Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1892-02-26

MT.EIf II
l,sargun,ent 10 TX County Treas
usrr Hair, published elsewhere Ia
this paper, uas submitted - the
b6ard u county commissioners last
Tuesday Expert Horton and County
Attorney Miller with many others
being present. Tile records cited in
the argument were produced, read
and shown publicly toall who would
look nj them. MIR. Blair made are
markably strong case as will be seen
Ly a careful psrusal oflis argument.
He explained to the board, be.
fore reading his argument,
that he was aware Of the fact that lie
was undertaking a task, which, il he
failed to establish his claims By
the records, would place him in a
very ridiculous plight before Ills
fellow men, undertaking to prove
what the county had paid for a. ex.
pert work and had a right 70 ex-
pect to be correct and truthful, IN
correct and misleading, he himself
claiming only ordinary intelligence.
He claimed, however, THAT his pro-
positions were fortunately plain and
involved no intricacies that cannot
be solved By any ordinary man with
average business ability. He fur
ther explained that he Was not thcre
on the solicitation Of anyone, had
consulted with no one. stood ixhis
own behalf and did not appear in
behalf Of any ring Of clique, polit-
ical or nonpolitical; and was there
neither TO be whitewashed nor black.
wsshed-He Was there only ~ a
taxpayer proving that the adoption
Of the experts report would COM
pei the board to begin action against
those charged with shortages, and
that the report, being incorrect Mnd
not evidence in court, would lead to
litigation that the records would
only defeat the county in, and create
expense. Mr.. Blair having surren-
dered the floor, Mr.. Horton arose
and claimed his right 70 make an
answer and also to file supplement.
tary reports, AZ We understood him,
as often ~ he pleases- He asked
several days in which TO prepare one
in this case and was granted until
last Thursday. He said there
were at least five points in the ex.
perts' report that he desired to cor.
rect, thereby admitting that at least
that many errors had been found
since filed, unless we permit ourselves
to believe the report to have been
fled with known errors in it, which
seems ridiculous when no corrections
have been suggested in the two
months that have elapsed since the
last meeting Of the board. Col.
Stone, the chicfexpert, was not here
anil letters from him seemed to
throw NO definite light on when he
will come. Mr.. Ames Of Beresford
his bondsman, has tclegraphed him
to be sure and be here on Friday
Mr.. Ames thinks the proper method
for the board to pursue is to require
each ex. treasurer to reduce his an.
swer 10 the charges made in the re
port to writing, that the experts b,
allowed to prepare al answer to tina
in writing, aud that all be published
to the taxpayers. This woul,
doubtless he the proper plan if tn.
experts report were correct and til.
charges against ex-treasurers in
volved only differences Of opinion Of
questions Of law, and not positiv.
misstatements Of facts and igurers
at least in five points,as MI. Horton
admits. As it is. however, thai
theory would never reach a stop.
ping place, that il if the sanswer'
means q supplementary report that
may contain new matter each time:
for a. soon as these charges
have been disposed Of, another in.
vestigation might be deemed neces.
sary, ordered, aud a report, differing
from both this one and the racords,
made and the ex-treasurers be CON-
PEELED 10 spend time and money 10
clear themselves perpetually until
their bones rest with those Of Judge
Akers aud then perhaps have il sug-
gested to their remains thatthsy did
not account for a. much taxes dur
ing = certain period Of time as the
experts may think they should have
done. II is q many-sided question
and the COURIER has no plan to
suggest. Mr.. Ericsson appeared for
Mr.. Kiplinger and his matter was
also Get for hearing Thursday, Mr..
Ericsson also informed the board
that hs is attorney for Mr.. Stick.
ney's bOnds,nan and would ask the
county to pay over the sums claimed
duo him in the experts report.
Chairman Main informed him that