The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-11-25
BARBER'S COURSE
IN GRAHAM CASE
Acted as Promptly as Con-
ditiOns Seemed to
Justify
ONE DEFECT IN
AUDITING SYSTEM
Otherwise System in Force in Vermont
as Safe as That of Any Other State
Republican State Committee Act
an Impropriety.
an Impropriety.

Republican State Committee Act
an Improperly.
Attorney General Herbert G. Barber
was interviewed this forenoon by a mem
Der OF The Reformer staff relative to
certain phases of the ease OF the state
against GOV. Horace f. Graham. who was
indicted by the grand jury of the Wash
neton county court last week for alleged
while he held the office Of state auditor.
Especially was he inquired Of a. to the
justice OF the criticism which has been
made III some quarters that the. attorney
general ought to have begun the prosecu-
tion of the governor earlier than he did.
and as to the justice of the impression
that has become current. created By Ger
tain newspaper comment, that the sys-
TEN in the state auditors office is made
quate.
In reply to query as To whether the
prosecution of Gov Graham ought not TO
have been begun earlier Attorney Gen
cral Barber replied that it never had
vestigate afterwards. Action in this
case, MIR Barber said. was begun as soon
as the conditions warranted.
informant ion that something appeared
TO be wrong in the accounts Of the former
auditor came to Mr. Barber last spring.
He Immediately began making official IN
quirie~ TO determine whether the situa-
tion demanded a prosecution. From the
\ Z. I 4
up as to what he would do in case an in
Iye.tigaton warranted prosecution.
Here the attorney general quoted
section 7l04 Of the General Laws
U9l7), which reads as follows: "A
state, county, town. village, fire district,
or school district officer who wilfully
negleets to perform the duties imposed
upon him by law, either express or inn
Piled, shall be imprisoned not more
than one year or fined not more than
one thousand dollars. or both "
nder the above mentioned statute
there was but one course open, even had
theer been a disposition to take up anv
other course
Several requests for information were
made upon State Bank Commissioner
Frank G. Williams. who since has been
indicted for alleged malfeasance in office
IN failing to report shortages in the audi
tors account. which it is alleged he knew
about, but the information received was
not considered fully adequate and Mr..
Barber personally made several visits to
the auditors office He also engaged an
expert to go over the books covering a
period OF years. and early in August he
was ready To begin prosecution
1t was then but short time before the
grand jury of the Washington county
court would be in session, and Mr. Bar
Der considered that the ends of Justice
would be as well served by waiting for
the grand jury 10 convene as to call the
members together in special session.
Soon after the opening of court came the
epidemic of influenza and court was ad-
iourned.
incidentally Mr. Barber considered it
lnwise to begin prosecution until after
the September primaries. lest the prose
cutting department be accused in some
way OF mixing up in politics to the inter
est OF some candidate, the Republican
state committee having taken upon itself
the duty OF requesting Governor Graham
To resign. which action by the committee
Mr.. Barber regards as piece of gross
impropriety in view of the fact that the
committee represented a political party
instead OF the whole people of the state.
Mr.. Barber made a request on the
Washington county court not to dismiss
the grand jury until he had opportunity
to present certain matters before il and
on Nov. 20 he began presenting to the
grand jury evidence which resulted in the
Indictment OF Governor Graham, Commits
sioner Williams and State Purchasing
Agent Dewey T. Hanley He saws he is
willing TO leave II to the people of Ver-
mont to say whether he has been derelct
in the prosecution of these matters
Concerning the query as to the sde-
quacy OF the system in force in the audi
tors office and the laws pertaining there
TO the attorney general said there was
one loophole in the law which ought to be
remedied by the legislature at its next
session The present system of auditing
was brought about by the late Joseph A.
, DeBoer in the legislature of 1908. It pro
yides that the state treasurer shall pay
| all orders drawn by the state auditor.
Under this method the auditor audits his
own accounts and it is Mr. Barbers opin-
ion that the law should be changed so
that all orders for payments to the audi
| tor or his employees should be made by
| some high state official other than the
auditor himself. after "a careful an ex
| animation of the accounts as the auditor
now gives TO the accounts of other off
| GERS.
With this one exception Mr.. Barber
considers that the system in Vermont is