Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1886-12-24

tie commissioners report for those two
year.? Or what rate OF interest or how
long the bonds are To run, or whether
any except the first $4,000 was ever pro-
perly advertised or any notice given Of
their sale2 Aud yet yon wonder why
taxes are so high, how they can support
80 many papers ut the hub to throw sand
in your eyes, aud why this same gang are
so anxious 90 get hold OF the JOURNAL
alan, or 10 crush aud destroy IL.
In May, 1885, on application of a mum.
her Of taxpayers Of Ere county, in accor-
dance with law providing for such rppli-
cation, Judge Wirkhnm appointed COM
mitite To examine the hooks OF the audi
tor mud treasurer to inquire into the
charges made TINT the commissioners
and other officials were taking illegal
fees. Upon the result Of these lnvesii-
gat ions ]. Il. Mack and G. G. Keech, IN
behalf Of the taxpayers, brought series
uf suits 10 recover back what had been
stolen aud the court WAS asked TO re-
strain the probate judge from approving
the prosecuting attorney from certifying
the commissioners from allowing and the
auditor and treasurer from paying all
such bills in the future. Judge Wick.
ham held tlirt the law did not allow
the commissioners pay for the Use OF
their horses and wagons nor for expenses
on their junketing tours to Columbus
and that all money so taken was IN vio-
lation of law-but having been taken nm
der the forms OF law the law made
no provision for its recovery. And
yet you wonder how such unjust laws
that will allow the official thiet to retain
his plnnder, while the .plunder OF all
common thieves is held liable to recov-
cry to the owner, ever get upon your sta
tnies. Judge Doyle, attorney for the
off lials, held that no bills for their SER
vices and expenses could be lawfully
paid until the same had been Ger
lifted by the prosecuting attorney and
approved by the prob,le judge. Judge
Wickham agreed with Judge Doyle and
placed a perpetual injunction on record
prevent the probate judge from ap-
proving horse hire and Columbus spree
bills. Under the law as il stands the
| commissioners could keep what they had
already stolen, but il they took illegal fees
in the future they can be arrested for
embezzlement.
In less thnna year they had the whole
Doodle gang in that county cleaned out
because they they had Judge oil Common
Pleas that WAS in sympathy with the
overburdened taxpayer and no interest
IN common with the thieves. The amount
shown TO have been illegally taken in
Erie county by the commissioners and
recorder was $4,000.
Without access 10 the books OF Wood
county we have shown clearly and PLAIN
ly that about $4,000 was taken from
the taxpayers rs clean steal on the first
| $780, 600 worth OF bonds issued. We have
shown from the COMMISSIONER own re-
port for one year alone that $4,000 was
paid ont Of your treasury without any au-
thoriiy of law. We have learned by in
quiry of Commissioner Dunipnce, that be
tween s25, eco and s2s,OOO has heen ex-
pended on about 40 rods Of ditch on tie
Power IS farm, jus, below !own, when all
aver 81 coo expended upon the work was
a clean steal from the taxpayers. We
have called attention and published
the report Of the committee TO examine
the commissioners report for The past two
years, wherein they state that the commits
sioners have raised S157 900 by bonds dur
ing the two years without showing what
| disposition had been made of the money
thus raised, in their annual report. We
have called your attention TO these COIN
missioners' reports as they were published
in which large majority Of the items
only show "pnrt pay" on the work or item
OF expense which can only he delnrion
and snare 10 prevent the taxpayer from
lear ming the cost of the work being paid
for.
These nre but only lew Of the many
items that could he found upon an inves-
tIgalion OF the robberies that are yearly
pracIiced on the taxpayers. And when
we raise Objection To this style Of whole
sale robbery we are confronted with III,
assertion that "they have got the none,
and the brains to do these things, aud
what are ynu going 10 do about it?" Til
was what Tweed said, "what are you GO
ing TO do abnnt il ?" The people OF that
| curInnt city did do snme ihIIu nLnni il