Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1921-12-01
Berrien Writes HardWick He
Will Try to Make Good
State Funds If Left
Alone

Wednesday that he had virtually de-
cided not to issue warrants on the
state school appropriation to replace
the shortage Of r. N. Berrien, Jr.,
the Atlanta broker who was handl-
ing the warrants as discount agent
for the state, and who disappeared
from the city ten days ago when
warrant charging embezzlement was
issued against him.
The governor announced further
that the warrants will be discounted
for the balance of the school war.
rant discounting period, which runs
to next March, by the Citizens and
Southern bank, at the rate of per
cent, which is one-kalf of one per
cent lower than the rate Berrien was
giving for warrants discounted since
last June.
Attorney General Napier has fur
nished him an opinion, the COVER.
nor stated, to the effect that he is
authorized to draw warrants on the
school appropriation to replace the
shortage, but the governor said n
could not concur in the opinion.
"On the one hand" said the gov
ernor. ''it would be necessary to
overdraw the school appropriation
to replace the shortage, or on the
other hand it would be necessary
to scale down the balance remain
ing in the appropriation to absorb
the shortage. Either one of those
expedients is prohibited by law.
have carefully gone over the situa-.
ton and cannot see how it would
be possible to replace the shortage
without running counter to one or
the other Of those statutes. Comp
troller General Wright and State
Treasurer Speer concur in my view.
Their approval Of the governors
warrants is necessary before such q
warrant can be paid, so if I issued
warrants to replace the shortage
they would not be paid"
The governor expressed the opin-
ion that the legislature might see
fit at its next session, after hear.
ing all the facts, to make a defi-
cheney appropriation to replace the
shortage, but that, as he pointed
out, is matter for the legislature
to decide.
$43,811 Shortage.
Berrien's shortage. according to
his letter to Governor Hardwick
made public Tuesday, is $43,S11. AS
matters now stand under Governor
Hardwick's decision not to issue
warrants to replace the shortage,
the shortage will have to be borne
by the local school authorities
whose checks from Berrien, cover.
ing their respective pro-rata shares
Of warrants turned over to him for
discount, were refused payment by
Berrien's bank in Atlanta. In other
words the governors warrants I'M
der the old arrangement were sent
to the local authorities for their en-.
dorsement, returned by them to
State School Superintendent Brit
tain, turned over by him to Berrien
for discount, and Berrien disbursed
the proceeds.
The largest single check of Ber-
rien on which payment was refused
was one for $4,000 to the superin-
tendent of schools of Chatham coun-
ty. The others ranged down TO
small amounts, though there were
several ranging from $4,000 to S.
BOO.
A new arrangement has been
made, Governor Hardwick said for
discounting the warrants with the
Citizens & Southern bank. Under
this arrangement the bank turns
over to Superintendent Brittain a
cashiers check for each warrant
presented by him bearing the en-
dorsement of the local school board
to which it was made payable. That
is to say the proceeds Of the dis.
count are collected Immediately.
Attorney General Napier is pre-
pairing some further citations for the
governor in support Of his opinion
that the governor is authorized to
draw warrants to replace the short
age, but it did not seem likely from
the governors discussion Of the
matter that he would change his
mind.
Renewed efforts were being made
Wednesday to discover Berrien's
whereabouts, Sheriff Lowry sent
deputies to his residence on Peach.
tree street to make a search. They
found nothing, they reported, which
would furnish a clue. The furnl'
ture was packed and the family said
they were preparing to move to
Washington, where sister of Ber-
rien resides.
Asks to Be "Let Alone"
Berrien in his letter to the gov
ernor said he had formed connec.
ton in large city and expected to
make enough moE2u to repay his
shortage in full. He SAID she degree
of his success along that li1r9 would
depend on whether he was let alone.
His letter was mailed in the Atlanss
postoffice with a special delivery
1t evidently was written out
side of Atlanta and sent here bv
Berrien to some relative or friend
who remailed it to the governor.
thus concealing Berrien's where.
abouts.
Governor Hardwick. of course.
does not consider for a moment tho
of compromising or tenn
PORTING with Berrien. he said We'd
nesday. Neither does Superintendent
Britain. Instructions to the Pinker-
ton agency, employed in the case.
are to make every effort to locate
Berrien.
Governor Hardwick expressed
that he was able to dis
count the balance Of the warrants
for the current period at a rate of
Z per cent with the Citizens and
Southern bank. The rate paid Der.