Omaha daily bee., 1888-08-12
COUNTY COMMISSIONER
They Discuss Sheriff Coburn and His
Fees Yesterday.

beeS tPsteruay.
The county commissioners have gone after
Sheriff Coburn with big gun. Commits
sioner Anderson is working the trigger and
seems to be determined to bring down the
game.
The sheriff has been keeping United States
Sarpy county and transient prisoners in the
Douglas county jail and putting the whole
proceeds down deep into his own jeans. He
got 20 cents per day for each federal charges
and 81 for each of the others. AS he only
gets 35 cents per day from the county for
boarding its prisoners it is plain that this
business ON the side was profitable. The
commissioners not only want slice of the
pudding in the future, but they propose hav-
ing share of the plums alread garnered by
the thrifty sheriff
The following was offered by Mr.. Ander-
son and adopted:
Resolved, That on and after August 16,
1888, the sheriff of Douglas county will be
required to pay on all prisoners confined by
him in the county jail ana for whose main
tenance and custody the county Is not respon-
sble the following sums: /, for each
United States prisoner, 30 cents per day; 2,
for each Sarpy county prisoner 60 cents per
day; 3, for each transient or other prisoner
not included above, 65 cents per day. The
above amounts to be compensation to the
county for rent of Jail and apparatus, sala-
ries of iailor and guards and for expenses
and repairs in jail during the time such pris-
oners may be confined in said Jail.
Mr.. Anderson offered a resolution 'that it
is the sense of this board that \ bill be pre-
pared and presented to William Coburn,
sheriff of Douglas county, on account of GER
tain prisoners heretofore confined in the
Douglas county jail For the period be-
tween June 30, 1856, to January II, 1SSS, the
following charges are named For each
United States prisoner, 20 cents per day; for
each Sarpy county prisoner, 80 cents; for
each transient, 80 cents. For the period be-
tween January 16, 1885, and August Is, 1888,
the amounts to be charged to the sheriff are
For each United States prisoner, 81 cents per
day; for each Sarpy county prisoner, 65 cents
for each transient, 65 cents. The amounts in
said bill are ''to be compensation to the
county for rent of Jail and apparatus, salaries
of iailor and guards, and expenses ana re-
pairs to Jail during the time said prisoners
were coniincd.'
Mr. Anderson moved the adoption of
resolution. He was supported by,
Turner voted against the adoption, and
Chairman O'Keefe cast the deciding vote in
the negative. The position taken by the
latter gentleman was that under a report
adopted the week before the board was to
they believed the proper method was to refer
it to committee for that purpose. The
resolution was thereupon referred to the
committee on finance.
The following by Mr.. Anderson was
adopted:
Resolved. That from the 18th day OF
August, 1888, the compensation of the sheriff
of Douglas county for boarding prisoners
committed to the county Jail by the proper
authorities within said county, and for whose
maintenance the county is responsible,
shall not exceed the rate of 35 cents per day
for ordinary cases and % cents per day fol-
prisoners sentenced to bread and water. All
resolutions inconsistent herewith are hereby
rescinded.
The following by Mr.. Anderson was
adopted:
Resolved That the sheriff of Douglas
county be notified that he will be expected
hereafter to furnish vouchers for all expen-
dtures of his Office, the same as all other
county offices.
A resolution by Mr.. Anderson was adopted
authorizing the register of deeds to employ
two assistants in addition to the number
allowed by the resolution of January 2S,
1883, each of such employees not to be paid
over $50 per month.
The DANISH association asked to be re-
lieved of taxes on its property on Eighteenth
street near Harvey, on the ground that it is
a benevolent organization. Referred.
The board received from the Is. Il M q bill
for S2640 for certain taxes collected. The
judiciary committee will wrestle with the
problem.
Gustav Kaessner, of Elkhorn, put in a
bill for $2,043.06 for damages by reason of
the damming of water by public highway
The bill was rejected.
The commissioners ordered the cancelling
of a tax on property belonging to the South
Tenth street Methodist church.