The Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1869-1872, 1870-06-01
a CARD.
The Duplicate xsys VI the County Commission.

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EDi,oRs lSDEPEsDESr:-Allow me through
the columns Of your paper to dispel, il posi-
Die, the brand Of stigma and disgrace which
mas unJustly been heaped upon my character
by three Of the wise heads Of the town of FL
ko, the so-called dispensers Of Justice and
equality. In the month OF August, 1869. the
Honorable, the Board OF County Commits
sioners OF Elko county, in solemn conclaye
assembled, issued an order Of publication for
bids to build a courthouse and jail in the
county OF Elko, procuring the services of
David Bell to draw a specification stipulating
the material, manner, de-, in which said
building shonld be built I, in common with
Others, wishing to contract for said building
carefully examined said stipulation as drawn
up by Mr.. Bell, which, together with the other
things, particularly specified duplicate KEYS 10
the cell doors Of the Jail. l being the lowest
bidder, the contract was awarded TO me- A
lew days prior To awarding me the contract
there was another specification submitted to
the Hon. Board, which Was adopted by them,
specification No. / being declared null and
void, by which the courthouse and Jail was built
and by which was bound, did not speak Of
duplicate keys to the cell doors of the Jail.
When ordered MY hardware from Sacra-
mento To be used in the courthouse and Jail,
not having time to peruse specification No. 2,
l did not notice the change and ordered the
duplicate keys. After the completion of nv
contract, under the instructions Of l.. ii. Noi-
ty, Superintendent, who in his final report
recommended 20 the Board Of County Com
missioners to pay me for some extra work Or
dered by him as Superintendent, which was
not specified in the original contract by which
l was bound, but which he as Superintendent
deemed highly essential TO the completion of
the courtroom and Offices attached, but which
they in their infinite IciSdOH. and with the best
interest Of the county undelibiy stamped on
their hearts, refused to pay me, by which re-
fusai sustained a severe loss. but accepted
the building as per original contract with one
set Of keeps to the cell doors. A short time
after the building was accepted and released
from any further obligations offered them
the duplicate keys, then in n7 possession for
the same they cost me in .Sacramento city,
$50 90. and they refused to ,.Ts-Ghase them;
l Immediately put them out of my po session
in secure place. that in case of n Jail ieliv-
cry, / would be able TO exonerate myself from
any blame attached to it. At the same time /
could have disposed Of them for $500 90 or
more.
At the session Of the grand jury, Feb, 1870,
tn c committee appointed TO examine the con-
dition OF the county buildings, in their report
recommended the County Commissioners to
purchase those keys, setting forth the danger
Of a grand Jail delivery of prisoners and the
peril IN which the officers and jailOrs were
placed; which recommendation the Hon.
Board. whose tender hearts have so long over
flowed with love and interest for the people of
ElkO county, utterly disregardcd. At n regu-
lar session Of the Hon. Board held on the
| 9th of May. 1870, they issued another order
(from whose high tribunal there is no appeal
short of High Heaven instructing the Clerk
70 notify me i'll writing 10 deliver those keys
| to them Immediately or legal prosecution
would he commenced against me for their re-
4 VNs.sN M
| VI. Gillespie. District Attorney, also in writing
III case failed to comply with their modest
| and uJiGSS1uuing request, to present the matter
| 10 the next grand jury. !, failing to comply
| with their supercihous demand, was presented
10 the grand jury, who after carefully invesu-
! eating the matter failed to see that had com
| mitted criminal act, but instead thereof, in
| their report, recommended the County Com
missioners TO purchase those keys of me at a
| price not 10 exceed $50 90. While / can but
admire and commend the honesty and justice
| of tho grand Jury in the matter, l must claim
that they exceeded their authority, when they
presumed To fix price on my private property.
The Hon. Board not being satisfied with my
loss sustained by their refusal to compensate
me fer extra work performed in order to com
| plete a structure that the people OF ElkC
NAV we'll be proud Of have the consolation
that they have exhausted the last effort II
their power to place me in the light of II Grim
inai before the public and if possible to incar
cerate me in the lOathsome cell of felon
dungeon, and for what2 because had the
audacity to refuse TO hand over to them thn
which Justly belonged to me, without any re
munerstion whatever. / deeply sympathiz
with the people of Elko county for the IRE
parable loss they are destined to sustain (no
having heard that either of them will be
candidate for re- election and think II the dut.
of those people whose interests they have s.
strcnuously guarded, at the close of their oiiico
career, to rise mp and with one accord say
"well done thou good and faithful servants
u. L. MoSEOE.
Elko, May, 1870.