Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-07-23
COMMITTEE GIVES
BROWN CLEAN BILL

Failure Of Senator L. C. Brown
TO appear before the senate commit
tee on general agriculture Wednes
day afternoon and prosecute his
charges against Commissioner OF
Agriculture J. ]. Brown, resulted II
the committee deciding to recommend
to the senate that no further notice
be taken Of the charges.
Senator Browns resolution, recit-
ing his charges against Commission
er Brown, was referded, last week.
to this committee for investigation.
The committee served notice. in a
formal way, upon Senator Brown to
appear on Wednesday afternoon, at
8 o'clock, and present the evidence in
support of his charges. and upon
Commissioners Brown to appear in
answer to the charges.
When the committee met accord
ing to schedule, Senator Brown was
not present and had no spokesman
there to represent him. Commits
sioner Brown was present and an
nounced himself ready to deny, dis
prove and denounce the charges made
against him in the resolution.
CndrSSS OEOppSd
Thereupon the committee adopted
a resolution declaring the charges
a dead letter and recommending that
the senate take no further notice OF
them, in view of Senator Brown
failure to appear and give evidence
to support them.
Commissioner Brown thanked the
committee very heartily for its &C,
ton. AS to the charge that he mad
purchas ed, in Athens, an automoplle
with funds of the state and appro-
priated the same to his own per
sonal use. Commissioner Brown IN IN,
formed the committee that the
charge was false, fabrication out
of the whole cloth. The only auto
mobile he could imagine which might
have furnished the basis for THIS
charge, he said, was one bought by
the wife of his son with her own
personal funds and used by her per-
AS to the charge that he, though
an inspector Of his department, mac
condemned a carload of corn ana
subsequently bought the same at
very much reduced PRICE anu n conn -
shipped to his farm in Appllng cour,-
ty for his personal use, COMMISSION
or Brown submitted to the commit
tee an affidavit by the railroad sta-
ton agent at Bailey, the point Where
such a shipment would nave gone
declaring that no Shipment Oh folTi
ha dever been consigned TO j. D.
Brown at that point, or to anyone
connected with j. J. Brown.
Text of Report
The text Of the committee report follows:
Mr.. President: Your committee on aSrl-
culture have had under consideration senate
resolution No. 9, by Mr.. Brown OF the FIJI
tieth district, relative to the ihVestlsatnUn
Of the office of commissioner OF agriculture
and the department under his Jurlsdlctloh.
Your committee, through its chairman ana
secretary. notified in writing the author OF
this resolution, together with the c0hnn I
sioner of agriculture, and requested tna'
hoth he present at the hearing OF TINS res
olution set for a hearing at the regular
meeting of this committee on July ~.
The author of the resolution did not ap-
pear, nor did he furnish any evidence ~
sustain the charges set forth in the resolu-
tio1 and made on the floor of the senate
The commissioner of agriculture, hon; D. d.
Brown, responded to the notice ser'eI u rt"os
him and appeared 10 oeIenu 'ne
made against him. .., /. .,,s
tain said charges, and there beng NOTING LnI
for your committee to base any acton up ~
further than to make report pach " -
senate on the resolution as set TO your
committee: 4 +boa
We. therefore, respectfully report tHae
,esnlution hack to the senate with thls N
formation, and recommend tndt an MD no fur
eating committee be appointed anu no 1"-
fher action be taken thereon:
Respectfully submitted,
!. Il. WILLS, Chairman.
Senator Brown, explaining his his r tSe
sons for not appearing before il ie
sons COMMITTEES to support his
s sSarge and urge the favorable con- odd
sideration of his resolution, de eaS 1o
Thursday that the com ;5a aJ tGe
against Commissioner Brown, or Ito to
condIlct any sort of an inVeSusatloli
o of the department of agriculture
Oh since Sin the committee had no "a au J.,
thority to consider my exloen &C. :
said the senator m ap b bot rser it and
pre- PRESSES neosse ssh to support my charges
ny I am pO ready to appear before an i IN l.
yestigating committee clothed VIII IN
authority to consider the matter OH
-. ,oaritSo