The Helena independent., 1892-12-31
The Sheriff Of Lewis and Clarke
Retires Monday With q
Fine Record.
Over Three Years in Office Have
Shown His Many Good
Qualities,
An Adm inlstration That Has Pleased the
People Of Both Parties and Made
Many Friends.

office of sheriff OF Lewis and Clarke county
Mondoy, and turn over his Office to Col.
Charles ID. Curtis The Office of sheriff Ia
one of the most important in the county,
and one that requires high standard of
personal integrity and high grade Of ex-
ecntive skill. In his three years and more
Of service Sheriff Jeffe.is has thoroughly
entrenched himself In the confidence and
esteem Of the business men and officials
throughout his bailiwiek. To such an ex-
tent has this been done that Sheriff Jefferis
retires with the satisfaction of knowing he
has proved one of the most popular OF all
the men that have filed that important
office. His time has covered period equal
to nearly two full terms which ia owing TO
the fact that he went into Office on the ad-
mission of the state in 1889. His successors
term is for two years.
In spite Of the large amount of business
that passes through the sheriff's hands, II
has been conducted for the past three years
and more with a comparatively small force
of deputies. Among other duties the
sherH's Office ia charged with the fore
closure of mortgages the enforcement of
Judgments and the serving of attachments.
The amount of money that has passed
through Sheriff Jefferis' hands from collec-
tions on snles. etc, during his term, has
been $l.009, ,920.42. Every cent has been
rlgidly accounted for. For the best part OF
his term. it must be remembered, the sheriff
was paid entirely by fees. and had to stand
the expense of employing his own deputies
1t was only within the past year that the
new law went into effect which placed the
sheriff and his deputies on salary, and
obliged them to turn all fees collected over
to the county. But whether acting directly
for himself or for the county in the matter
Of fees, Sheriff Jefferis has given entire
satisfaction to those who have had busi-
ness with his office. There has never been
q serious dispute with Sheriff Jeiferis as to
any bill, either with an individual or with
the county or state which he represented.
There has been no complaint against him as
an official, because there has been no cause
for such complaint. The conduct of the
sheriff toward the pnblio, as we'll as with
his subor dinates, has been cordial and po-
lite. and he has sought to secure similar
conduct on the part of his deputies. rather
by the force of example than by discirlin-
ing. When ne was away. especially during
the latter part Of his term, his place has
been filled ably and efficiently by his under
sheriff. Fred Hoss.
The duties as custodian of the Jail and
the prisoners under the charge of the county
have been performed with strict fidelity.
The sheriff gave his personal attention to
this br anch of the business in large meas
ure. In the early part of his term Sheriff
Jefferis had to keep the prisoners in the old
Jail on the site of the present fine structure.
When the old jail and some surrounding
buildings were torn down to make
room for the present commodious
and comfortable looking quarters, the
prisoners we're kept in the old church at
the corner of Ewing street and Sixth ave-
nue.. 1t was makeshift for the time be-
ing, but unequal as it was, and unsuited to
the purpose TO which it was put, the old
church kept it's members" very closely.
The small number of escapes from such a
building during the time it was occupied
as jail is something remarkable. OF
those who did escape only one was in for q
serious offense, and he was United States
prisoner who was awaiting the action Of
the grand jury on charge of robbing the
mail The large bulk of the prisoners who
have been confined in the Jail were petty
offenders, though there have been from
ters, including Henry Clark, the highway
man who terrorized Helena for brief sea
son. and is now serving "A forty
years. sentence in the penitentiary.
AS iailer Sheriff Jefferis has handled
LOGO prisoners. They included those who
were serving out short sentences for minor
offenses, people awaiting trial for violation
of penal laws, and United States prisoners
awaiting trial. OF the prisoners seventy
six vent to the penitentiary and ffsy-one
to Warm Springs. 1t 10 a noteworthy fact
that no prisoner has been taken from the
county Jail to stand trial in court who did
not appear cleanly, no matter how shabbily
dressed. The discipline in this respect has
been excellent. Cleanliness has been pro-
verbal. 1t has been rigid practice to
thoroughly examine all prisoners. and If
necessary,to to enforce cleanliness with bath,
and even to the extent of insisting on a
complete change of clothing. All this was
done in spite of the insufficient jail accom-
modations most of the time, for it was only
tine last few months of his term that She ifi
Jefferis was handed the keys of the new
structure opposite the court house. One
thing the retiring sheriff is not sorry for,
and that is that no has never been called
upon to legally strangle man.
When every man can give up his office
and retire with AZ clean a record as that
which Sheriff Jeffers carries away with
him, there will be no need for any further
encomium than well done. thou good and
faithful servant"