Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1931-09-23
CLOSED PROBE
IS PROTESTED
BY CALBRAITH
County Officials Will
Answer Questions
Thursday

Plea of. II. b. Galbraith. Browns
vile attorney. that fee matters un-
der discussion between the commits
sioners' court OF Cameron county
and II. D. Seago. county clerk, w.
+. Brown, sheriff and j. j. Fox. tax
collector. be considered in an open
rather than executive session of the
court. apparently meets approval Of
officials concerned.
Galbraith Tuesday addressed q
letter TO members OF the court ami
H.. M. Shelton, county auditor, pro-
testing the proposed executive ses-
sion Of the court scheduled for
Thursday, when the matter of fees
allegedly due the county from the
three officials named is due for dis
cussion.
Believes Fees Due.
Shelton, in a report given the court
last week, gave as his opinion that
some $4,000 was due the county in
fees collected by various present AMI
former county officials.
County Judge Dancy Is in Austin
and could not be reached for an
opinion, but Commissioners Logan
of San Benito and Harry Pattee Of
Port Isabel told The Herald they
were N perfect accord with Gal
braith's proposal and that as far
as they were concerned the mat
ter could be discussed in open ses-
sion.
Consideration of the fee question
In an open session Of the court Is
also advocated by County Auditor II.
M. Shelton. Il never advised con-
sideration In an executive session.
he stated.
Public's Business.
ut Is the public's business and as
far as / am concerned the entire
county would be welcome at any dis
cussion regarding fees with which my
my office is connected" II. r. Seago,
county clerk, told The Herald.
Il have on deposit In escrow draw
ing 3 per cent interest, $500 which
/ am holding and have been holding
until Ii Is determined whether all Or
any part OF that sum belongs u
Cameron county," the county clerk
stated.
In order to clear the matter no I
have been considering filing a
friendly suit against the county IN
order that the matter might be
settled by the courts. ! am not GER
tain and apparently county off,
Gals are undecided as TO the proper
disposition Of this money and / am
Just as anxious as anyone that the
matter be settled" Seago concluded
BY way OF explaining his position
In regard to a public hearing, Sher-
If Brown made a brief resume con-
corning the $50 item charged TO
him in the auditors report.
Bookkeeping Error
An error in bookkeeping was made
in charging the October item for
feeding prisoners at the county
Jail. he said. This vas not discov-
cred until April, after his annual
report had been made TO the COM
missioners' Uourt. He Immediately
filed a supplemental report with the
auditor. setting out that he owed
the county $50.
There is no misunderstanding
concerning this item" the sheriff
said. 1T was a bookkeeping error
in the first place and I, myself.
reported 1t as soon as II was dis
covered. My office owes the sum
and Is going to pay 1t as soon as
the funds r available"
Tax Collector Fox commented
along the same lines. The suit on
which the county auditor based his
claim against fees collected by Fox
Is still in litigation. II Is now up
on appeal. An effort Is being made
at settlement through the c0urts.
Session Favored
The collector was surprised at
the announcement Of an 'execu-
tive session OF the commissioners
court for attemptsi settlement Of
the fee questions.
He said he was in favor of a
public session rather than q secret
meeting.
The announcement OF the exec
utiye" sessions Thursday was made
by County Judge o. c. Dancy after
a conference with Auditor II. M.
Shelton. Sr.
The commissioners court took no
action In ordering the closed meet
ings. It authorized the auditor to
go ahead with necessary steps" to-
ward collecting money which the
county claims Is DUE ii. A portion
of Galbraith's letter follows:
Immediately upon the heels OF
County Auditor II. M. Shelton. Sr.'s
report filed with you last week.
tina. Messrs. Fox, Seago and Brown
were indebted to the county approx
imate1y al n m tha ro~af r~ar~