The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1861-01-19
inc amounts .. rax collected since Dec, |. .ss

STATE Tax. .-......--'
eSs's =. ,.,........ $40 So
Interest ss, "a
RaAt ..--..-'---'..'' y. -
District Iax-.---.. us s.
interest,". srn On
Penalty .''.'''-'''--'' - - "A
The above IS writing" totally unaccom-
panied by vouchers, cur County Treasurer
had the audsei.y to present to Board OF
twelve sensible and practical! men, as a faa
statement of the transactions in bis Office
and as a compliance with the law above
quoted. The Beard not being satisfied to
..settle'' with the Treasurer on the basis aud
data Of this writirg"-iudeed, they could
not do so-Mr. Turner appeared before
them With his books and deputy. By inquI-
ries propounded to the Treasurer and depa-
IL, il was ascertainei that the Treasurer kept
no account of all his receipts and disburse-
meats as said Treasurer and that it would
take him and bis deputy at least month 10
furnish an accurate and separate statement
of the transactions in his offce-such
statement as Section 19S of the Revision OF
1860, and Section l5S Of the Code, require
him 70 make.
Not only did they make this humiliatins
admission. but also that the Treasurer kept
no account tUhaterer with the Swamp Land
Fund-and no separate accounts with any
other funds than those designated in the
tax-list But, how is it with the funds be
pretends, in the writing" furnished the
Board, to give a statement of? Select any
one, and can the most acute mind discover
that the Treasurer's - writing" meets the
requirements Of the law in relationthereto ?
Let any one from ''the writing" referred to,
tell how much State Tax was delinquent in
1856, 1857, 1858 or 1859? Let any one tell
US. from "the writing" Of the Treasurer,
how his account with the Swmap Land Fund
stood en- the eth of January, 1861. In short,
so vague, general and meagre was 'the wri-
ting Of the Treasurer, in every particular,
that the clerk just qualified, could not, from
ii, ascertain the facts necessary to enable
! him to open with the Treasurer the accounts
required by Section go of the Revision.
! Under these circumstances, what was the
palpable duty of the Board? Certainly none
other than that they pursued-to-wit: Re-
quiring the Treasurer to report under oath as
to all the funds which he should have pre-
scented in his report and account current,
fortified By proper vouchers, in the shape of
warrants redeemed. This is the mode Of
deriving necessary information from reluc-
tant and negligent county officers, furnished
by subdivision 10 of Section Il Of the
Revision. This subdivision provides that
the Board Of Supervisors shall have power
/ "To require any County onicer to make n reror,
under oath TO them on any subject connected
with the du,ies OF his office, and to require any
such oGtcer 10 girc swC bond c3dii0nai bonds
shall be reasonable necessary for the faithful per-
Torrance their duties; and any such officer
.cho SHALL neglect refuse 10 make such report o.
qive sucl J0HG5 within twenty days after being
qprcd, may be removed from office by the Board
~ a vote Of 4 III jority Of the members ciccted'
To afford the Treasurer ample time to
comply with their just requirements and the
law, the Board adjourned until the third
Tuesday of February next.
The Board also (as authorized By The law
just Qnoted) required of Mr.. Turner adli-
tionrl bonds as Treasurer, in the sum Of
j 1000. They deemed this step necessary
to protect the county against possibility of
/ loss-and being mpellcd thereto, by the fact
that one Of Mr.. Turner's suretIes had dis
posed Of his ostensible property, and the
additional fact, that somes $50, 900 OF Rev
enus is yet to pass through his hands as
Treasurer. They gave Mr.. Turner until the
Sd Tuesday in February, to file these bonds.
! Under the state Of facts above enumera-
ted, it would certainly seem as though Mr..
Turner could not but graciously comply
with the requirements of the Board, without
emitting the performance Of any other Of
his duties! twas certainly no fault Of the
Board, or Of the Law, that the Treasurer
books were in q condition to render
months tim : necessary for making out
! simple statement Of his accounts!
! But, does Mr.. Turner cheerfuiiy bow to
the mandates of the Board, and manifest a
willingness to fully discharge his duties IN
der the law . Let the following facts answer
Although the tax-list for 1860, was placed
! in his hands as early as Nov. or Dec. last,
nc now refuses to collect one cent Of the
! tax embraced therein, or any other tax, un-
I'll La shall have made out the reports re.
nuired Of hin by the Board of Supervisors,
and which he should, and was required by
law to, have had eady en- the first Monday Of
January inst Thus, though his own neg
/ li.ence made it necessary for the Board to
require these reports to be made out a. this
time, be now impuiently falls back on his
| dignity, and, while complying with the
requirements Of the Board, utterly refuses
to collect tho revenue of the county. levied
for the support of the schools, the poor, the
repair Of roads, bridges, and the general al
ministration Of the county affairs. Itwoud
thus seem that our County Treasurer is de-
termined to bid defiance to all law tina.
clashes with his personal interests. Oblige
him to meet the requirements of one section
Of the law, and he forthwith deliberately
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