Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-23
BLAMES THE COMMISSIONERS
Clerk Roche Holds Them Respon-
sible For Ex xtravagance.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM MEYERS
MIR. O'Keeffe VIII Give the Dilatory
Architect One More Chance
A Very Quiet
Meeting.
The County Commissioners.


'Tll be here on Monday, but I'll be ID
if pll be here after that" SAID MIR. O'Keeffe
at the meeting of the county commissioners
yesterday afternoon. The expression was
evoked by the reading of telegram received
from Architect Meyers, announcing that he
would meet the board on Monday. 1--WE
been here waiting for Meyers every day for
the past week, and I'm getting tired"
The meeting of the,board was very quiet
affair, nothing but routine business being
considered
County Attorney Mahoney filed an opinion
that the telegram OF Architect Meyers
authorizing Superintendent Coots to make
changes in the hospitals plans was a complI-
ance with the liens of the contract with the
county, and sufficient authoIty for making
the said changes. The report was placed on
file.
County Clerk Roche's communication ex-
planning the distribution of stationery to the
county officials was received and placed on
file. The communication was addressed to
County Attorney Mahoney, and was as fol
lows:
I'm reply to your favor of the 18th inst,
beg to submit my explanation Of the report
on stationery Of the finance committee of the
board of county commissioners:
"As regards pens, there were no pens on
hand when took charge Of the office. The
first requistion was made IN April, 1883,
first in use in the county. Since then it is
claimed have ordered $50 gross of pens. L
have supplied the different offices since
April, 1883, with eighty-three gross and have
on hand sixty gross. Now, several persons
employed about tue court house have called
from time to time, and have often supplied
them with boxes of pens without the formal
ity of requisition. This may account for
the acquisitions being absent If there are
any. 1 have always receipted for all station
cry received by me- The commissioners had
the stationery contract and it was their duty
to do the checking; in fact never saw the
stationery bills uutil after the vouchers were
made and allowed. Many orders Tor station
cry have been given without my consent or
knowledge, notably by the clerk of the dis
trict court, of which fact / warned the
county commissioners at the time.
Concerning the overcharge for pens,
Messrs. Gibson, Miller Ss Richardson, have
acknowledged their mistake and will, upon
request, remedy the same. III there Is any
blame to be attached TO any one for this, it
must rest with the commissioners who SO
safely held the contract and never allowed
me TO see II. ~ b
''Of the bookbinding and canvas covering,
i know nothing whatever, and it can in no
way refer to me. The commissioners allowed
and paid the bills without contract and you
must ask them TO explain this matter
1.-The assessment books and sheets are all
here and accounted for as follows:
January 81, 1888, 1,100 assessment sheets
value $50. You will find by taking l, 100
sheets, divided Dy 20, as there are 20 sheets
to go in books which will give 50 quires, our
contract per quire $l.50. Total, $3.50.
Then Mr. Roche gives me an itemized
statement Of these bills, showing that the
total for them is S20S. So"
"The erasers, like the pens," he continues
shave frequently been given out by me TO
persons whom / well know work for the
county, without the formality of a requisi-
tion. The distribution of stationery, such as
pens, pencils and eraseis, has been amicably
done by me and without undue extrava-
gance, always with the idea of obliging Off
cials and known employees.
r'Everything received without an Official
order has been accounted for; therefore,