The Mena weekly star., 1916-10-12
WEARS REPLY TO PHIL T. STE ENsoN's sLusH LAsrv.

Since alr stevenson has refused to enter into '. paign with and before the people publicly win @ S E on my official acts I take pleasure in answering h S aa press would perhaps be embarrassing to Mr. steyen poy campaign manager to out and make speebes but of h is all right to employ some one to io bi but that he regular candidate of th party has employed man for this work who posed and has held several terms of office in the eonn, hands of the party as~S I have always relied on myself for any work tba, shall not. in this ask any defend mv wholly responsible for everything that has been dn county judge have not permitted myself to be a S and ruled by awers any one else who had an ax @ Perhaps this is the why been so much , H certain elements who have been accustomed to directing ty affairs M Na
 am sure that if Mir Stevenson had himself - written tine letter of last would have more co sas formed to the truth for he told me personally that he w make interpretations and that he would be fair able in his campaign but it has happened as if on when trusts work that i ;a ~ u esy done but since Phil has permitted this to be printsa signature he has, of course himself responsible s it says Please what he gives perportinc o K sumnarizaon of the auditors report the followno M is copied verbatim report itself Notice how M S has garbed Why should he do this if not to ma sa his readers? Why did he not give the auditors wrt Here 1t s
 In summarizing We feel justified in saying:
 That the books and the county are ncom,a and will not admit of intelligent audit without mcb G and labor Certain information was not obtainable
 The tax collectors office during the administration o F w Cunningham handled in anything but business manner Our report shows Mir Cunningham indebted b m county. Some improvement noted in the acconntm methods during the administration of j. A. Thornton N Thornton, however is indebted the county The ps collector H w Finger does not add his receipts reco and naturally devolyed upon us to do it. Mir Finger k due the county money
 That the office of the circuit clerk is not condueed acordance with the law sound accounting principles T fee record very incomplete the ndexing poor p ester of fees did not show case numbers and many nsa ees, no names were given where court costs credited great many fee bills not entered the book Our report shows quite few bills and papers missing We show that F L. Johnson is indebted to the county ss9im
 are fota aIIv and poorly kept except for the term of the present treasurer Many errors were shown to exist this office. Judge Wear first instructed us to period of only years here but it found impossible any starting point con queny had 10 back 1910 the beginning of the fern of M M shields From 1910 up to the present time the urer books Were not reconced with the county books Much more time consumed in the examination of this Of flee than would have been necessary had the and re cords been anything like complete and integeny prepared
 That the county clerk has not paid according reports He does not keep register of as required law The revenue appears properly accounted for.
 That the financial condition has improved and is nog practically a basis
 That this could have been performed in one half the time had the beeo and been properly kept
 Notice now his comments upon it.
 That the books records of the county are incomplete lie then refers to the reports of the grand ures one and all of those S2 who made those reports they time to go diligently into the books appears from s examinations as the grand uries had time opportunity make the books were good shape These reports o Phis letter well knows made up from what appears the reports of the county of accounts but these auditors going the conns of the officers accountants fo as from the above sumarizaon that they were being in good shape.
 As to Cunnnghams account true that the county Judge Wright Pickett presiding approve MT Cunningham report and yet these auditors dealing with matte as cold business proposition and vh MT Cunningham was to who Judge Prickett found h Mr. Cunningham is due the county S72i60
 As to Mr. Ihontons account Stevenson says not dl the county cent yet the who took up every item coecuons and settlements that he the county S5
 He says that These "hfteen-a-week clerks admitted number of men that the Finger and h they s. X &, were in error"
 Now isn't that strange statement from one who prom ed that ne will not make any interpretations The com msslonefs Of accounts have just MT Fingers ao ana nave found him to be due the county years settle men few cents than the auditors him wit ana MT Finger like the honest that s hes paid amount into the treasury But said Phil would not hay made ths statement had he his writing himself and not trusted it to another
 compare what Phis letter quotes the auditors saying e county clerks office with what these auditors really say their report
 No am not going to bring suit to collect thosa emom sho"n to be due for the simple that law nak W tue uuy o the prosecuting attorney wonder if Judge Prl was ignorant or this when he wrote Phi letter. did ne entionaly try to make readers believe that could do an am repohsipe II 1t IS not done don't know what the p eo ing aarney will do about the matter if his du' a presume he will he will bring suit for the recovery of ines shortages the rest of them not settled Sheriff Finger has been
 Yes paid Marvin Shields the amount due him s5260l an right.
 You right Phil latfar revaaIs und