San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-18
OFFICIALS DENY
HARRIS ROAD
CHARGES
Burkett Blanes Politics
for Accusations Of
Contempt.

AUSTIN. Sept. 1S.-tPl-Answers
TO contempt proceedings flied against
members Of the highway commission at
Houston will be filed in the Sixty
first district court NJ Harris county
before Judge ". Z. Montieth today,
the date set for hearing Of the in
junction granted Harris county COM
missioners, restraining the commission
from paying the Sherman and You
mans Construction Company for work
done on Harris county highways.
Copies of the answers of Frank V.
Lsnham, chairman; Joe Burkett and
IL hn II. Beckett, all Of which are prac-
tic;illy the same, declare the defend
ants in no wise guilty of any act
of contempt toward this honorable
court. and have not committed any
act of omission or commission rcla-
tive 10 the subject matter of this pro-
ceeding arose, and say that the ale
gstions of plaintiffs in their motion
set contempt are wholly false and I'M
true and without foundation in fact,
and defendants verify believe that said
allegations were made by plaintiffs
without regard TO their truthfulncss
and solely for the purpose of harass-
ing and embarrassing these defendants
in the discharge of their official du-
ties Of highway commissioners.
EXPLAIN ACTION.
The answers explain the action Of
tine defendants in the case. q
Branding the actions of Harris coun-
~ officials as purely political, as an
attempt TO injure the highway COM
mission, Commissioner Joe Burkctt de-
clared that he is not guilty of any
contempt of court, but on the other
hand, Id all be could TO preserve the
status Of the matter just as it was
when the injunction was issued.
Commissioner Burkett issued
lengthy statement, detailing what he
knew of the Harris Co.-Sherman
and Youmans Construction Company
controversy over the maintenance Of
highways and the drawing of youch-
ers Tuesday, which would have paid
SASS TO Sherman and Youmans had
he not ordered the vouchers withdrawn
from Comptroller 5. II. Terrelrs de-
partment. This was a day following
the issuance of an injunction in Hous-
ton restraining the highway depart
ment from paying Sherman and You.
mans for work.
BLAMES POLITICS.
cit is politics, pure and simple, and
done for the evident purpose of in
juring the highway department"
Commissioner Burket declared. 'The
district judge there (Houston) should
hold the plaintiffs themselves in con-
tempt for perpctrating fraud upon
the court and attempting TO make a
political farce out Of a judicial
tribunal There is absolutely no
foundation in fact for their allegations
against the highway commission. Com
missioners Frank V. Lanham and j.
Beckett were not in Austin, and
know nothing about the matter. SO
far as / know. and / knew nothing
about it until long after the vouchers
were issued and over at the comp
troller's department.
Commissioner Burkett explained
that the first he knew Of the affair
was when Attorney General Dan
Moody called his attention TO news
paper reports of the injunction, and
told him that a clerk in the comp
tfoller's department had asked him If
he should issue the warrants mas
much as he had not been Officially
notified Of the injunction. General
Moody stated be was going TO advise
Mr.. Terrell not TO issue the warrants,
he said.
WITHDRAW VOUCHERS.
Commissioner Burkett said Sill
man Evans, a newspaperman, told
him that the vouchers were at the
comptroller's department signed with
my name" ] Immediately told Mr..
Evans ] had not signed or authorized
the signing Of the vouchers. and knew
nothing about their issuance. He ex-
planned the Withdrawing Of the
vouchers through J.. r. Allison. as.
sIstant highway engineer. who drew
them and signed the names Of Ian
ham and Burkctt, pending the dccis.
ION OF the court at Houston.
in conclusion Of his gtatement.
Commissioner Burkett said he knew
nothing Of the Houston case and that
II Harris county and its citizens do
not want any road work done by the
hlghway department, J will be in favor
of Withdrawing all aid and mainte.
nance from that county. cancelling the
designated highways leading into thai
county and leave the road mainte-
nance and construction To the county
until such time as it will be possible
10 have harmony"