Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1882-07-25

The County commissioners Speak
n piece on she Subject.

The County commissioners Speak
- Piece on the Subject.
Ed. SENTINEL: In youl issue of Sun
day, under the above heading and over the
signature of J. s. Kermeen, appeared a
card which, if permitted to go unnoticed,
might lead our citizens to believe that the
County Commissioners were trans lending
their duties as custodians of the taxpayers
interests, and were also set of barbarians.
We propose, inasmuch as the matter has
been opened by a friend of Mr.. Neele's, to
give the people the " true inwardness " of
the business. Mr.. Neele is the owner Of
and in possession of a three-eighths inter-
est in the Reeves & Berry mine, situated
in Spring Valley, about eight miles west
from Eureka; he has held this interest
since 1870 and has received several thous-
and dollars from ore extracted from it.
Recently his co-owners have effected
a sale to parties in New York,
and will receive the money for it
on Aug. l, through Paxton & Co.'S Bank.
Mr.. Neele has been an inmate of the
County Hospital (and the "poorhouse,"
as Mr.. Kermeen %states) since April IA,
1880, receiving kind attention from the
matron, and medical treatment from ex-
cellent physicians, and all at the expense
of the taxpayers. This being the fact, is
it more than justice that the taxpayers
should be reimbursed by a party who has
thus been so long a burden upon them,
when he is amply able to do so? 1t is
true that the Commissioners commenced
suit for this money against Neele, but not
,,o{il M Eortpaan bod nono IN +ha Hoo
pital at II late hour of the night and had
him (Neele) sign an order in James Will
sons favor for his portion of the money
from the sale Of the mine. The question
arises, is Mr.. Kermeen acting disinterested
and as a friend of Neele's? Mr.. Wilson
informed the Chairman of the Board, on
the day subsequent to Neele's signing the
order, that he had no interest in the mat
ter, but was doing it to oblige Mr.. ker-
meen.
Now, then, if Mr.. Kermeen is the warm
friend of Mr.. Neele, he would have US be-
lieve, We would suggest that he at once re-
move Mr.. Neele from the "poorhouse" and
have him cared for in some place more
congenlal to his feelings; and that he
should do 80, more particularly having an
order in his possession for several thou
sand dollars belonging to Mr.. Neele, while
the county, which has so long and faith
fully cared for him, is in no manner Sc
cured for one dollar.
1t is true that unfortunately Neele is
nearly blind. The taxpayers provide the
Hospital for the INDECENT who are sick,
but not for those possessing means. Mr..
Neele has been in possession of this valua-
BILE property ever since he has been a care
upon the county, and it is only equitable,
now, when coming into possession of a
large sun of money, that the taxpayers
should be repaid for the money advanced
for his benefit. Should his means become
exhausted, and he be ailing, the county
will ch%eerfully again take him under its
protection and care as in the past.
Mr.. Kermeen is disposed to c~riticise
the acts of the Commissioners in this mat
ter, making sweeping charges of every
thing they nave heretofore done. As pub
lie officers we invite criticism of our pub
lie acts. In the affair of Neele, we hold
that the Commissioners acted entirely in
the interest of the county in bringing the
suit, while an opportunity was offered,
and not with any feeling Of animosity, as
suggested by Mr.. Kermeen, nor with any
motive to wrong him out of any just pc
cuniary claim he may have upon Neele or
any right he may have to handle the
money belonging to Mr.. Neele.
A. W. CAMPBELL,
Chairman Board of County Commission
ers, Eureka County.