Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1883-12-07
That IAvestiSat Committee.

The committee appointed to investigate
the books and papers of the county commission
ers commenced its labors about noon on Thurs
day Of last week and terminated them abou
the same time on the Saturday following. Mucf
interest was ma infested 10y the people through
out the county with regard TO this uvesliga
ton and the only fear expressed by The people
We conversed with was that sufficient time
would not be afforded the committee before
the Goth of December, The day appointed to re-
ported, to make the proper examination OF the
books and vouchers. When, however, it was
learned that the committee had finished lis
labors in little less than two days, general
disappointment was expressed. The committee,
we learn, insist upon keeping the result of their
Investigation secret alleging, as we under
stand, though strangely enough it seems TO us,
that this investigation was in the nature of a
grand jury proceeding and therefore privileged
an! secret. We were absent from the county
during the investigation and have not seen any
member of the committee Little interest is.
however, manifested in any question concern
ing The forthcoming report of the committee, as
ii is known that they could not in that short
time have made any effective examination.
1t was not known al first that the committee
had limited itself to an examination for single
year. and general and earnest diSire was ex-
pressed by tax payers that the investigation
would be continued back far enough to cover the
period when Mr.. F. Q. Medley, some three or
four years ago, presented a claim against the
county for some $1,000 which he claimed to
have overpaid into the county treasury, as tax
collector, and of which he is said to haze pro-
duced receipts, bu, of which No account was
found in the backs and papers of the county.
A new levy had to be made in Mr.. Medleys
favor for the sum of money. Much comment
was excited at the time over that extraordinary
transaction, and the people have never yet
been satisfied in regard to it. More or less
easineSs and distrust have.ever since existed in
the minds of the people with regard o the
manner of doing business about the commits
sioners office, and hence the great anxiety of
the people that the investigation to be made
should have been a thorough and compreh hen
sive one.
1t is difficult TO understand what induced
the grand jury to limit the scope of the inves'i
CATION it asked to sin gle fiscal year. 1t seems
to the Inside observer 10 he almost impossible
for persons unSccustoined TO the routine OF the
office TO proper segregale the
expenses properly appertalning 10 one hschi
year from those belonging to the one immedi-
ately preceding. and unless the p-riod Of the
succession Of some board he taken as the
starting point, and he assets then passing into
their hands be taken the basis. it SEEMS dit
hcult 10 understand how an int g,tle and
satisfactory examination could be made. We
do not to furesiai the report OF the com
miltee, but We do hope that may yet have
n satisfactory eXami nation Of the county locks. .
EI>EMAS Bros, Dress Suits, cor. eth and f
SIS, Washington, ID. {.