Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1923-09-27

III I'LL IIu0PEClIUIV
At FARM INQUIRY
j. j. Holloway, former state oil in
spector, was recalled to the stand
Wednesday in the investigation of
the department of agriculture by a
special legislative committee, and
testified that Commissioner of Agri-
culture j. j. Brown told him before
the state primary last year that he
! was afraid, if certain oil inspection
rules were enforced, the oil com.
panies might raise a campaign fund
to use against him.
Mr.. Holloway said the commits
sioner told him the oil companies
might raise a large sum. He first
said hat Mr.. Brown mentioned 49,
600 or $4,000, but later corrected this
and said the commissioner mention.
ed 81, 900 or $4,000. He said the rule
in question concerned the inspection
of oil in Georgia after it had al
ready been inspected in one of the
adjoining states.
Commissioners Brown iumped to
his feet and fired a number of
questions at Mr.. Holloway, urging
him to refresh his memory and give
the committee the true facts. The
commissioner indicated by his atti-
tude that he would emphatically
deny Mr.. HolIoway's accusations
when given an opportunity to
testify.
Bitterness Alleged
Mr.. Holloway said he told many
people about the alleged conVersa-
ton. and one of them was 9GeOrge
w. Seals. who was in the senate
chamber. Placed on the stand, Mr..
Seals said he did have a cOnVersa-
ton with Mr.. Holloway "alOnG this
line" but did not remember de-
tails. Cross examined. Mr.. Seals
was asked about the feeling of Mr..
f1OlIOWdN lOWdIu us COIllulISSlOIlCA
Brown. and declared it was bitter.
On examination Mr.. HOllO-
way admitted that for a consider
able time he made out his own eX-
pense account and had been paid by
Walter Vance, former warrant clerk
under Governor Hardwick, without
The approval of Commissioner
Brown or any other official. Attor-
ney Sam i. Olive, representing the
department, told Mr., Holloway he
was the only employe in the capitol
who had been allowed to do this.
Marvin p. Roane, city tax Collec-
tor of Atlanta, and former state Oil
inspector, was Sworn as Il witness
and declared he had no charges of
any kind to make against Commits
sioner Brown. lie said he did not re-
cs,Il any mismanagement or inefti-
cheney and asserted that Commits
sioner Brown never called on him
during his term of office to indulge
in undue political activity.
ROane Blames Legislature
Attacking some of the laws under
which the department is operating,
Mr. Roane said they were grossly in
adequate, and that the Georgia leg
islature is to blame. He said the
present gasoline inspection law is
out of date, and that he made UNI
successful efforts while he was CHIEF
Inspector to have 1t changed.
Mr.. Roane said that during his
term of office he recommended to
Commissioner Brown that the num-
Der of oil inspectors be reduced. He
said there were 165 or 10 inspec-
tors employed when he left the de-
paFtment.
\ story in the Columbia Sentinel,
declaring that Mr.. Roane received
money monthly from Oil companies.
was emDhatically denied by the wit
ness, who showed that he at one
time acted as trustee of a fund
under Il federal court order, and
received monthly payments for a
while in this way. His statement
was cOrrobOrated by p. II. Nell, an
employe Of the Department.
Recalled to the stand by the de-
Tense, Former State Oil Inspector
j. j. Holloway admitted that Com
missioner Brown never asked him
for lone penny for campaign eX-
penses, and that the commissioner
tried hard to enforce all laws of the
department. He admitted that he
gave information about the depart
ment to Grover c. EdmOndsOn, of
the Columbia Sentinel, and said
that the conversation between him
self and George w. Seals, referred
to in Seals tstimony, occurred after
he was discharged from the de-
partment.
Throughout the investigation Rep
resentative Charles +. Stewart of
Atkinson county, the chief accusor
of the department, is sitting beside
Assistant Attorney General h. II.
Gress, representing the state, with
copies of the Columbia Sentinel
spread before him. Mrs. Alice Louise
Lytle, editor of the Sentinel, con-
tinues to attend the sessions, al
though she completed her testimony
! Tuesday.
/ The committee on Wednesday or
! dered subpOenas issued for Cecil
! Neill, speaker of the house of rep
resentatives, and George II. Cars
well, president of the state SEN
ate, in connection with esti-
| mony given late Tuesday by Mrs.
Alice Louise Lyle editor of the Co.
lumbia Sentinel, to the effect that
she saw the speaker, and the senate
president walking down the corridor
of the capitol with Commissioner OF
Agriculture J. j. Brown shortly be-
fore the special investigating COM
mittee was appointed on the last
night of the general assembly.
Both Mr.. CarsweIl and Mr.. Neill
were expected to reach Atlanta Wed
nesday night to testify Thursday
morning. Other subpoenas issued
Wednesday were for Paul Stevenson
and GEORGE NJ. Couch, the latter be