The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1885-11-04
The Grand Jury Report.

. GRAND JURY Room, BoZEMAN. MONTANA, /
October %, 1885. !
To the Hon. John Cobura, Judge of tn,
First Judicial District
We, the Grand Jurors, in and for Gal
/, latin County, Territory of Montana, now
! in session, respectfully submit to your
Honor the following report:
That we have examined into all cases
brought to our notice and have promptly
reported the same.
We visited the Poor Farm, where we
, found four inmates. who are comfortably
kept, as they all attest, by Mr.. Charles
Hclmes
The Jail we found kept in very good
c'ndition generally but we recommend
that the sanitary condition of the cage,
| in which two Of the prisoners are con-
fined. be improved also that the force
| pump in the jail yard be repaired SO that
it can be used
We visited the seHezaa county soficess
and ieand the present incumbents at
tending to the duties Of their offices in an
apparently satisfactory manner As re-
CARDS the treasurer's Office, we respect
fully recommend that regular cash
book be kept and balanced every night,
that the business of the office NAV be
more conveniently inspected, (See WV.
Wylie's suggestion re re.arding the same)
We have examined the reports of the
experts, Messrs w. w. Wylie and R. H.
Crawford, who We're appointed by your
! Honor, at be last term of District Court,
to inquire into the accounts of cer;ain
officials, and hope SAID reports will be
| published for the information of the citi-
zens who are interested therein a tax
payers
From this report it appears that some
of our lato county officials have been |
grossly negligent. and in many instances
have committed criminal offences in the
discharge of their official duties.
The County Treasurers have some
times allowed parties to transact business
Tor brief period to determine whether
they can afford to pay the licenses re-
CURED by law. This conduct is illegal;
while this official is responsible for the
amount of the license payable by these
persons, regardless of the result of the
business. The practice should be dis
continued. The grand jury respectfully
recommend that the county treasurer be
notified of its action in this respect.
1t is evident that William S. McKen-
zie and Chas. P. Blakely have collected
from this county as sheriffs, illegal fees
to large amount
The amount of oyercharges by Mr..
Blakely is S1,732S2. The amount of
the overcharges by Mr.. Mckenzie, dur
ing the last six months of his term of
office. is S42I05.
The county commissioners have allow
ed the accounts Of Mr.. Blakely, as
sheriff, when they were not made out
according to law and contained many
items which should not have been paid,
in the sum of $50 ,48l04. We are salts
G+.si thai Tie countg ssssi~ners acted
carelessly in these matters and sacald
be censured therefor. r
Il also appears that W. F. Sloan, while
county treasurer, failed to collect the
percentage upon delinquent taxes am
ounting- to $1,53I75, and the amount
Of licenses which should have been uaid
to this official but was not collected by
him, $S,905.3l. The expert is of the
opinion that these figures edo not show
more than one half of the amount that
might be found upou more complete ex-
animation"
The fines paid by criminals the past
three years have been paid to the county
treasury, with the exceptions of some
amounts.
The grand jury respectfully recon-
inends that the reports of the experts be
transmitted to the County Commission
ers for their consideration and they be.
and are hereby, requested to cause civi
and criminal proceedings to be instituted
by the proper authoriti S for the purpose
Of recoyering.the sums of money which
lave been lost to the county, through
the acts of omission and commission
on the art of its officers, and to secure
tile punishment of their crimes, if any
have been perpetrated.
We further recommend that the ex-
perts' examination be continued to COM
pletion; also that where the county
commissioners find that the time allowed
by aw, for the transaction oftheir busi-
ness in a proper and careful manner, is
insufficient then they shall call an extra
session and not allow bills to pass that
are neither itemized, certified nor sworn
to,
GEORGE w. FLANDERS,