Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1891-04-16
Grand Jury Report.
NO TRUE BILLS FOR 1NDICT.
MENTS FOUND.
Examination of Records
Made and Errors Corrected-Other
Important Business Acted
Upon-0ther Items.

To the honorable District Court Of
the End Judicial District in the State
of Idaho, in and for Nez Pcrce county:
We, your Grand Jury duly empan-
elled at the March term, 1891, beg leave
to present the following report:
We have thoroughly examined into
six separate complaints, and have in
neither found sufficient evidence to
warrant an indictment, having in each
case had the benefit of advice and
counsel Of the District Attorney.
We examined the various offices and
found them neat and commodious, and
the incumberents attentive and faith
full to the duties entrusted to them.
The Jail and court house are we'll
cared for.
We find the records of the Auditor
in satisfactory shape, and commend!the
recent purchase of complete set of
durable and substantial books of record
for the Probate Court.
We have carefully examined the
finances of our county, and upon COM
parison of the books of the Treasurer
and Auditor, we find that they bal
ance and the cash on hand corresponds
to said balance. But, owing to the
limited time at our command to make
a thorough examination of the county
raonrIs xvo x,,c,,lI rooov,u,ouI tl,o< ~,
board of county commissioners secure
the services of an expert accountant to
examine the books up to the present
time.
Upon examination of the records of
the commissioners court, we find, in
the record of board of county commits
sioners proceedings, March 10Th, 1890,
an order authorizing the County
Auditor "to furnish the County Asses
sor complete and full abstract of de-
scription of all the real property within
Nez Perce county, with the name of
the present owners as they appear on
record, ut an expense not to exceed
S15O.OO."
On Oct. 18th, 1890, in the same book
of records, we find that that amount
was paid by order Of two of the COM
missioners, but upon calling for the
abstract were informed by the Assessor
that abstracts only of country property
were furnished him. The most i'm
portant portion, viz, the property lying
in the City of Lewiston, not having
been abstracted, and. in the opinion OF
the Assessor and Auditor, this was at
least one-half of the work. Upon
further examination of this matter, we
find that the abstracts furnished the
Assessor were made at an expense OF
not to exceed fifty dollars, and recon.
mend that the present board of county
commissioners take the proper steps to
either compel the Ex-Auditor to com.
plete his contract or refund the money.
We further find that numerous ap.
peals having been made to the District
Court from decisions of our late board
Of county commissioners in road mat,
ters, the petitions in most cases being
, adjudged insufficient and the appeal
sustained, thereby entailing a large ex
pense upon Nez Perce county in de
Tending the propositions radically er'
roneOus from the beginning. We
would urgently recommend that the
present board Of county commissioner
procure the services of legal adviser
to pass upon the sufficiency of all mat
ters coming before them, especially
road petitions, our people being largely
interested IN the maintenance of goot
roads, and as the county develops viii
become more SO. On examination O
the proceedings Of our late board o
county commissioners, we find tina
the chairman Of the board has beef
guilty Of gross errors, changes Of count,
roads having been ordered and count.
money expended thereon without tn
sanction of the law, without any petl
tions having been filed praying for sal,
changes, and against the protest of tax
payers of the road district.
: Upon further examination of sal,
records, we find. that the commits
sioners lave not complied with the VI
gent request Of the last Grand Jury
viz: 1--WE hereby recommend that th
board Of county commissioners at the
! next regular meeting prepare, an
: cause to be spread upon the record {
. their proceedings, full aud complet
. statement Of the manner and purpos
. for which the court house fund, heretl
! fore raised by floating the bonds Of Il
! county, has been expended; the nan
Of each person to whom any portion