Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-01-27

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the usa~ ending JUNO Isl, a. ID. 1858.
The undersigned Committee beg leave TO sub
nit the following Report:
ITnop examination the Committee find that
the Report of said Commissioners, David Corn,
Elias Hochstetler and Richard Shreve, is a cor
rect copy of the books in the Auditors Office
containing the proceedings of the Commission
ers Mt their various sessions. But the commit
tee deeming it their duty to go farther into the
subject, have examined somewhat into the facts
and law by which the said Report Will be
proven correct or be condemned. The commit
tee regret that the examination Of the proceed
ings Of the Commissioners for the year ending
June lst, 1853, does not establish, as every ex-
animation should, both the propriety and legal
ity of such proceedings; and that, on the con-
trary, the committee are compelled to come to
the conclusion that several acts Of said Commis-
eioners have not been warranted by law, nor
even reasonable necessity; and that considera-
bic sums of money have been expended with
out much regard TO economy, to say nothing of
direct, positive law in favor thereof, the funda-
mental necessity in the administration of all
financial agencies. The Committee, therefore,
are Of the opinion that the said David Corn,
Elias Hochstetler and Richard Shreve, have an
thorized the payment OF large sums of money
out of the County Treasury. without authority
of law and in gross neglect of duty, and should
be compelled TO refund the same to the County
Treasury.
The items and amounts will be found set
forth here following, to wit:
The said Commissioners attheir June Session
1857, ordered the payment of ss33.75 and 1900
to Enos, Brown d Co.. brokers in Millersburg,
for exchange on Rail Road bonds, and also at
their March Session A. ID. 1858, ordered the
payment of $780, to the same persons or firm
for a like purpose-making in all the sum of
$2O2.75 for the year, for exchange on Rail Road
bonds. The assumed purpose for which ex-
change would be wanted at all, would be to pay
the interest on the Rail Road bonds The ex-
change being what it is worth for Enos, Brown
d Co. to take the money here and pay it out to
bond holders in New York. The commission
ers supposed the interest was payable at New
York, while in fact, it is payable at the county
treasury IN this county. The second section OF
the Act to authorize subscription to this Rail
Road, passed Feb. 26, 1876, reads as follows
"That the Commissioners of each of said coun-
ties, in the payment of aay amount subscribed
under this act, shall issue or cause to be issued
bonds or obligations of the county, Of equal
amount, payable to said company and made ne
gotiable, bearing interest to be paid aanuaLlg at
the Treasury of SAID county, at the rate of sir por
cent, and redeemable at such time as NAV be
deemed expedient by the commissioners, not to
exceed twenty years from date" This is the
provision under which the bonds of the county
were executed, and The obligations them selves
contain the stipulation that the interest is paya-
BILE at the Treasury of the county. Put the
commissioners have disregarded the law, to be
seen any day at the Auditors office, and have
paid said sum of S2O2.75, without any authority
whatever. The amount thus expended should
be refunded to the county
The commissioners further allowed, and or
dered to be paid, the sum of S7.G0, horse hire
for the Treasurer's office. For this order there
is no authority or law.
Also, the further sum of $3.50 expenses of
F. McComb, trip to Cleveland for safe Mr..
McComb accompanied David Corn on this trip.
The committee cannot tell wherein Mr. McComb
would have been serviceable on that occasion;
but at any rate there is no law authorizing
such an expense.
Also, the further sum of $500 for stationery
for the Auditors Office, to c. ID. Taggart. There
is no voucher any where for this charge. Mr.
Taggart was not paper pedlar; was not in a
condition to advance money TO the county, and
the committee do not deem it probable that Mr.
Taggar was entitled to this sum of money.
Also, the further sum of $500 for express
charges, drayage and horse hire for Auditors Of
flee. Part of this is proper enough. but the
horse hire portion is against authority, and there
tee think about $4.00 of this account is wrong.
Also, the further sum of $500 attorneys fees
of the State VS.. Bevington d Feasel, to Bancroft
d Yoorhes. Some person engaged their servi-
ces IN and about getting papers ready to obtain
a requision of the Gov. Of Indiana. This is the
duty of the Prosecuting Attorney. After IN
dictment it is his duty to do all the business of
the State appeltaining to the criminal, and he
gets paid regular salary. 1t is not right to
pay money out ofthe Treasury in such case.
Also the further sum of 5000, for making
Report of the Commissioners for the year end
ing June 1st, 1857, toe. ID. Taggart There is
no law for this charge against the Treasury. 1t
is the duty Of the commissioners to make out
their own report, and rs it is merely the copy
ing off of the books, can be done by ANYBODY
that can write. Even if the Report-the pay
ing for twas legal, it is not worth over ten
dollars. At the rate Of ten cents per hundred
words, 1t does not amount to $500.
Also, the further sum OF $25 90, for asserting,
marking and filing old papers in Auditors Of
fce, to G. +. Newton. The committee do not
find any law for such a charge, and besides,
think that the revision of the papers in that Of
nee and the filing them away, marking them,
DC, would be essential at the advent of q new |
officer to his own proper understanding and |
skillfulness in the discharge of his duty as an |
officer. No pay should be allowed for such SER
vices. They are necessarily incidental to con-
venience, not absolutely essential to business
Also. the further sum of S445.00, ior arresting |
BeTington and Feasel, to J. L. Drake The OBJ |
lection of the committee to this item, is that |
the commissioners paid more than they were
bound to pay, and more than they ought 10
have paid by $lll.57. A reward of S500.00 |
was offered for the three prisoners-only two
were returned, which entitled them to two
thirds of the reward, $333.333 No voucher is
On file, and there is no evidence or reason Of anv
KIND for the payment of more than two-thirds
Of the reward.
Also, the further sum of $4,000 to J. II. & |
D. G. Newton, and $4,000 TO J. Caskey, and |
$4,000 TO John Raber, for printing the "Amend-
nents to the Constitution The committee re- |
present that it was not worth $4,000 to insert |
the amendment to the constitution for the re-
9uired time; but besides that, the persons to
whom the commissioner report says this mon
ey was paid. never received but about forty or
fifty dollars each, instead of one hundred dol
lars each, and that the balance of the $4,000
to at least $4,000, went into the
possession of G.. ID. Taggart. The committee
are informed that the commissioners never made
any contract with the printers to do this job of
work; but on the contrary, permitted G. D.
Iaggart to have the supervision Of the Job and
10 file the account for the same without max
ing any enquiry into the matter, of a public
character The committee are of the opinion
hat the said commissioners were aware that the
,aid Taggart was specializing in the printing,
md knowingly permitted larger sum TO be
paid for said printing than was necessary; a
,um, at least. larger than the said Taggart did
pay, of about $4,000, which ought to be re-
undcd.
Also. the further sum of $l7s.00, clerk hire.
or the Auditors Office The law does not an
horize the Auditor to employ clerk, and where
he does If, it should be at his own expense
The commissioners of the county have no right
o take cognizance of any such matter.