The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-03-23


the time acquainted with these facts, and
| it is almost as difficult to believe that
the county Board would adopt report OF
committee on illegal tax deeds for this
amount, without some evidence that
such deeds had not been already cancell-
ed and the money refunded. HE com
mittee have been unable however to ind
! In the minutes or papers on tie In the
office of the Clerk of the Board any
petition, claim, or statement laid before
the Board or embraced in a report of the
committee for the year 1869 calling atten-
tion of the Beard or committee to this
matter, or showing that any explanation
was made OR attempted to be made OF
the same. Nothing in relation to 1t,
except that these descriptions are copied
the into minutes a part CT the report on
illegal sales, when in fact the only report
the committee can find On file makes no
mention of them whatever. I our COM
mittee beg leave to call the attention of
the honorab bic, the Board OF Supervisors
TO this matter of cancellation OF Illegal
tax sales and refunding the amount with
! Z per cent interest and costs to holder
as in our estimation one Of the most
fruitful sources of loss to the county to
which It's funds are liable, owing as well
to the want of knowledge on the part OF
the Board as to what constitutes an 1ile
gal sale and the impossibility of the full
| Board possessing the necessary informa-
ton in regard to each individual case OF
alleged illegality to vote understandlngly
as to the opportunity afforded by the
carelessness and neglect on the part of
the Clerk of the Board in making entries
on books of sale and in disposing Of GER
tificates, the cancellation of which has
been authorized to prevent their get
ting out of the Office and into circulation
perhaps at some future time, TO be pre-
sented again, for cancellation. In this
1 investigation, we have not pursued this
matter to any great extent, but so TAR as
we have examined, we have found that
nearly all the orders on order books not
marked cancelled, are for illegal assess
ment, thus preventing all possibility OF
giving accurately the amount OF outstand-
ing orders We find scattered all through
the Office of the clerk of the Board, any
number OF tax certificates marked on en-
velope Illegal and which are not marked
across the face or otherwise cancelled
and many that we know have been can
celled, and orders drawn to refund the
holder, have no corresponding entries
or books of sale. The certii Gates given
herein. as being reported for canceila-
ton by committee, on illegal sales in 1869,
but which we do not find mentioned III
any report Oh file in the Clerks office,
that we could discover, are the only
ones that we have attempted to trace, and
the result shows, that this matter should
} be thoroughly over hauled. and if neces-
sary, adopt some other mode Of dealing
with this class of certificates. 1t is be-
lieved that thorough enlightenment on
this subject, would lead to some meas
ures to prevent the issue at oil, of two
thirds of these Illegal certificates. We
have compared orders reported at the
last session Of County Board of Super
visors, by the late Treasurer, as being on
hand for cancellation, with order book
in the Office Of the Clerk Gf the Board,
and find that July 18th, 1869.
Order No. 467 on order book 7785 on
schedule. III IS
Order 10. 46S on order book 60 90 on
schedule. 500 90
Nov. % 1869, order no. 5l4 on order
book 90 on schedule. so 90
Nov. q, 1869, order no. 515 on order
book 500 on schedule so 90
The Treasurer, .jno. G. Eggers, claims
thai The first two were copied into order
book, by himself, at IL 50 and $500,
respectively, and at the time, marked
SALARY, 2. z. Fuessenich.' and were an
exact copy Of the stub book-now
missing the orders on hand, and
compared in amount with schedule, at
the time of cancellation. We have also
consulted the committee on finance, most
of whom, We hare seen since making the
, above discovery, all Of whom assert
positively that with the precaution
: by them, in comparing the orders, which
, passed through the hands Of two OF the
committee, and were examined by each,
4 while two others looked over and check
ed the orders on schedule, and the clerk,
wrote the canceling mark on order book,
D that such discrepancy in the amount OF
the above orders, could not have existed
at the time. 1t is evident that there have
been ensures, and alterations Of figures
in order book, and the united declara-
ton Of all the committee, so far as we
: have consulted them and their clerk, to-
r gether with the statement of jno. T..
Eggers, above given, seems to be conclu-
= sive, as to the fact Of its having been
i done since said finance committee made
b, their report. AS these orders now stand
marked ''abstract" $500, the amount OF
discrepancy, must be added to amount
paid the clerk for this service, making
S2,Sl5 for service, which is shown else
where in this report. to amount TO a little
over $400. When the clerks attention was
{ called to this matter, while he admitted
that alterations had evidently been made,
he disclaimed having done it himself, or
any knowledge whatever, in regard to
it. He expressed the intention, however,
of making the amount good to the
county. which has not been done at this
date, March llth, 1870.
We have compared county Treasurer S
; schedule Of orders on hand, in his Office,
and cancelled by the Board Of Supervis-
, ors, at the ANIMAL session of the Board,
for the year 1869, with record of orders
:, in the clerk of Boards office, and find
the following discrepancies.
Order no. $40 not on order book, on
schedule 20 90
Order no. 34l, duplicate, not on
order book, en- schedule, % co
: Order no. $40, not on order book,
on schedule, Is 90
Order no. 344 not on order book,
on schedule. 20 90
1Otai.-... ....,....-....--...-.....-il w
No. $40, is down on order book for
S7.71, for illegal assessment, which was
cancelled at the annual session, for the
year 1870. The Record shows, that the
same cancellation mark was made OPP:
pcsite this number that was used to III
dictate cancellation of other orders, for
the year 1869, and afterwards erased and
eancelhng marx for 1870, substituted,
No. 81, Is duplicate in schedule. one
, being for $50 so, which is marked on
5 order book, Joseph Francl for fees, and
; cancelled 1869, the other being for $50,
: 90, not entered on order book
No. $40, on order book 800, r. T.
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