Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1883-04-11
A SWEET MESS !!
ALL THE EX.FINANCIAL OrVTCrArs
OF ALTURAS COUNTY IN 1T.

Two Of the Last Three Treasurers, Ac.
counts Either Actually Short, or 20
Befogged that They May Be-The
Amount Collected for Gambling Ii
censes Last Year Less Than for the
Preceding Year-Ex.Assessor Dittoe,s
Accounts Short Over $1,000!
Probate Judge Parsons, George w.
Richards and H. Stevenson, the ex-
perts appointed at the January meet
ing of the Board of County Commits
sioners to examine the books and
accounts of the outgoing county
officials, have presented their report.
The period covered by the examine
ton embraces the term of 1881-1SS2.
or from January l, 1882, to January
!, 1883. The report is very exhaus-
tive, contains several tabular exhibits,
and covers over 20 pages of legal
cap.
THE TREAsURER's BOOKS.
A deficit of $727.O3 was found in
the accounts of John Winklebach.
the Treasurer who retired from Office
on the first of October, 1881.
On the third Of July, 1882, when
John Van Setback, Mr.. Winklebach' 3
successor, turned over the funds, there
was an excess of $44.7O cash turned
over by him. This the experts recon-
mend to be returned to him.
S. B. Dilley succeeded Mr.. Van
Setback but could not qualify accord
ing to law, and w. P. Parsons, of
Bellevue, soon succeeded him. Mr..
Parsons's accounts show $4,429.53
paid out, of which there is no record
m the Auditors books. The special
attention of the Board is called to
this, in the hope that a settlement will
be forced.
In this connection the report adds:
''The condition of the accounts show
gross neglect of duty on the part of
the Treasurer in failing to make his
report 70 the Auditor, or else neglect
on the part of that official to credit
the Treasurer with the warrants re-
ported paid and turned in to the
Board in quarterl y reports"
SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED.
Ex-Sheriff Gray's books and &C.
counts were found in good shape, but
the gambling license books showed
an excess of receipts, from this source,
of $500 more in 1881 than in 1882!
This, the experts say, is a matter that
should be investigated.
Ex-Probate Judge Dilley's books
show that he kept no record of the
proceedings of his court from April
rs, 1881, to January l, 1883.
ASSESSOR DrffoE's ACCOUNTS.
On the assessment roll for 1881 the
Auditors books show deficiency, on
Assessor Dittoe's part, of $4O7.99;
the delinquent tax roll for the same
year shows deficiency of $3o3.39;
in 1882 the deficiency is $1,596.97-
a total Of $2,3OS.35 in two years.
The experts call special attention to
the fact that the collections of poll
and hospital taxes for 1882 are less
than those received during 1881, and
this in the face of rapid increase of
population.
In 1882 there were 1,4OO names of
property-holders on the assessment
roll alone; yet only 574 poll taxes are
reported collected.
The attention of the Board is called
to the very low assessments made in a
great many instances, and particu-
larry many assessments made in
Haley are ridiculously low.
The total amount of taxable prop
erty on the assessment roll in 1881
was $675,e04; in 1882, 1851, 431. so.
A CREDITABLE DOCUMENT.
The report was written by H.
Stevenson, and is a model of lucidity,
brevity and neatness.