The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1877-10-06

constructing such road would be an unreaS-
enable burden upon the town. And twould
make no difference, if the right to make such
appropriation exists, whether the debt for
such road or bridge was incurred beforeor
after the appropriation was made.
Respectfully submitted.
HENRY MAYO,
County Attorney.
FIAHERTY'S REPORT.
Supervisor Flaherty, appointed Il special
committee to examine the accounts of the
Elgin Insane Asylum, with La Sale County,
presented the following report, which was
read and ordered to be published, towit:
To tie Hon0rabIe tie Bora # Supervisors q
La Sale County,
Mr.. Chairman and Conference.-The I'M
derslgned chairman Of the committee on
Paupers who was appointed by you at the
September Session 1876, OF the Board OF Su-
Dervisors to examine the accounts between
the Insane ASYLUM at Elgin Ills, and
La Sale County and ascertain why the bills
of that institution for 1876 are so much larg-
er in amount than those Of former years,
would respectfully beg leave to report, That
| have faithfully and carefully investigated
the subject placed in my charge by visiting
the ASYLUM at Elgin on two different occas-
ions. and spent considerable time and exhaust
ed much patience in trying to ascertain any
GOOD and sufficient reason, and above all IA
lust one for the bills of last year, against La
Sale County presented by said Asylum
bills the items of which are eXtravagant upon
their face and carry with them palpable
odor of fraud or gross mismanagemento or both
On the 9th Of October 1876, addressed DIR.
Kilboum Superindent of the Asylum, a letter
on the subject. A full copy ofwhich is as fol
lows:
SERENA October 9th, 1876.
Dr. Kilbourn:
Sir, yours of October third was recciv-
ed by me on Saturday at the Serena p. o.
nv i. O. address is Leland, which accounts
formy not receiving it before. You will rec
ollect that in my interview with you, stated
that La Sale County desired to know why
the bills against the county were so much
larger than in former years. You statedthat
the sum was unnecessary and uncalledfor, and
when YOU asked one of your assistants to cX-
Dlain some of the items he said he knew
nothing about them Could infer any thing
else from such Il state of things; but that the
goods although charged against the patients
were not received by them, although you
might be ignorant Of the facts, AS you said 1t
was impossible for you to superintend the
asylum in all its details something must be
left for assistants. You desire to have the
bills returned to you for credits and altera-
lions. 1t is not in my power to return the
bills; the same having been put in my hands
by the supervisors to pay if correct. II you
wish, YOU can make out new bills for what
YOU believe to have been necessary, and l
will see that the same is paid. For La Sale
county desires not to shrk from any respon-
sibility nor for the state to pay for what by
law La Sale county is bound. You say that
there is due on the books of the asylum, ST.
600. | am sorry that the people do not pay
more promptly their just dues but very often
the question comes in what is their just dues.
Take for instance the case OF the young man
that was in the Elgin Asylum for about
wear and a half. He was removed by his
friends and bill presented to them torcloth-
ing of 5000, although he had the same suit
on when he left that he had when he went in.
The bill has not been paid yet, although
bonds had been given. | hope that the ST.
600 due on the books will bear more scrut
inc then the above 5000 | am well aware
that often pauper patients on being sent to
the ASYLUM are without the amount OF cloth
ing required by the law. And often in the
condition represented in your letter. But
sir La Sale county has not before complain
ed to YOU about her bills and would not now,
if they were reasonable. | am well satisfied
that the practice of the several institutions OF
the state to furnish the clothing for the i'll
mates is best, if the cost is not too high. AS
the superintendent is in a position to Judge
what the inmates require; And 1t would APP
pear that you must be angry with La Sale
county (hat has always paid YOU and will
insist that she shall furnish the patients with
more than the amount Of clothing the law
requires.
In regard to the excess of bills over former
years You say that it is owing TO the fact,
that the winter supply of clothing is furnish
ed in August | think if you examine you
will find that the excess applies to all the
year, and are largely in excess of Jackson
vile. Take for instance Furgus Riley, dur
ing the months of September, October, No
vember, and December of the year 1874, and
January of 1915 His bill in Jacksonville
was So. In Elgin from April 2Sth 1876 to
Aug. 10, Summer time) his bill was Sl6O5.
Thomas Raiden's bills from April % to
August ), 1876, before the winter clothing
was changed was 1924 in fact the same cx-
travagant charges appear during all the
months of the year, and the excess is not ow-
ing to the fact of the winter supply being
charged in August. / have examined the
bills of this and former years, and also COM
pared them with the bills of the Jacksonville
Asylum for the same period Of time, and |
can come to no other conclusion but that
La Sale county has been called upon topay
for what in my opinion would not bear the
test of law; and if La Sale county is to be
made an example of, for not paying more
than is necessary for the care of its patients
it nav be necessary for a change of the law
in regard to the furnishing of the patients or
more rigid examination of the bills when
presented But, DR. am in hopes that the
bills will he settled on fair basis for /
should be sorry to think for a moment, that
on my first visit to the asylum brought on