The Shasta courier., 1858-03-06
SHASTA COURIER.
SATURDAY MORNING, MARCH 6, 1858.
Illegal Warrants.

We intended, in our last number, to pay our
respects to article which appeared in the
Republican of the 10th Feb relative to Illegal
warrants, but were prevented from SO doing by
our failure to obtain, in time, certain facts and
and figures. As they in our possession now,
however, we will proceed to use them. The
following paragraphs taken from the Repub-
Eeans article:
We have lately heard a good deal of street
talk about illegal warrants drawn on Shasta
County. 1t is said that large amount of the
S36, 900 of accounts allowed since the lst Feb
ruary last was for Illegal fees in criminal cases
charged by the present Clerk and his predeces-
sor. Lest fair minded citizens might be imposed
upon by these spiteful and evil intended asser-
tions we have taken look at the records, and
will give few figures.
Since the 26th day of November, 1856, the
total amount of warrants issued to the present
County Clerk and his predecessor is S3,S0l 5.
This sum includes of fees in criminal cases
claimed to be Illegal, the accounts for which
have been allowed since January Is, 1857, the
sum of 1927 %. Granting, then, all the carpers
claim in the way of the law and the right of the
matter and we find that the thousands OF dol
lars of illegal fees with which the Clerk is ac-
cused of swelling the county debt of the past
1t may be remarked that the last of this was
audited by the present Board of Supervisors.
Now we, also through friend, " have taken
look at the records, and will give few fig
ures.r First, however, will quote from the
Act Of April TO- 1855, to regulate fees in office,
Woods Digest, page 437, just to show what
fees are allowed the clerk for doing certain
things. Under:the head of "Fees of Clerk of
District Court" latter part of section fifth, we
hnd the following:
\ When the District Court is sitting
IS court of criminal Jurisdiction, he shall re-
ceive for the trial of each issne, where the
charge is felony, five dollars. For the trial of
each issue, where the charge is misdemeanor,
three dollars He shall receive no other fee
for any seroice whateper in criminal action or
proceeding, except for copies of papers, for each
folio, forty cents"
On the opposite page, 43s, we find under the
head of " Fees of clerk of court of sessions, y
the following:
SEC. I. The clerk shall receive the same
fees as allowed the clerk of the district
court in criminal cases.
Thus it will be seen that in no case is the
for each case in the District Court or Court OF
Sessions, where the charge is felony, and three
dollars where the chargei is misdemeanor The
reader will bear this in mind while examining
the items and figures of the ensuing described
warrants-the same which the Board of Super
antil further actien has been had in regard to
them:
Warrant No. 447, Dec. &c, 1855. issued to w.
s. jenkins, for fees clerk of the court of ses-
sions and district court as follows: for swearing
jurors, opening and adjourning court, &C., $3.50
05.
No. 5ls, Jan. 10, 1856, to w S. Jenkins for
fees clerk of the court of sessions and district
court, S2l0 S5.
No. 564, Feb. 2Sth, 1856, to W. S. Jenkins.
fees clerk of the court Of sessions and district
court 1924 90.
Not one cent of the foregoing amounts is le-
gally chargeable to the county, if we read the
law aright-not one cent. 1t is all illegaLthe
whole eight hundred dollars and upwards.
No. AS, Dec 81, 1856, issued to W. s. Jen-
kins as auditor, for issuing and recording war
rants, $500.
There is no law authorizing the clerk to charge
the county for issuing and recording war
rants" This, too, is wholly illegal--ev.ry dol
lar of it.
No. 647, March, 1856, for ono months salary
as clerk of the board of supervisors, S25. and
fees in criminal cases, S2ss 10.
No. 72l, in favor of W. S. Jenkins for fees as
clerk of the court of sessions, March term,
1856, S2S5 S5.
Ofthese two sums S25 is legal-the greater
portion of the remainder must be Illegal be-
cause the sum of S54S %, the amount remain
ing after the of SIS is deducted. would,
even though each case was a charge of felony,
pay all the clerks fees for upwards of one hun
dred casesl Were there anything like that
number of persons ired at the March term of
1857 We venture the assertion that there
were not over twelve, costing. at the outside.
the sum of S6o-leaving about $500 of the two
warrants Illegal
With the facts looking him in the face, that
'ne clerk can make no legtl charge against the
county Tor issuing and recording warrants, y
'i"' tue law does not allow him fees as clerk
OF tue court of sessions and district court y NV
cept three or five dollars in each cr;m;na, a..
WIN tutct ltCtS fUOFin9 him in the
face, the reader viii peruse the foregoing and
succeeding described warrants with astonish-
ment:
No. 722, in favor of W. S. Jenkins. for fees as
auditor, in issuing and recording warrants, and
making certificates for jurors to March 10th.
1856, Sl62.
No. s5S, to W. s. Jenkins, for fees as clerk of
the district court and court of sessions for April
term, and as auditor, April 81, 1856. S2l4.
No 95l to W. 5. Jenkins, for fees in criminal
eases, to May 9th, S6i
No. 953, in favor of W. s. Jenkins. for one
month salary as auditor, $50 for one months
salary as clerk of board of supervisors. S25 !.
transcribing supervisors record, May 9th, 1856.
Sl3S 60.
Wasn't this rather piling it on and rubbing it
in-charging the county salary as clerk of the
eeard, and then charging again for the work
done
No l42, to W. S. Jenkins for issuing and re-
eording $50 warrants, and making 1873 certifi
Gates to jurors, Sle3 25.
No. ", June 26, 1856, in favor of ". s. len.
Rims, for sundry fees in criminal cases. at June
serm oil court of sessions, S2l2 so.
Two hundred and twelve dollars at one form
nr ices IN criminal casesi According To this
tnere must have been nnwar5s ~