of the legis.
lature, looking to the appointment by
the Governor of an expert account.
ant. one who is familiar with thi.
character of work. to make q com
plete audit of each County at least
once year and his report to be pub.
llshed in one of the County papers
and copy OF it to be sent to the
foreman Of the Grand Jury and be
filed with his presentment as a part
\
bill of this character was introduced
as previous session of the Iegisla-
ture and passed one or both houses
but for reasons unknown to us, fail
ed to become a law.
Neill O'Donnell,
Chairman Committee of the Grand
Jury.
On motion this report was adopted
and the chairman was instructed tC
close contract for this work to be
done as soon as possible at the max
imum price for same.
Report of Committee on Public Build
ingS.
June 26, 1915.
We. the undersigned Committee
heretofore appointed to inspect the
Public Buildings of the County and