St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-11-12
GETS BACK AT REFS.
City Treasurer Miller Returns
to the Book At
tack,
And Again Roasts His Prede.
cessor's Financial
Style.

W allONNI II 4 NSOLS 1hSio ASbNSA PlO
lished in yesterdays issue?
In the first place, when | took charge
of the office it was impossible for me. OF
would have been for any other man, to
tell at once whether or not the books
were kept as they should have been,
without going over them carefully.
which | did, and which took some little
time; and | am willing to go before the
public and stand ready to prove any
charges made by me against Mr. Refs,
and say now, as | did before. that Mr..
Refs did not. turf the books over to me
in proper shape. and every one that has
looked at them will bear me out in what
| say. and, if necessary, can mention
some of the best business men in the
city. In regard to striking out refer
ences, would ask Mr. Refs why he
struck out some and partly blOtched up
the books, as he calls it, and not all
The assessment books in the treaSurer's
Office are the same as a ledger is in a
business house. | ask any business
man what he would say to his book
keeper if one or a number OF his GUS
toners send him money on account. or
in full of account, it matters not which,
and the bookkeeper would give the
parties credit in the cash book, but not
in the ledger-would he be satisfied
with that style of bookkeeping? L
think not.
Mr.. Refs states in mis- letter that his
books were examined and reported upOn
as in good shape. Col. Bend is the mar
who examined the books, and the
moment l showed him the assessment
books and asked him how he came to
make the report he did, he then and
tharn oft OYI1nH mn In ctnfn fnp him
that he never in his life saw the assess
ment books until shown by me, and had
he been shown them by Mr.. Refs he
never would have made the report be-
fore the chamber of commerce he did.
Whydid Mir. Refs not show those books
to Col. Bend? L am ready to prove,
whenever Mr.. Refs wants 1t proven.
that he did not show the asseSsmet
books to Col. Bend, and that he did not
see them during his examination.
Assessment Penalties.
Will Mr.. Refs please explain why he
collected penalties from some and not
from others? Or, perhaps, he does not
call it collecting penalties when prop
erty was sold by him and the interest
added in the Judgment and certificates
issued to the purchaser? he owner
could not redeem such certificate with
out paying interest and all costs to date
Of redemption.
Mr.. Refs says the assessment for the
Sixth street bridge Improvement was
hotly contested, and 1t was doubtful
whether the assessment would stand in
court. Why don't he tell the truth and
state that the objections were over
ruled by the district court and judg-
t,ant- onl cola nrdarah onoinct anoh
piece of property for S1,071. 35, as the
certified copy of Clerk O'Connor shows
under date of Dec. 81, 1891. This ctrti-
fed copy was made out by one of MI.
Refs clerks and signed by Deputy
Clerk q. A. Johnson. Will Mr.. Refs
please explain by what authority he did
not obey the order of the court in enter
ing up interest of $7l.35 against each
lot? In the certified copy no interest
and Judgment costs are carried out
against ten (10) lots, and nineteen N9)
lots were left OFF entirely. In January,
1892, all parties paid only the amount
assessed in the first place, 81, 200, Still
the copy OF judgment and order OF sale
is marked paid, and unless a man would
look back and investigate he would say
$l,071.35 was collected.
Is this not classifying records? Is that
justice TO other parties who were inter
eSted in the Sixth street bridge whose
property was sold because they did moi
object and had TO pay interest, judgment,
costs and interest after that until they
paid. AS the matter now stands, the
city is loser for that bridge assessment
alone 81, 090.64. This is only one case; q
number Of others could be cited where
the city was always the lOoser. Does
the law say the treasurer and a few
other officials can put their heads to
gether and do as they please, or doe;
the law say the treasurer shall collect al
the rate Of IL per cent per annum on al
assessments not paid when due? The
corporation attorney, III answer to my
inquiry, gave me his written opinion
that it is my duty to collect interest OF
all assessments not paid when due, ant
under that opinion L collect penalties
Mr.. Refs evidently never asked, or nj
would Ito doubt have received the SAINT
opinion from the corporation attor
mans reputation in the estima
ton of his fellow men, bu
why did Mr.. Refs not think of tina
when he took charge of the Office, an(
during his many years as city treasure.
find out by doing as | do nOW-make
test case, which will settle it for al
times, and lot act. as he saw fit, favor
some and make others pay? | consider
the treasurer a public servant, electeC
by the people to carry out the law as N
finds it. and not as he chooses to maxi
it. Had Mr.. Refs looked at it in thu
same light. the city would be better OF
today by a good many thousand dollars
will saw once more, it is OF great i'm
p%ortance to have the references strucl
off where assessments are paid, in orde
to facilitate work in the office. Nothing
would please me better than that tn
city council should ask the public eX
aminer to examine the books and max
a report, which | am satisfied will settl
all disputes and show to the public i
its true light how the office was con
Quoted under Mr.. Refs. Very respect
fully, CONRAD w. MILLER,
City Treasurer.
AN EVENT SOCIAL.