The Harrison times., 1915-07-24
Little Rock.

Little Rock
Attorney General William l., Moose
10 severely criticised by the legisla'
tive investigating committee In It's re-
port on his office filed with Governor
Hays The committee concludes its
report with the following summary Of
its criticisms:
THAT the attorney general has
kept very inadequate records of
money received and paid into the
treasury.
"That he used the Southern Trust
Company as a subtreasury or deposl'
tory for most Of the funds that have
come into his possession and checked
them out indiscriminately with bank
shecks in face OF the statute against
him depositing the money or the
bank receiving It.
THAT he has dealt ir state war
rants.
THAT he has employed special
counsel at a cost CT more than $1,000
In one instance, when he could have
done the work himself In less than
seven hours and saved this amount to
the taxpayers
"That while he was employing spc.
cial counsel he was doing private
practice.
THAT he failed to comply with the
law in not itemizing his inheritance
tax collections in his biennial re.
port"
The Report
Tho remainder OF the report fol-
lows:
Hon. George w, Hays, Governor,
state OF Arkansas.
I'VE hand you herewith the report
OF the accountants on the Office 81
the attorney general covering the en-
tire administration of the present In.
cumbent Hon, William L. Moose We
nnd in this department as In some
OF the others, lack OF method and
syrtem in handling the records OF the
department-in fact, there Is no meth.
cd or system whatever and practically
no records are kept IN the depart
ment
while the ATTORNEY general IL not
bonded officer, yet he collects from
$4,000 TO 100000 annually and IN.
stead of remitting this direct to the
treasurer, as he IL commanded by the
law 10 do, Il has bcen his custom 70
deposit the greater portion of these
collections In the Southern Trust
Company n banking corporation OF the
city Of Little Rock, and keep II there
for many, many months, dribblIng In
20 the treasury what he has not check
ed TO other sources on various and
gundry personal checks Tho greater
portion OF this money In collected on
inheritance and franchise taxes
Keeping no record OF the money
whom ho receives Il, or the name8 OF
tho individuals by whom Il IN paid
and waiting 30 long 10 pay II into the
treasury, the result has been thlt ne
forgoB the names OF many Of the ca.
tatea from which no has collected H..
herltanco taxes and our accountants
found IN their effort 10 balance hip ae'
counts that he had tg,2360B IN the
Bouthern Trust Company more than he
could account for When this fact was
discovered, tho attorney general cano
10 this committee and suggested that
NJ he had more money than he knew
what 20 do with, he felt that ho ought
not 10 be criticised for the fact be,
cause II showed, no thought that he
had not used eny Of the gtatoB money
for him own personal benefit
s0,365,2i Due the state
"It 10 the duty Of the attorney gen.
oral 10 collect all delinquent franchise
taxes m certified TO him, We nnd
from tho accountants report that there
IN u balance due on delinquent firm.
ehiae taSee for the years 1913 and
1914 OF SS,86bgl, Just why thia
amount has not been collected we are
not satisfactorily advised by tho At.