The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1938-09-01

Much uncailed for and misleading
! publicity has been given Holmes
County and her officials in the public
press in connection with recent au-
dts Of the public offices of Holmes
County, we are therefore taking the
liberty to submit the plain facts and
figures to the people of Holmes Coun-
ty in regard to the audits, which we
believe will be thoroughly understood
and appreciated by all of our citi-
ems and the public at large
The State Auditor, as provided by
Article 2 Chapter "a of the Code of
1890, as amended by Chapter 157 OF
the Laws of 1898, as made an audit
of the accounts and records of the
County for the two fiscal years ending
September 30, 1886, and 1887 respec-
lively:
Office of the Chancery Clerk and
Board of Supervisors.
Office Of the Sheriff and Tax Col
lector.
Office of the Circuit Clerk.
Office of the Superintendent of
Education.
and submitted his report to the
Board of Supervisors of Holmes Coun
ty. The State Auditor having prev
iously made a similar audit and sub
mitted the same to the Board of Su-
pervisors in 1885.
The present audit shows receipts
and disbursements from September
30, 1885 to September 80, 1885, of
936, 215.49, which includes cash bal
ance at the close of that period of
;l35, 1858, and from September 80,
1886 to September 30, 1887, 1915, 456.4s,
which includes a cash balance at
the close of that period Of 1927, 558.4S,
showing total receipts and disburse-
ments for the two year period Of
s1,752,6 7197. To make this audit it
required two to five auditors 112
days for which the county has paid
81, 1880 to the State Auditor, as re-
i 1uiIcO ny liC dOONC mt VI tbC AC6is-
lature.
All possible assistance was render
ed by the above named county Off
Gals to the deputy auditors. who
we're very dilligent in making and
rendering their report to the State
Auditor and to this Board.
We are pleased to state that the
books and records of the Clerk of
this Board, who is also Chancery
Clerk and County Auditor, were
found to be SO well kept that the
chief deputy from the Auditors Of
: flee stated that he intended to re-
mmend to other counties in the
state the same or a similar bookkeep-
ing system. We are also pleased to
note that the report of the Auditor
in reference to the office of Super
inendent of Education states: I'VE
found the records in excellent con-
dition; and it appears that an effort
is being made to safeguard all funds
under the supervision Of this office"
The report makes no criticism of
any item or revenue collected or due
the county.
The following items of disburse-
ment, however, are criticized in the
report, we are therefore taking the
liberty of giving a complete list of
aese items.
summary of these allowances,
which are criticized by the Auditor
report, are as follows:
/ 1. Alleged excess and duplicate
payments to Miss. Tractor &
Equipment Co. --.-----.-.----..-----$734.42
2. Alleged excess and duplicate
payments to Miss. Culvert &
Machinery Co. ----- 395.47
3. Alleged excess and duplicate
: payments to Austin Western
Machinery Co. -~----.------.-------- 1000
4. Alleged excess and duplicate
! payments to P. E. Garnett 49, 29O
5. Alleged excess and duplicate
payments to City of Lexing-
ton -------------~~-----.--.------------ 100
s. Alleged Illegal allowance to
. Miss Elizabeth Heinrich - 1900
q Alleged premiums illegally
paid on Deputies bonds ----. 4SO 90
8. Alleged illegal payments to
A. B. Holder, sheriff. account
prisoners 63S 80
9. Alleged illegal payments to
I w. L. Ellis, sheriff. account
prisoners ----------------------~.---- /, 260 &c
: The total amount in contro-
On page II Of the audit. 1t Is charg-
ID that the Mississippi Tractor 4
Machinery Co. Of jackson, Miss,
during the years Of 1885 to Decem-
Der -, 1887. received excess payments
amounting to $734.42, the items in
question are from 81 cents UP and
cover numerous statements and ac-
counts for road machinery, parts
L No. u -tt.