St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-05-06
ONE LIVELY SESSION.
JamisOn Supports Condit and the
County Jail Criticised.

County Jan OrICIClSeu.
There was not a little interest clus-
tering about the meeting of the board
of county commissioners yesterday. In
the first place, County Attorney Jami-
sons communication in response to the
presentation to HIM OF the county
auditors objections to paying some of
the claims presented by the Dual City
Collection bureau was laid before the
commissioners and by them referred to
the committee on taxes. Then Secre-
tary Hart, of the state board of correc-
lions and charities. had a few words to
say to the sheriff and to the
commissioners; and some of the
ladies who go to the jail
every Sunday to sing gospel hymns had
something to say, too. All around. it
was the most interesting meeting which
the commissioners have had for some
time.
The first matter to come before the
board was the consideration of the
county attorneys letter. Mr.. Jamison
unqualifiedly indOrSes the action OF
County Auditor Condit, and recon-
mendS the restrictions which should be
followed in the payment of tax rebates.
Il recommend" he said, that you re-
pay all moneys paid by parties through
mistake upon property to which they
claim or have no interest; provided,
however, that there has been double
payment. Different persons claiming
interests in certain real estate often
pay taxes upon real estate to protect
their several interests. In such case |
recommend that no sum be re funded"
On the subject of what restrictions
should obtain in the allowance Of re-
bate claims, the county attorney says:
ANY one applying for refundment
of taxes should furnish satisfactory
proof, first, that there has been double
payment; second. that the party apply
Ing made one of the payments: third,
that the party applying had no interest
or claimed no interest whatsoever i'll
the property against which the tax was
levied; fourth, that the other party who
paid the same tax upon the same prop
erty is satisfied to have the refundment
go to the paaty so applying; and fifth.
that the party owning the property and
legally obligated to pay the tax has paid
the same.
when this is done refundment
may be safely made. Great care should
be exercised in thus disposing of mon
eys. Each case, of course, stands alone,
and must call for the exercise and care
and Judgment upon the part of your
board. Such a refundment may not be
made to the person holding the claim,
but may be made to an authorized
agent. In each case the Dual City Col
lection agency should furnish proof Of
its authority to act in behalf of the party
to whom the retundment is due
CONCERNING THE JAIL.
Then H. H. Hart and Mrs. McCurdy
and Mrs. Miner, Of the w. G. I. u.
''came down like a wolf on the fold"
Hart led Off with cauStic roast on the
Hennepin county jail. and the condition
i'm which it is kept. He spoke of it as a
disgrace to a civilized community and
as a place where filth abOunds in un-
limited quantities. He asserted that no
attention is paid to prisoners, and that
the state of cleanliness, or rather filth
ness. in which the prisoners live is APP
palling. He thought that prison clothes
should be provided for the inmates OF
the jail, and that each prisoner on his
Incarceration should be compelled to
take a thorough bath. don the prison
clothing, and thereafter take bath
every week. 1t was asserted, too, that
the prisoners were virtually alive with
fCIulIlIs W. " As - ApNiS'o OISI1
came forward and bOlStered up Harris
statements, and entered upon an un-
mitgated roast of the jailers and of
the sheriff. They complained of long
continued ill-treatment at the hands of
! the jailerS, and among other things, one
| of them related how she had once
| brought some delicacieS to one OF the
| prisoners which the jaller had never
| given to the man for whom it was in
| tended.
Sheriff Eye was made a party to the
conference. The commissioners hold
| that they are not responsible before any
complaints have been made, and, there
| fore, Eye was summoned to hear what
| was said. 1t proved to be fact that he
had never heard any of the complaints
| either. The w. G. I. U. ladies, we'll
meaning enough, perhaps, but with the
| perverSity of their sex. thought them
selves ill-treated, but had never made
known the fact to the response
| BILE party. On Investigation, too.
eatables mentioned had not been brought
| at the proper time of day. Sheriff Eye
! assures the ladies that if they bring food
! to their pets before the meal time it
will reach those for whom it's intended.
| As an outcome of all the complaints
the county board authorized the COM
mittee OH ways and means and the
sheriff to purchase twenty suits OF
clothes for the men, and six pairs OF
sheets and pillow cases for the women's
| department. After adjournment the
county commissioners went out to the
Jail, but failed so find such evidences
| of deplorable filth as they had been led
! to expect. The Hennepin county Jail
is not claimed to he a model institution.
Secretary Hart has condemned it be
fore. But it is argued that the county is
not warranted in expanding a great
amount of money on a. building which
will doubtless be replaced by a
more modern structure within q
short time. The jail certainly
does not look dirty. There is
bath room where every prisoner. Oh
his admission to the jail, is taken for &
bath. He is then compelled to battle
every two weeks. The prisoners can
not be bathed every day, because there
are no facilities for heating the water
except by turning on hot air. The jai
certainly seems to be kept as clean as
the present building can be. AS fol-
the prisoners being infested with YER
min, it is doubles due, in great meas
! ure, to their own neglect of themselves