The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-02-19
Pottawattamie County Affairs.
The County Judge and the Grand Jury.

.
The following Presentment was fled in
open Court, yesterday, the 18th inst. We
have 10 time FOR any remarks ills week:
STATE OF Iowa, lss
Pottawuttamie County,,
To the Honorable, the District Court in
and for pottawattamie County, Iowa, at the
February Term thereof, \. d., 1907, j. L..
Fetter and colleagues, accusers, against John
II. Sherman, County Judge, accused, most
respectfully charge that the said accused Is
guilty Of wilful maladminis.yation IN office.
That is to say:
That the said John II. Sherman, present
County Judge of Pottawattame County,
Iowa. as the said accusers verify believe,
has, during his administration as County
Judge in and for said County, to scit from
the fourth 18th? day Of May, y. D., 1858, to
the 18th day OF February, a. D., 1859, Is
sued COUNTY Warrants to the amount Of
Thirty-o one thousand and Ninety-three o.
100 dollars 1881 ,093 26). of which amount
the sum of Fourteen Hundred and Thirty
four So 100 dollars (Sl,534 3G) is marked
Cancelled leaving a balance Of Coanty Or
ders, OF Warrants, yet outstanding to the
amount of Twenty mine Thousand Six Hun
bred and Fifty-eight and 90-lO0 Dollars,
(S29,6 5S 90.)
| The said accuscrs represent, also, that
large amounts of County Orders have been
issued to persons for building bridges, in
cases where no contract, verbal or written,
was made with the County Judge, as to price
for said bridges. And that large amounts
of Warrants have been issued for q greater
amount than the bills rendered that is to
say in some cases three dollars for one,
and in one case four dollars for one: that in
the majority of cases, two dollars for one,
besides those Warrants issued on Township
Trustees Certificates.
The said accuseys further represent aad
charge, that the Books and Papers of the
County Judge, the accused aforesaid, are in
very disordered and dcranged condition ;
50 much so, that, owing to the limited time
which the said accusers have to act, they are
unable to make a full report on them, but
have found enough to show that there has
been much negligence on the part of the
said accused in keeping the Books of his said
Office, 70 rtt: That, in one place, they lind
about TWO hundred Warrants Of duplicate
numbers, besides other instances Of one u
more numbers duplicated.
The said accuScgs also charge that the
said accused has issued Orders or Warrants
payable to himself.
Therefore, in consideration of the above
and foregoing statements, the said accusers,
whose names are hercun;o subscribed, the
same constituting so many Of the Grand
Jury in and for the County and State afore-
said, and being electors therein, hereby rep
presen. that they verify believe the interests
Of the County require that John II. sher-
man, County Judge, accused, be suspended
from Office until Il full and impartial inves-
tisnt!on 0: his books, papers, and adminis-
tra;on, can be mad"; and that it would
further tend to that purpose to examine
aud Investigate the BOOKS, papers and ad-
lninistrat;on of the Office Of the County
Judge, commencing with the term filed by
Frank Street. And hereby pray this Hon
or4hlc Court, to grant the means therein
vested 80 TO DO. Said accus"rs hereby
subscribing their signatures, tAai the al owe
charges sre true, as IL y v2rlr believe.
j. L. rETTER, JOHN HUNTINGTON,
IRA fLAlNEE, W. II. FOLSOM,
II. p. WARREN, l.. W. FRANK.
JAMES WALKER, GEO. DOUGHTY,
/. CARTER, JOSEPH j. TOWN,
WIZ. LYMAN, JOHN HAMMER.
Subscribed and sworn to, before NE, this
18th dry OF Feb, 1850.
c. p. KELLOGG.
Clerk histrin, rourt