The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1916-10-26

II, ". DuTSuIh, ncpupi''""
candidate for governor, his
managers declare, Is n PLAIN,
honest. common, successful
business man, who would make
u business governor.
They say he would secure
economy and efficiency in the
administration Of state funds.
Passing by the question of
Mr.. Bursum's ECONOMY mud
eificicr " in the handling of
state funds as superintendent
of the penitcntIary. it is i'm
por,,nt to take n look at the
handling Of public funds in
Socorro county, where Mr..
Bursum has been political and
official boss for years-wherc
he has been io all intents and
purposes the governor"
The treatment Of public
funds in n county completely
under Mr.. Bursum's direction
should give an idea Of what
Bursum's methods would he
in the treatment OF stat"
funds.
u report to the governor by
the assistant travelling audi
tor in 1912, covering an in.
vestigation Of S'ororro county
offices, charged that:
Wild animal bounty claims ae.
~sreDatlnu some $4,000 since 1907
had not been paid.
Meanwhile wild animal bounty
claims were paid to Bureur'
through . Bursum relative and to
. few preferred claimants among
his henehwen. regardless Of the
priority Of hundred OF ether
claimants. The oomplsts list o.
claimants for wild anirs, boun.
ties totaied some 1000.
A. q time when he couldn't le.
oaily cash . warrant because he
owed the county taxes, Wild ari.
NAL bounty claims totaiing S1.i?9
was paid TO a near relative as "as.
siSnee." The warrant was en-.
dorsed by the relative and Bur.
cum.
This payment wac made pessi.
BILE by the transfer OF $1,000 to
the Wild animal bounty fund from
the assessors fund. This $1,000
was ultimately 10 come out OF the
county road fund.
The sum Of $500 paid by the
United States 10 Socorro county
FOR use OF the eeurt house for the
Federal Court couldn't be found.
There was nothing 20 show II had
over reached the treasurer.
Furniture for the court house
which the county was reported 10
have couldn't be found.
over $4,000 had been borrowed
by the county commissioners
from a bank az Magda'ena and
sisbursed. apparently by personal
check OF the chairman and clerk
Of the board. The proceeds OF tho
loan were not shown on the treas.
urer's books. The money was re-
paid OCT Of the court house ard
IsI and road funds. u was %.
tcnslbiy used for court house and
Jail repairs.
An advance Of $1,000 was made
10 the assessor. payable from tho
road fund II deducted from the a.
SCISSORS future commissions, the
amount TO be then transferred 20
the wild animal bounty fund. The
auditor regarded this as an at.
tempt 70 evade the Batemon law
and illegally make UP . def
cheney In salary.
No accounting was found Of
S5t3 received from mercantile
licenses.
No accounting wss found Of
ei.st2 received from liquor u.
esnses.
The auditor also charged that
accounts were found overpaid.
stubs found missing from license
books, improper expenditures dis
covered. laws regarding levles is'
norsd, certificate requirements
Ignored and money illegally killed
back and forth from one fund to
another.
The auditor charged that .oun'
" officials had dealt In county
warrants TO their personal gain.
A carload Of cement. 400 saeks
worth severa, hundred dollars
Maid for bv tina county, wns no,
received by the county AZ this
place II was 10 have been deiiv
cred. according TO the ~lnsestlas
Tor.
10 charged that furniture
worth $40, paid for by county
warrants, was sent 10 the homo Of
e. ". Sweet. county clerk. ant
wal kept by him for three year.
Or more, or until tho appoint
mont Of Q Democrats district at
tsrney. Then u was sent to thu
court house.
10 charged that county ~a'
rants were used to pay for seun
tain pens and cigars.
That county warrants wsr'
used TO pay "eorstaoies and emIs
ls~arIes," and that such Of the me,
who we're located denied ever n
eslvIng the money.
That e. ". Sweet drew e23'
for delivery OF ballot boxes"
Adjustment accounts listed b
the auditor showed: @. e. sar
chez, sheriff, se45.e7; z. Y