House Committee on Charges Against James E. Ferguson, Governor, Investigate - 35th R.S. (1917)

Committee:	House Charges Against James E. Ferguson, Governor, Investigate
Title:	Report
Library Catalog Title:	Report
Subjects:	Banks and banking | Conflicts of interest | Ethics | Ferguson, James E. 'Pa' | Fiscal management | Fraud | Government ethics | Governor's mansion | Impeachment | State purchasing |
Library Call Number:	H.J. of Tex., 35th Leg., R.S. 1338 (1917)
Session:	35th R.S. (1917)
Online version:	View report [20 pages  File size: 1,197 kb]
Charges:	This report should address the charges below.
1.	Investigate the charge that Governor Ferguson misapplied and misappropriated state funds in violation of the state Constitution including repairs, improvements to the Governor's Mansion and Grounds and well as the labor to care for same. *
2.	Investigate the charge that Governor Ferguson not only misapplied and misused a large part of appropriations by approving for payment by State accounts for merchandise and articles for which he owes and is personally liable, and approved on said accounts, deficiency certificates. *
3.	Investigate the charge that in violation of the Constitution and laws of Texas that James E. Ferguson misapplied and misused a large portion of the appropriation described as "Payment of rewards and other expenses necessary for the enforcement of laws, lithography, telegraphing and other purposes, $7,500." *
4.	Investigate the charge that Governor Ferguson has approved accounts for articles for the personal use of his family and household which have been paid out of appropriations and some of which have been made the basis for deficiency certificates issued by the Comptroller of the State. *
5.	Investigate the charges that while an officer of a State bank, the Temple State Bank, that Governor Ferguson became indebted to said bank in excess of the amount by statutes violating both civil and criminal statutes. *
6.	Investigate the charge that Cashier of the Temple State Bank knowing that Governor Ferguson was in debt to the bank in excess of statutes loaned him additional funds from the bank. *
7.	Investigate the charge that James E. Ferguson executed certain mortgages to Temple State Bank to secure all or part of his indebted thereto and requested that the officers of the bank withhold same from record in order that he might be relieved of criticism of his political appointments, and said mortgages were withheld. That while said mortgages were withheld from record by the offices of said bank, that James E. Ferguson executed other mortgages to other parties on the same property, or a large part thereof, and said other mortgages were placed of record before mortgages from said bank were recorded, thereby making the mortgages and security of said bank subject to the liens of said other mortgages. *
8.	Investigate the charge that Temple State Bank accepted the "bonding plan" to secure its depositors and did not become a beneficiary of the bank guaranty fund. And that officers of said bank have made application in the last ninety days under the law to the guaranty fund plan that the bondsmen may be relieved of liability by failure of said bank by reasons of the indebtedness of James E. Ferguson to it. *
9.	Investigate the charge that the Commissioner of Insurance an Banking, Charles O. Austin, appointed by Governor Ferguson, has failed to investigate the indebtedness of Governor Ferguson to the Temple State Bank. *
10.	Prepare a report that shall contain a full and accurate transcript of the proceedings. *
11.	Prepare and submit with its report such specific charges as may the basis, or may be necessary in impeachment proceedings against James E. Ferguson, Governor of the State of Texas. *

* This represents an abstract of the report contents. Charge text is incomplete or unavailable.

Information on this website is provided as a public service by the Legislative Reference Library. The Legislative Reference Library makes no representation as to its completeness or accuracy and makes no warranty in regard to its use. Users assume all risk of reliance on the information included on this site.