The Sentinel=record., 1915-04-25
PROBE COMMITTEE
 WORK TO CONTINUE
w. w. DICKINSON HAD NO CON NECTlON WITH THE STONE
 QUARRY TRANSACTION.
L. L. Coffman, Former Auditor Claims lie is Glad the Work Will Continue and Win Be Vindicated.

Little Rock. April 2t-W. W. Dick iuson, the Little Rock crushed stone dealer, was not involved in the al legged transaction between the state highway department, the Lincoln county road improvement district and a third party, according to state meut issued by the committee. The third party in the deal according to the committees statement today, was T. H. Bunch of the Bunch Commis- sion Company, now bankrupt
 "The auditing committee states that it was an error in its information when it stated that the highway de- partment made a price of e cents a yard for crushed rock to the Lincoln county road improvement district and aterward furnished it to w. W. Dick iusou for 50 cents a yard said the statement. "Nr Dickinson had noth-
 ing 10 do with the transaction. T. H.. Bunch got the contract to build the road and furnish the material, and the highway department furnished him the crushed rock for 90 cents a yard when the department had priced it to the Lincoln county road improve msnt district at 75 cents a yard difference in the character of service offered the people by the department just an error in the name.'
 The transaction took place before W. E. Owen, state highway commis- siouer. took office Reuben c. Dye, now a member of tae state tax com mission. at that time was state high way commissioner. Mir. Dye could not be located to affirm or deny the charge
 'I don't know that there is any statement to make except that l had contract with the state highway de. partmeut for the crushed rock for the district" said Mir. Bunch this after noon "Tae contract lrice was 50 cents per yard, and l think there were between 5000 and 5000 yards deIiy- cred The gravel was bought during the administration of Mir. Dye"
 l.. Iu Coffman, former auditor, is- sued today statement to the effect that he desired the investigation Of the state auditors office continued Mr. Cotfman resigned from the office of auditor u March to take a place on the state board of control The sen ate refused to approve his appoint meut however.
 "I see that the Investigating com mittee in making its report to the governor on the superintendent of public instructions office referred to tue auditors office" said the tate meut "I do not know if they only referred 10 me or to the former ad- ministrations. My administration commenced in January, 1913
 'I want to say that | am very anX ious to have my work completely checked. l favored the legislature creating the office of public account ant, and | am more than ever con yiuced now that 1t would have been just measure.
 From the statement made by the committee in Fridays Democrat the committee has completed something more than half or nearly twothirds of the work to be done in the audi tors office. Then from this state ment it has not reached into my work very far, as it commenced checking from January. 1911, with the last two. years of the administration previous 10 mine, and had to go through two| years and up to January, 1913, before it reached my administration. l am very willing to bear my part of the. criticism, and if the others have been perfect the public should know it.
 q make this statement in justice to all as the public thinks and be- lieves that l am the only auditor being inyestgated.'
 Monroe Smith, a member of the committee, said this morning that the other two mem.bers-Senator George w. Garrett and Representative t. A. Gentry would be in Little Rock Mon- day.
 "The auditors will be back in the auditors office Monday afternoon or Tuesday morning. said Mir. Smith.
 Mr. Smith said he believed the $7O0O authorized by the governors proclamation would be sufficient to carry the work to completion,
 When he begin work on the small CT departments and the small state
 institutions the force will be dicided" |" said Mir Smith. This will make more rapid completion of the investi- gation. The amount authorized in the proclamation should be sufficient. At our present rate of expenses it will last more than three months, and by that time We hope to have audited the last department and the last insti- tuition"
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