The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-03-06
REPORT ON OFFICE
or LUCERO BASIS
FOR INQUIRY
House SEXES With Avidity OPP
portunity TO Investigate Sec
rotary Of States 0fRcial
transactions.
Estate Capital Burcnu
TOT Evening Herald.
lAI dc Vnrraa IloleL

I'ht4NH '1ohc loose ~ tht i~tNltiutNfo
this afternoon when Representative
Fleming. of Mckinley counbg. pre-
scented a report Of the travelling audi
tors nc upon the Office OF the sec
rotary % state. the report having oeen
made BY y. ". Van stone as an ac-
%countant FOR the travelling auditor.
ar. Fleming moved that a committee
OF I'VE be appointed 10 investigate the
accounts and conditions OF the kecre-
tary OF states Office. 70 report 10 the
house and the speaker appointed as
such committee Fleming. Federico
Chavez. Fiayio Vigil. skidmore aud
Mullens.
The export presented Is A general
statement Of accounts OF the secre-
iary OF states office and shows a to-
tai OF Si3,3S9.75 20 avs been paid 70
the Lucero family directly and iadi-
rectly since MIR. Lucero became sccre-
tary OF state and against which COM
plant has beer made on a charge OF
nepotlsm. The report shows. how
ever. that OF this amount ss.s25 Is Inc
secretary's salary md s2.efs.7s has
been paid for printing charges 20 La
Voc del Pueblo and the Martinez pub
fishing company. The balance. Sf,-
7e4.Ts, has been paid IN salaries TO
four members Of Mr.. Lucero's family
who have been employed IN the Sec
retary's Office. There IL no charge OF
wrong payment In connection with
these salaries. The report shows a
balance un%nccounted for Of S3.5iS.7i
between the total receipts OF the Sec
retary's Office aad the total accounted
for but the report proceeds 10 point
out that this is not a shortage but
amounts which the secretary has
withheld and retained in his owr ae-
counts upon claim Of right 10 do so
BY law. whereas the travelling audi
tor claims that the amount should be
covered into the state treasury, and
there held. This repor. has been in
the hapds OF the attorney general FOR
some time with reference to the legal
points Of the contention between the
secretary and the t~reasurer's Office as
TO possession OF these funds. The
fact that Mr.. Lucero has employed
his son and daughter and other mem
bers OF his family in various clerical
capacities has been made the subject
OF a charge OF -epotlsm. There has
been no charge hat the work 81 the
secretary's Office has not been prop
erly performed.
The purpose OF the house majority
20 make political capital out Of he
report had no so5ner been established
by the appointment OF the committee
than there came from the Democratic
side OF the house a resolution intro
duced by Mr.. Bryant, OF Portales. de-
handing an Investigation OF the Re1-
chan %claybank bin. Mr.. Fleming. Of
Mckinley county, moved 20 table this
resolution ~ the motion was lost By
a vote OF Is TO %.
The text OF the resolution follows:
Whereas, House BIZ No. PA was
introduced by Hon. a. -. Renehan,
member Of the house OF representa-
tives for santa Re county, and appro-
PIRATES a large sum Of money for the
purchase Of "a tract OF land known IN
Santa Re county, IN or near the city
Of Santa re. commonly known as the
'clay bank" and IN part for the pay
ment 10 the owners OF amounts 10 re-
compense them Tor clay taken from
said land by the penitentiury; and,
whereas. said 4. b. Renehnn IL at
torney OF record for the claimants OF
said land. and has been attorney for
them In Mtisation running Tor a per-
Tod of over nine years. and himself
claims an interest In the said clay
banks. and there are rumors current
that he has a contract with the claim
ants u the said land that be- IS 20 re-
ceive one-alf Of whatever amount may
be derived by tenn by the a%ppropria-
ton provided for iu said bill. and,
whereas. an these matters and re-
ports and the publicity which has
given them, whether true or not,
are a reflection upon the membership
OF this house. and upon the integrity
OF the entire house OF representa-
uyes.
Now. therefore. Dee u resolved, that
a special committee be appointed by
the speaker 90 consist of hve menu
beers. To- Investigate an OF said charges
and Co report their nndings Go the
house as soon as possible.
MI. Ronehan, upon a question %
personal privilege, bitterly asshileo
she |.ntroducer OF the resolution o
declared hat its Introduction was I"
form OF political coercion. lie point
ed Co the fact that "A committee had
already been appointed 60 investigate
the hll. that he report had declared
the appropriation asked for Just, with
but one dissenting voice on the com
mittee. and made a vigorous defense
OF MS attltuoo on the measure ana
of ~ purpose. which he declared waf
90 make 10 Just remuneration Tor
property which had been taken and
used by the state.