Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-10-26
Lyon County District Court Proceed.
eportcd for the Gold Hill NewS.l

Grand Jurors for the presen. term-J: W.
L. Hunt, Foreman; VIM. Weston, Jesse
Hammer, E. B. Allen, J. P. Bause, VIM. B.
Hickok, o. Smith, j. G. Franklin, Low
Daguc, Joseph Munckton, N. C. Power, W.
w. Byron, P. Quinn, Levi Lamb, Henry
Lyon, Geo. P. Howe, Philip Kitz.
JUDGE HAYDoN's CHARGE.
Gentlemen Of the Grand Jury Tho law
provides that after tho commencement Of q
term Of Court, tho County Assessor and Dis
trict Judge shall, alternately, select from the
assessment roll Of the county u Grand Jury.
In pursuance Of that law you are now here.
You have been selected, gentlemen, from
among your fellow citizens for the various
interests you represent and the high reputa-
ton you enjoy as honorable men. The prin-
cipal reason Of your being called at this time
is, that you may thoroughly investigate, in
every department, the conduct Of the county
officials in the discharge Of their respective
duties, and the financial condition Of the
county.
For 4 better understanding Of what has
been done by the two former Grand Juries, I
will here state That in consequence Of the
melancholy death Of Mr.. James Ryan, =
highly esteemed citizen Of Silver City, l or
dered a Grand Jury to investigate the mat
ter, and they were %empanneled on the first
day Of August last. Had it not have been
for that sad affair, I would not have called =
Grand Jury for that term, for it is attended
with great expense to the county, and l never
call n unless the interests Of the county
require 1t.
Tho following gentlemen were selected by
D. L. Smith, the County Assessor, and my
self, viz: r. b. Tomlinson, w. Woodhurst,
c. Haupt, L. D. Noyes, ]. r. Shaw, b. II.
Carrick, Joleph Trench, c.. B. Pratt, J.k
Barney, z. Crane, C. N. Blake, F. Butler,
John Howe, ]. c. Hazlett, c. McWilliams.
j. Drisbach, f. H. Cowles.
After charging the Jury on the law OF
Homicide, I particularly directed them to
| inquire into the official conduct Of all the
county officers. The Grand Jury, on the
| 25th Of August, made their final report, and
| requested the same to be spread upon the
| County Commissioners records and pub
lished in the papers; after which the Jury
was discharged.
In pursuance OF the request OF the Jury,
the County Commissioners, without my re-
quest or consultation with me, ordered the
report to DO spread upon their records.
The next day after the Jury was discharged
I received q letter from Messrs. Trench,
Tomlinson, Barney and Haupt, late members
Of the Jury, requesting me not to have their
report published with their names attached,
as they had been informed that their report in
relation to the Tax Collectors accounts was
wrong; that they had been informed he was
a large defaulter.
The sam day I returned an answer, adyis-
ing them that al requested Mr.. kendrick,
the County Clerk, not to give a copy for pub
LEGATION, and he cheerfully complied with my
.. alcn rantnHtnI that lnafIre
might DO done in the premises, that the late
Grand Jury Immediately meet and investi.
gate the truth or falSity Of the charge, and il
the party was guilty, he be made to answer
the offended law, and il innocent, he should
not suffer from the report"
A few days thereafter most Of the late
| Grand Jurors met and invited to their meet.
ing many well known respectable citizens
Alter some discussion about the Tax Collec.
tors accounts, the meeting, by q vote, re.
ouested me to call another Grand Jury, tina,
the subject matter might DO legally inyesti,
gated. In pursuance Of that request another
Grand Jury was cmpanneled on the 4th o.
September, consisting Of the same persons as
the former, with the exception Of Mr.. c. Car
pcnter, in the place Of L. D. Noyse, who wal
absent from the State.
Several prominent members OF the Grand
Jury, for the purpose OF having a full ant
complete balance-sheet Of the affairs Of the
I county, suggested the idea Of employing N
A. H. Ball, Esq, an accountant Of high rep
u~tation, to do the work. Which suggestion
met my appreciation, and Mr.. Ball commenced
the task. 1t was understood at tho time, i
there was any doubt about Mr.. Balls fec fol
his services being u legal demand against tn.
county, that the same should be guaranteed
him by subscription, several Of the county
officers, myself included, promising to sub
scribe literally.
which will more fully explain his course il
the premises:
"GoID HILL, October 10, 1866.
"Hor w. HAHpoN-Dear Sir:-In 70
ply to your queries, I state that / was re-
quested by Joseph Trench, B. F. Leet, Mr.
the accounts OF the Tax Collector, rs / thci
understood them to be in dispute as to cor
rectness.
consented, and met MesIrs. Hazlett, Car
penter and Tomlinson, who represented they
were . committee to aid me, and would fur
nish all that I required, and that my duties
comprised an examination Of all the accounts
Of the county officials from tho organization
Of the county to date.
This was moro than I consented to do or
the first proposition, and / agreed to do thu
work only on condition that l should have
my own time in which to do it, az the cleo
ton then approaching would occupy most o.
my time.
two days; looked ut the various books anC
accounts; noted tho law respecting each
officers duties and the changes that had beer
made yearly scanned and itemized tho re.
cords OF the County Commissioners, and
since that time have been unable to resume,
It will take at least three weeks for such IN
examination as would be thorough and com.
plete. You have enquired several times Of
me since I quit work when / would begin
again, and urged me to hasten the work as |,
was a matter Of great importance, and II any
| parties were wronged, it was just they should
| be placed right at once II they were culpa-
BILE they should be punished.
This I think covers all tho points embraced
in your enquiries.
Respectfully Yours,
The Grand Jury who employed Mr.. Ball,
failing to make q report before the expiration
OF the term, was, by operation Of law, dis.
charged, and you e%mpanneled. For failing
to report, I adjudgsd tho Grand Jury guilty
Of contempt, and assessed a fine againi,
them.
Gentlemen, I have now given you for your
information a true and succinct history ofths
actions Of the former Grand JurisI.
Besides the ofensss which I have specially
charged you, Il 10 your duty to inquire into
all other offenses which may DO brought to
your notice, and Of which you have cogni-
zance.
You are the legal guardians Of the welfare
Of the country, and II 10 your bounden duty
to institute a thorough and complete invciti-
CATION OF all the accounts Of the county Off
GERS and their conduct in the discharge Of
their respective duties and II any have been
unfaithful to the trust rsposed in them, they
should b made to answer for the same as the
law provides.
In your investigation Of charges the laws
Of Nevada provide that, III you have reason
to believe that other evidence within your
reach will explain away the charge, you
should order such evidence to be produced"
In your deliberations, you will have, when
required, the assistance Of the District At
torney, and any information the Court can
give you will DO at all times most cheerfully
given.