, 1868-10-09
Iuhre Hxche,s Charrs to the Grand Jury.

The Court, in its charge to the Grand Jury,
devoted good deal of attention 10 the affairs OF
the county, and said amoug other things that ne
had been informed that the Territory had sent
statement to the county, claiming that the county
was indebted to the Territory about Eve thousand
dollars but the Court thought if the account OF
the county with the Territory was properly kept,
the county would not be charged with cent,
and it was probable this amount arose from
failure to report to the Territory the amount OF
delinquent taxes, for which the county should
be credited, and from a failure of the county to
report the cost bills 10 criminal cases, for Whleh
the county was entitled to a credit in its settles
n ent with the Territory, and the Court read the
provisions Of the law on these matters, ana IL
rected the Jury to inquire into the facts and
report. The Court said also, that law nao
been passed in 1865 6, levying Chinese pollce
tax of SIG per capita, but the Court had always
thought the Legislature had no right to levy any
tax on ChiDameu greater than on other classes OF
persons, and thought the provisions Of the " Or
ganic Act requiring taxes to be equal and
uniform, in the way of any such legislation,
bue while this might be true, it wss yet true that
these Chinameu should be required to pay as
much tax the rest of the people, and the Court
was informed that no tax at all was collected
| from the Chinese, and they should be required
at least, to pay their poll and road tax, which
together was about Sll per head, and this should
bring the county a revenue of from one to two
| thousand dollars.
The Court said the attention of the Grand Jury
particularly directed to the official affairs of
the Sheriff The County Commissioners had just
held a session to Investigate the matter, and had
reported to the Court that the Sheriff had collec'
ted some twenty seven hundred dollars of money
which be negects and refuses to pay into the
Treasury. The Grand Jury would see, from Sec.
SO, page 297, statutes of 1923, what the law is
on this matter. That section says, {" If any peT>
son or officer required by lawte collect, dsburse,
receive, or keep any public money, shall wilfully
neglect or refuse to pay over such money at the
time prescribed by law, or shall wilfuly refuse
to pay any warrant lawfully drawn, be shall on
conviction thereof be imprisoned in the county
Jail not exceeding one year nor less than one
month, or be fined in any sum not exceeding
| FIVE thousRnd dollars" The Court submits to
the Jury the statement furnished by the County
Commissioners, and if the investigation which
the Jury shall make shows the report of the
! Commissioners to be correct, then the duty OF
the Grand Jury is plain.
Officers are elected to discharge certain duties,
and are paid to perform those duties, and the
time had quite gone by for officers to fill posi-
tions and not discharge the duties of their Off
ces. The people paid about $4O,O 900 taxes annu-
ally, and this county should with this tax be out
OF debt aud have funds to erect public buildings
The people bad been robbed in the past, but
| they now wanted to where the money went
and to what purposes this 900 was annually
applied The Court would recommend the Jury
10 give the county affairs full and thorough
investigation, and if they needed any further in
| formation in reference to the law on these mat.
ters the Prosecuting Attorney and the Court
would advise them.