El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-09-14
BANK AFFAIRS
AGAIN PROBED
Private Secretary Davis
Tells of Making Two Large
Deposits for Ferguson.

Austin. Tex, Sept. with J. H.
Davis, jr-, private secretary to Gov.
Ferguson. on the stand. the trial Of
the governor in the senate this morn
ing turned toward banking matters.
Direct examination was completed
during the morning and Mr.. Crane
began a cross examination follow
ing closely the lines Of the cross ex-
animation to which the governor him
self was subjected in the house in
yestigation.
Mr.. Davis submitted an itemized
statement of the Canyon city normal
school fund. as submitted 10 the SEN
ate early this year. He identified the
list of deficiency warrants paid by
the governor and the deposit war
rants covering the $1,000 apprOpria-
ton by the legislature which the
governor has refunded
Governor Wrote Many Letters.
On cross examination. Mr.. Crane
brought out the testimony that the
governor wrote a considerable num-
Der Of letters about details of his
private affairs in spite Of the fact
that these details were all in the
hands OF AR. Davis. The witness said
he wrote many of these letters and
the governor merely signed them.
The witness said that If the governor
had large sums Of money in the safe
IN his office, he did not know IL, al
though he kept the combination Of
the safe, and was under the impress
sion the governor did not know the
combination.
The only large sums of currency
he handled, Davis said, consisted OF
$4,000. which he deposited in the
American National bank in April. and
$4,000, which he deposited later in
the same month in the same bank
Neither batch Of currency had wrap
pers on il. he said. but each was
held by a rubber band. He did not
know where this money came from
and the governor made no remarks
Of any nature about IL. except TO tell
him TO make the deposit, which he
did
Ferguson Did Not know.
Governor Ferguson did not know
that $500 was RENTED from the
governors official account in the
Temple State bank. August %. 1915.
10 settle a note with the First Ma
tional bank Of Temple, according to
Davis
It is this sum Of $500 that the
articles OF Impeachment charge the
governor apprOpriating from Canyon
CITY normal school insurance money
to settle private obligation
Davis said that when the bank
statement OF September 1, 1915, came
10 him and he noted the charge. he
paid no particular attention to IL be-
cause il never occurred to him that
the bank, by mistake. would charge
the official account for any but the
rebuilding of the normal school
He testified that he did not call
the matter TO the attention Of the
governor. Davis said he transacted
practically all the governors bust
ness and never showed him his bank
statement.
Protection for the Flag.
Acting governor ". P Hobby to-
day submitted TO the consideration
Of the legislature the enactment Of
an amendment 10 the act OF the reg
ular session Of the legislature, max
ing IL penalty TO uesecrare the
United States flag
Asks Additional Funds.
Governor Hobby also submitted
ditiCnal appropriation for the game,
fish and oyster department for the
next two fiscal years, also an act
providing for the levy and collection
OF an ad valorem tax by a city or
town sufficient TO meet interest pay
ments. and 10 create a sinking fund
on all Indebtedness incurred prior
TO the adoption Of the constitutional
amendment in 1851.
DrOuth Relief Bill Redrnfted.
The house drOuth RELIEF bill. carry
ing an appropriation of S50O,OOO for
the relief OF the citizens in the drouth
belt Of central west Texas. occupied
the entire morning session Of the
house today, and when recess was
taken. the bill was still under con-
sideration. The bill has been re-
drafted to meet the constitutional OBJ
jections found by the attorney gen
eral
State Probe to Wait.
The report Of the committee on the
appointment Of a committee Of ten
to make a complete investigation Of
all state departments and Institutions
did not come up for consideration
during the morning II was explained
that the house journal containing the
report and amendments had not as
yet been delivered There is now
every indication that this report will
90 over until next Monday