The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-01-26

The Way flAe Tax Money Goes.
From the Brandon Republican.

The Way fhe Tax money ~~rSs
From the Brandon Republican.
Kew. what are the facts in relation to
the indexing Of the Deed Book of Ran
kin county? We are informed by UNI
doubted authority, that before the work
was commenced, and In conversation
between Hon. Joseph Bennett the part
ner of Coppock in the Clerks Office and
two young gentlemen of this place, one
of the young men proposed to do the
work for S125, and to obligate himself to
do it after business hours, and in six weeks
time. The other young gentleman then
proposed to take the job for one hundred
dollars. Either of these young men
are better qualified than Coppock
for the task, but they could
not get the job Ceppock went to
work on it, and before one-fourth part of
the work was completed, he presented his
account for FIVE hundred dollars, and the
Board allowed it, Notwithstanding the
fact that the law expressly states that no
allowance shall be made until after the
work is completed and carefully examined By
the Board. The law was entirely disre-
garded, and the allowance was at least
five times what it should have been. In
fact, we believe that plenty of young
gentlemen could have been found In
Brandon who would have been glad to
get the job for. fifty dollars.
Second, In relation to allowance made
S. R. Martin for assessing the county
taxes. Here is the law on the subject,
entitled
An act to prohibit improper allowances By
the Boards Of Police.
WHEREAS, 1t is represented that the
Boards of Police of certain counties have
| INDUCED the unlawful habit of allowing
their Clerks fees for entering orders on
the minutes of said Board, and for max
| ing out and delivering to the Sherifs,
copies of orders appointing Road Over
seers, and have allowed the Sheriffs COM
pensation for serving said copies, and have
also allowed Assessors compensation fol
assessing county taxes, and whereas, these
and the like illegal practices should be
prohibited, therefore,
SECTION /. Be it enacted by the
Legislature of the State of Mississippi,
That any Sheriff, Clerk, Assessor, Oh
other person, who shall claim and receive
| from the Treasury of any county, any
| fee, a compensation not authorized by
law, or if any member of any Board o.
Police shall, knowingly vote for the pay
ment of any such unlawful claim, he Oh
she shall be subject to Indictment, anc
on conviction, fined not exceeding double
the amount of such unlawful charge, OF
imprisoned in the county jail at the dis
cretion of the Court.
Approved, January %, 1862.
| This law expressly forbids the allowances
of one dime to the Assessor for assessing
county taxes, and yet the Board has al
lowed him 81 ,245. The Assessor is pait
a reasonable and just compensation for as
sessing the State Tax, and when he makes
his report the Board of Supervisors exam
inc it, and levy certain per cent on thu
State tax for county purposes. The As
SCISSOR has nothing to do with assessing I
county tax, and yet in the face of the Law
and the penalty attached, he brings in {
bill for 81 ,245, and the Board of Super
visors allow the account. Under this Law
every member of the Board of Supervi
sors, who voted for the allowance of thes'
claims, is liable to indictment, fine ant
imprisonment, because the law was point
ed out to them, and they did it knowingl,,
and willfully.
There are other allowances that w
intend to notice at some future time
that are almost as disgraceful as the
above.