The Birmingham age-herald., 1917-06-19
VIGOROUS LETTERS ARE EXCHANGED ON COUNTS FINANCES Black Writes Henry on Subject and Gets a
 Spirited Reply JOHN P. M'COY ALSO
 WRITES DOCUMENT Controversy Is Over Legality of the Proposal to Demand Interest on
 the Treasurer's Bank
 Deposits

The controversy between County Treas urer M. V. Henry and County Solicitor Hugo Black resulted in the making public of some rather spirited letters passing between them yesterday.
 MT. Black addressed a letter to Mir, Henry regarding the payment of interest on the countys deposits and MT. Henry replied in vigorous terms and closed by saying he was now through with the so- lictor." Along with MT. Henrys letter was one from his attorney, J. P. Mccoy, which was also made public.
 The three letters bear up on a subject which has aroused considerable interest over the county and they are here given in full, as follows:
 BLACKS STATEMENT
 June IS, 19l7 Mr. M " Henry, treasurer Jefferson County, City:
 Dear Sir: I shall not enter into any personal controversy with you, because [ consider such unbecoming to public of ticials, and the personal element is sought to be injected by your attorneys in their prepared statements to create a false issue.
 I have evidence that you and your at torney, MT. John F. Mccoy, and others, made efforts to get interest and stlp- ulated attorneys fee tor MT Mccoy to represent you as county treasurer from the Birmingham Trust and Savings com- pany, but that the president of that bank declined to pay 1 cent of interest unless it went into the county treasury. 1 have evidence that the First National bank of Birmingham informed your at torney, MT. John Mccoy, that no in- terest would be paid any individual for the county's deposit After these banks had made known their position, the money was deposited in the American Trust and Savings bank, which opposed your nomina ton, has all your county money and is paying half the premium on your bond. 1 have evidence that money has been paid for the use of the county funds. You say it has not. This makes an issue of fact which should be decided by court, and l feel sure. therefore that you will join me in re- questing the board of revenue of this county to authorize suit to be brought against the American Trust and Savings bank, and the people who are and have been reaping the profits from the de- posits in order that there may be a ju- dicial determination of the contested facts. If no interest has been paid for the use of the county funds, you will not fear litigation.
 You say no interest is being paid for the use of the county funds. If there is no interest being paid on the county funds, and you have a chance to deposit them in a reputable bank which will pay to the county more than enough money to take care of 100 orphan children for a year, [ presume you will gladly avail yourself of this opportunity. l beg to state to you that 1 have been reliably informed that you can make arrange ments with the Birmingham Trust and Savings bank, an excellent banking insti- tuition, provided the interest paid goes to the county and not to any individual 1 request you, both in my capacity as citizen and as solicitor of Jefferson county, to collect this interest which the county should have. When a bank lends money to citizen, it gets interest When citizens through their representa- tives let the bank have their money, why should they not likewise get part of the interest which the bank is secur- ing from the various taxpayers of the county.
 The issue, MT. Henry, is plain. Neither my personality nor your personality has anything to do with it. The county can obtain interest on it's money without surrenderng one right. Will you as a sworn public official collect this interest and place it in the treasury for the public good Very truly yours,
 HUGH L. BLACK,
 SN1t