Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1921-07-24
State HEALTH
OFFICER Tells
OF BADCHECKS
Unexpected Development in
Exhibition Of Bank Book
Presented Carrick

AUSTIN, Texas, July 23-Two
items in Governor Neff's charges o.
graft and extravaganza were barred
before the house and senate appro.
pylauons committees today. The evil
dence obtained from the govern II
vas used as basis in probing the
charges through questioning the de
parrment heads.
With the appearance of DR.. Mant-
On NJ. Carf1ck, state health officel.
who was questioned regarding bo-
gus checks In one of the sub-divi-
sions of his department, came an un-
expected development. DIR. Carrick
exhibited bank book of a locai
bank showing a deposit of $lS4.
OF to the credit Of Manton Nj. Car
rick. not as state health officer, buS
privately. DIR. ,Carriok said this
money was stiil in the bank and that
the book was handed to him one day
last march by man VINO was tncn
connected with the health service de-
paftment. DIR. Carrick said that he
thought IT was an attempt to brlbe
him to overlook certain Irregular
ties in his department and that he
turned the book over to the governor
within five minutes after it was pre-
sented to him later showing il to
an assistant attorney general. asking
for advice. The committee asked DR.
Carrick numerous questions regard
ing the book and the money. but
took no action regarding it. The ir-
Irregularities for which the attempted
bride was made have since been stop
pod and eurrected, DIR. Carrick told
the committee, exhibiting = voucher
which he refused to endorse and an
other on which he stopped payment.
He said that inquiry at the b. Ak
showed that the money was deposit
ed by "a man wearing black hat"
which was all the information he
could obtain regarding it.
DR.. Qarrick also explained to the
committee how q bogus checking on
the state was stopped. This item has
been given publicity previously and
concerns q division operated by the
federal government, the state Sand
the city of Houston jointly.
T. NJ. Scott secretary Of the state
fire insurance commission told the
committee that he honestly believed
th-t the padding of expense account
committed hy six fire insurance in
spectors while in Wichita Falls was
done v-'thou+ idea Of defrauding the
state. He pointed out that the in
snertors were raid more than their
expense accounts showed, but he
firmly believed that the men spent
the money for state PURPOSES and
th-t no ~stemrt tn defraud was
made. The excess between the
~-.o~-. ~-ii 80 irs-ector and the
hotel receipts for approximately one
month was nhont $to5. He said that
he had absolute confidence in all or
TIE EMPLOYEES Of the commission and
that II was a rare instance il tech
-~;~~I;+;e~ v-e-e rorrted where an ev-
pense account could not be char"e' :
~-i+l hef-~- -~dded II was brought
out that the inspectors concerned are
still emploved as such.
Together with g., w. Tillev. state
fire marstil. who preceded Mr..
Scott. he was asked concerning GUST
ing and appointing the EMPLOYEES Of
the derartment. X was brought ont
that Mr.. Tillcv and Mr. Scott did
not harmorize in Their policies and
that most of the appointments we've
mrda Nv Mr.. Tillev.
Questions a. 10 whether efficient
employees were ousted solely to al-
low fr;eris to be appointed were
fired at the two men.
The two de-artmenf heels we~c
then questioned regarding their bud
gets for the next two years.