The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-05-26

t9Pl 4GGaA W VI kIaN aNHN Il
in the committee-room or when the Board
was in session, should have discovered
the error in the bills as presented on the
7th day OF April, 1879, and prevented the
payment Of them, for the reason that no
officer can charge the county for holding
an inquest on the body oil q living person.
The justice owes the county So. The
constable has not been paid the fees he
claims Of s. % on the bill Of April T.
1873, but has been paid the extra IS on the
inquest as above stated. II his bill 10 cor
rect the county will owe him % cents.
For keeping prisoners committed to Jail
by Justices on peace warrant cases, the
county is not liable to the iSilora for their
fees, but the Tailor must charge such fees
to the General School Fund" Yet 1t Is
atact that we have discovered during our
examination Of the books and papers OF
this Office, that the county has paid In the
aggregate a large sum OF money to the
%iailors Of the county by paying bills alter
bills, year in and year out, for keeping
prisoners committed by justices u the
peace on peace warrants and likeproceed'
ings, &c,
The only way to tell the amount that
the county has tQlandered in that direC.
ton is to compare the iSilors bill with the
commitments that the Tailor must have
received ct the time the prisoner was
committed TO his custody, Those papers
we have not been able to find in this
Office,
We would respectfully recommend the
following:
First, That an ordinance be drawn
which shall clearly define the duties Of
the clerk OF this Board.
Second. That all bills against the Coun.
ty, excepting the bills OF contractors and
the salaries Of the county officers, be paid
every quarter instead Of every month as
%heretoiorei making provision, however,
Tor the President, or the Chairmen OF the
different committees, to pay urgent claims
between quarters, but subject to the ap'
proval Of the Board.
Third-That the salaries OF the county
officers be paid every month, and that
contractors be paid upon the estimates OF
the county engineer, az has been the Gus
tom heretofore, but that such accounts be
kept OF those payments aa will show at
any time lust what such person has 70.
Ceived. In this way the duties Of the
clerk OF this Board will not be 30 onerOus,
and he will have ample time to keep the
books and papers In such shape that at
any time any Information that may be de-
sired by any member Of the Board can be
obtained from him,
FOurth-That hereafter the different
committees make q more thorough exam.
nation Of the bills than has been done.
Ftth-That an entirely new system OF
paying interest upon Commissioners war
rants be adopted by the Board, and that
discounts allowed contractors bs not paid
except upon the completion OF their con.
tracts, and then only upon the evidence OF
a written statement signed by the cashier
OF the bank at which such warrants have
been discounted; and that such interest
and discount besCharged to an account to
be entitled, Interest Account"
We have in our plain way pointed out
10 your Committee some OF the errors OF
the past conduct Of the business OF Ohio
county. and have made such suggestions
to your Committee which we think II they
are adopted, will In the future save the
county many thousands OF dollars. We
have tried to treat everybody with
impartiality, and II officers or others
doing business for the county, or
with the county, have committed errors,
and we in the performance OF our public
public duty have called your attention to
the fact they must not censure US, but
blame 1t upon the errors. And II you,
gentlemen, cannot correct the errors oil
the past, you can guard well the interests
Of the county In the future. We can only
thank the gentlemen Of the Committee
for the kindness shown, &c. Very re-.
specially, your obedient~ servants,
R, II. GILLEsPY,
SAM'L MATHEWS.
At the conclusion Of the reading Mr..
speidel said: "My idea is that Mr.. Deit.
era explains these apparent inaccuracies"
Mr.. Cracrafi-"The President and mem.
bers OF the Board will be called upon to
explain some Of the things connected with
this business. l have only been able to
see two OF these reports, as the other was
handed me late last night, and l have not
had an opportunity 10 examine IT,"
Mr.. Atkinson moved TO take up the
items seriatim, In which Mr.. Deiters was
interested.
In regard to the first item, Mr.. Cracrait
objected TO It's consideration on the ground
that there was no ordinance directing
the Clerk 10 post up his books, and
further, there was no act oil the Legislature.
He had made such entries In other jour.
mails % would. conserve the interests OF
the county, and such as other good clerks
would do.
Mr.. Hubbard argued that the sooner
such clerks were done away with the bet.
ter II would be for the county.
Quite an acrimonious debate and breezy
little war OF words then ensued between
Messrs. CraCrait and Hubbard In regard
to the matter Of posting up the books.
Mr.. Ferguson thought the question an
immaterial one, and said all good book
keepers occasionally get behind, and In all
the apparent neglecttul conduct OF Mr..
Deiters, there was nothing 10 show fraud
or ENDORSEMENT.
Mr.. Hubbard insisted that no good
book.keeper ever got behind two years In
his posting.
Mi. Deiters then explained the differ.
enCe between the "petty" journal and his
other journal-the one as an elaborator,
the other 90 q condenser. In regard TO
the matter Of delaying in posting up, he
would say that when he had taken charge
OF the Office he had found the books six.
teen months back. The ledger Of the
county, he further explained, had not
been closed up on account OF the delay Of
the Sheriff In returning the levy, or his
bills for commissions. II have" said Mr..
Deiters, followed the line OF my prede.
cessors Ia office In the matter OF keeping
my books, and 10 some particulars my OBJ.
servanCe Of certain rules has been more
close than theirs"
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At 2 r. NJ. the committee was again
called To order and the examination oil Mr..
Deiters was continued. Mr.. Hubbard
pressed bis question In regard 10 bis delay
In posting the books OF the county, with
the same result as he had obtained 10 the
morning. Nothing OF any particular In.
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