The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-04-30
EXPERT EVIDENCE,
Showing How C~ounty.Afairs
r Have Been Managed.
The Report of the Grand Jury,
Including that of Messrs.
McIntire and Naclay.
The Grand Jury's Report.

To the Honorable d. S. Wade, Judge d
the Third Judicial Court IN and .foa
the County Of Choteau.
The grand jurors of the county of Che
teau duly e~mpanneled and sworn for the
April term, 1884, of the district court,
report they nave diligently inquired
into all the offences of the county that
were brought to the attention of the
court and its officers, and have hereto
fore submitted to you the report of cur
labors.
We have given careful attention to
the report of the committee who were
appointed by the grand jury and court
at the September term, 1888. of this
court, to make an examination and in
vestigation of the records of the county.
We find that they did their work well,
and their report has our earnest ap-
proyal. The task they entered upon
was a difficult one, requiring great re-
search and labor, but they have perform
ed it impartially, fearlessly, and excel
lently, and are fully entitled to the
thanks of the grand Jury, the court, and
the people of the county for their work.
affairs and records is highly approved of
by us, as it is utterly Impossible for a
grand jury or any unwieldy body of I'M
trained men in the short time at their
disposal, to examine the records with
anything like satisfactory results. It is
simply a mockery for a grand jury to
glance hastily through the county re.
cords, take the dictum of interested Off
GERS aid make a report that they find
them correct in every particular, when
in fact, they know absolutely nothing
of their condition.
We make the written part of the re-
port of Messrs. McIntire and Mac1ay a
part of this our report to the court, We
ask the court to order that the same be
printed in the papers of the county. We
urgently ask that each and all of the
county officers be guided in the future
by the suggestions therein contained.
We also especially ask that the court
charge the next grand jury to examine
the records and proceedings of the coun-
ty officers, and particularly report to the
court and the people whether the many
reprehensible and mischievous practices
herein set forth have ceased, and wheth-
er the suggestions herein contained have
been complied with.
The report is itself the best commend
alton Of the system of selecting a man
versed in the law, and qualified for the
work, to examine into and do this WORK.
This investigation has occupied too
much time in details, but as the work
was new to the committee, it could not
have been, in their opinion, avoided.
Tt will be Of inestimable value to the
county officers. In the future it is to be
hoped that they will profit by what is
set forth therein.
In the charge delivered to us by the
honorable the court, a great deal vas
said of JUNIORS of the existence of a 'cor-
rupt ring of county officials at the coun-
ty seat" who were supposed to be band
ed together for the purpose of public
plumber, and were daily "robbing the
county and the people of their hard
earned money paid as taxes
We are heartily glad TO say in u
report, and the court will be pleased
to hear, that by the light thrown upon
county affairs by the thorough report of
Messrs. McIntire and Maclay, and by
all necessary and further examination
and investigation by us, we unani-
mously and emphatically pronounce
this charge or a SANDER upon the
fair name of our county.
There is not the slightest evidence of
ally COllISioH VI dl1IolAS ChO u
ficers of this county nor any evidence
whatever that there is or has been a
"ring' in this county. If there is a
'sring'' or combination Of officials for
the purpose of plundering the county
we have been unable with all the aid
rendered by months of labor Of the com
mittee to discover it's existence. We do
not hold the county officials blameless,
though. Their carelessness and repre-
hensible mismanagement in allowing
bills and in managing, or mismanaging,
the money of the county, road and poor
funds. and in managing the same in the
loose and slip-shod way the records show
they have done, together with the care
less and unbusinesslike name in
which they have audited accounts of
officers and others in such frequency
through their meetings, and the bun
Cling and insufficient manner in which
records Of proceedings are kept, impress
es itself forcibly upon the grand jury
and merit in our opinion the severest
condemnation. There is need Of closer
and s~tricter attention to duty on the
part of the county officials need of bet
ter business methods and pre-eminently
need Of greater economy in the admin
istration of county affairs, notably in
allowances to officers and the misman-
agement of the road and poor funds.
Upon the board of county commits
in a large measure rests the res
possibility of good OF bad administers
ton. They are the directors Of county
They shape and carry out all
matters and enterprises for which the
is chargeable. They audit all
accounts, and If they are prudent, COM
petent and painstaking the affairs of the
county would go right whatever might
be the inclinations of the clerical Off
GERS.