The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1884-10-31

Twssdis ". EAs County.
Editor PloxEea-Exsnnll; IS & Il. II
! In your issue Of the 18th instant I tooA
the liberty 70 ask Nj. Robert Twssdlis
why It was he charged double the
amount for many of his official acts
whicl, the same officers charged In other
counties. Iny your Issue Of the 2ltli he
rises will, that Undesirable gesture Pc
culiar to him. aud solemnly declares that
he never overcl,arsed any one for any of
hts official acts. This was what I ex-
pected fr",n Mr.. Tweedlie when I asked
for information on those points in your
issne of the 18th. Now, all through this
county, it is veil known fact ti,at Mr..
Robert Tweetllis charges from 500 to
D. 80 TOR final aflidavits made before him
si,M.e lie took the Office Of clerk Of the
court, whereas lie is only entitled to 80
cents according to law, while clerks Of
the court In other counties do the
same work for 50 cents, thus giving them
20 cents for forwarding tn the land Office,
postage, aud stationery; but NJ. Twecd-
lie Gays " must heve 81 90 for doing the
same work" Notwithstanding the law and
the practice Of honest clerks to the
contrary. This. at first sight, may look
trifi,ng, but when we take into consider
alton the fact that at least $500 to 1000
final atlidavits have been taken BY that
gentleman since lie entere,. upon the
duties Of his Office, We find that the
voters Of this county lave been .lnftauded
Of some $50 to 81 900 which, il they re-
sided aud made affidavit in Walsh
county, they would have in their pockets
to-day. The same rule, OF something
like 1t, is Practical Ivy him in reference
to declaration Of intention and citizen
papers and making out copies Of the
same. There 10 yet . worse feature OF
this case that must he considered, viz,
the moral aspect of the matter. Mr..
Tweedlie, like any other officer taking
Office under the laws Of tile United States
and this Territory. had to take an oatl,
Of Office to the following effect :-"l do
solemnly swear that l will support the
constitution Of the United States and the
Act organizing this Territory, and that 1
will faithfully and impartially, to tie
hest Of ny knowledge and ability. per-
form all the duties Of my said Office &C.
eoriing to law" BY the foregoing oath
we find that Mr.. Tweedlie was bound to
perform oil the duties of lis Office "in,-
partially. but right in the Taco Of tl.is,
and in violation Of his oath, he charges
us 81 10 where 80 cents would 10 an over.
charge. This, Of course, is true to his
character-h0 cents more than lie ought
to have put into his pocket. But, as If
this was not enough, he goes still further
and violates the law he was sworn to
keep and maintain inviolate. In this
enumeration We find him guilty Of ex-
torting double fees ffbm the voters Of
this county Of pocketing money fraud
ulently obtained by violation of his oath
Of office, aud IN violation Of his sworn
duties. This, I affirm, can be proven in
any court having jurisdiction in such
cases. There is still another way in
which Mr.. Tweedlie has shown himself
. grasper for Office and money. Let me
call attention to the fact that there are
only two officers in each county usually
who are authorized by U. .. laws to take
final atidavits. viz, Clerk of the District
Court and Judge Of the Probate Court.
1t will be readily seen that il one person
holds these two Offices in one county he
at once has monopoly of the particular
class Of work referred to above, and IL
possessed Of as little regard for the public
as Mr. Tweedlie has, he can charge any
tees he may think proper az there il no
one to compete with nim-snd Mr..
Iwcedlie evidently seized upon these
two Offices for this very purpose. for
when he got them in his grasp he used
them to extort double fees from the
very ,nen who voted for him; and as. il
all this WIS not sufficient, we find him
once more asking the suffrage of the
voters Ut this county to carry him for
ward in more lucrative scheme, Only
few days ago the Supreme Court Of Da.
kota gave us its decision that Clerks Of
the Court are still to be appointed, not
elected, Notwithstanding the Act Of this
Territory 70 the contrary. Under this
ruling Mr.. Twcedlie will hold his present
position as clerk of the court. and, i'll
elected (Which we do not believe) will
lid to it that Of Register of Deeds oil
This county. This would make . grand
bonanza for Mr.. Tweedlie. We arc told
that the Office Of register Of deeds has
yearly fees Of 5000 to 5000, but in the
hands Of Mr.. Tweedlie, with his accus.
Eomed style Of over-charges, the amount
Tor the same work would ,be from 80 QUO
70 $4,000.
On the 4th Of November the voters of
his county will have an opportunity TO |
give new lease Of Office to this would
be double-barrelled official who Il col
anxious to serve his county we'll.
JOHN MCMILLAN.