The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1916-10-16
|T0N|C FORCES ASSUME
|FfFNS|VE ON ALL BATTLE
| FRONTS With SOME SUCCESS
H|LlSB0R0UCH'S TAX
COLLECTOR REPORTED
TO Be SHORT SS0,OOO

Although an executive order was
signed Saturday ni2ht bv Govarpor
fark Trammell suspending Countv
Tax Collector John l.. Branch from,
ohce, pending complete inyestiga
iron OF a reported shortage of $50
ooo In his accounts, word cf the af-
falr had reached but few in Tamna
last night, the official notification
not being mailed to Mr.. Branch un-
til yesterday morning. Mr.. Branch
last night issued statement adj
mitting that he was charged with
shortage Of $4,000, but DENYING
that there was anything wrong in
MS ofnce, and stating that he had
Fasked that he be given time in which
to have separate audit made. This,
he says, was refused. He declares
that the audit which has been made
of his books recently is the first
Fsince he took office, eight years age.
This is denied by Assistant State
Auditor M. c. Mcintosh, who has
been here for the past three weeks.
in connection with his official duties.
State Auditor Ernest Amos was in
1.-THE city last week, leaving Thursday
| Mr.. Mcintosh stated last night that
he could not discuss the matter, as
he had not made his formal report
tc Governor Trammell He stated
that he was without advice from Tai
llahassee concerning the suspension
of Mr.. Branch, and appeared at loss
Regarding the situation. In response
to a query, he said that if county
officer were suspended by the COVER
lnor. the usual course of events would
|be for the State auditor of his as.
Isistant to take charge of the office
until the official had been reinstatet
lor his successor named. Up to mid
might no word had been received by
lMr. Mcintosh from Tallahassee ant
lhe declined to discuss the matter eX
lcept to state that Tax Collector
lBranch's books were audited tw'
years ago.
/ The tax collector is under bon'
of 100000.
Mr.. Branch's Statement
J To a Tribune representative MI
: Branch made the following state
ment:
at is true that the State audito
Ihas within the past few days report
ed a shortage in my accounts o
t about $4,000, from an audit whlc
lhe has lust made. This is the mrs
Y laudit that has been made of my ac
e connts during the eight years ! hav
: held the office of county tax collee
tor.
The reported shortage astounds III
land l deny its existence. Inc elsn
Itax books which l have handled nav
: Included mere than 100000 separa'
e assessments. On account of sales
n tho State. errors and insolvencle
: manv thousands of assessments Wei
never collected by me, and no none
IN these cases reached my hands.
al "Mv life in the community ha
e lbeen open and above board. nav
n not drank. gambled, dissipated
il lsouandered money, What proper'
e 7 have is in my name. None is col
e cealed. If owe the State and coui
e tv any money, all. that | nave WI
e he used for its payment and any pa
o that is required out of my compei
k ,sation for the next term.
d ut will take some time to inves. ,'.
: sote the report made and the DOCKS
: The public is asked to suspend 'uu,
IL want nntil the exact facts are know
:, r. hos heen no fault of mine that u
+ state auditors hase not made year, ar
g audits Of my office Tampa =
3 bune.
~ ruANKc