The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1895-08-30

9th to the 27th, only nineteen days.
VT Is probable that some extra time
may have been allowed some OF the
Jury or bailifis Tor night work. But
there are some things that look
queerlv when put In comparison with
others. 1t will be noted that the
bailifs. all except one. were ut court
all days aud every day including Sun
days and adjournments. That some
|of them at least performed duties
THAT required their attendance at 9TH
Ter towns. serving warrants. subpenas,
taking care of prisoners and other
service. Is we'll known, and for these
extra services it Is presumed, receiv.
led their regular, legal fees, or month
" salaries. OF these outside services
we know but little, but the vouchers
herewith, show that one bailiff served
|every day as bailiff and nine days ex.
ira as witness aud received pay for
seventy miles travel beside. Another
batliff served twenty days at bailiff
and six days us q juror. Really it
looks as IL seven bailiffs were not
enough to do the work OF court with
out overworking some of them; Ger.
tatnly the jailor and custodian should
be excused from performing extra
duty rs bailiff, he has enough to ut
tend to In his other work, and in fu.
ture terms, the sheriff should'see to it,
that other and more bailiffs should be
appointed so as to relieve his men
from double duty.
In running over the mileage for
Jurors and witnesses, one is ut once
struck with the "magnificent dis
tances." In several cases some men
live from five to thirty miles farther
from the county seat than others who
are close neighbors when at home.
1t is true that at the temporary ad-
journment Of court, some jurors were
allowed mileage to 60 home and back
again, but in that case. they are not
entitled to per diem while absent.
We notice that several Pembina
people claim four miles travel to the
court house, residents of other towns
who were subpenaed in the court
room get two miles, while the county
treasurer, as good man as any, gets
none. Ofcourse these are small sums,
but one could think that this in it,
self would make the amounts more
equal. Then, there is man from
near Hamilton, he has two vouchers,
they read; Witnes 10 days, 90 miles
travel, amount $23; juror Z days, 80
miles travel, amount sls; that is, he
served % days out of 10 day term
aud went home during tie time be-
sides. But a man from Park is the
best tigurer on the list. He has four
vouchers which call for time and
miles as follows:
Juror day, 2 miles. ........... g. lOI
Juror days, 100 miles. ........ 10 COL
Witness 6 days, 100 miles. 5000. 10 OOl
Witness 4 days. miles. 4lOl
Evidently this man was twice sub
penaed as juror and twice as wit
ness. Two Of these subpenas show
mileage from Pembina. The total
days paid for are eighteen. Hence, II
he went home during the term, as his
mileage shows, he had only one day
left to 20 and return; probably, be-
cause Of this, he went a shorter route
by fifteen miles as a juror, than as q
witness.
Then, there is 10 cents mile allow.
ed Oh 100 miles us witness for the
same man, which doesn't look right.
A Mr.. I'D. H." Wallace also gets the
same pay In the same way on the
same miles. Then Mr.. III. D." Wal
lace gets 100 miles too as juror, and
again Mr.. I'd. H." gets still another
voucher for one day and two miles.
This IL not Mr.. H. D. Wallace, OF
Drayton; there are too many miles
for him. These two, III. D." and I'D.
H." must live out about Gardar some
whereby the mileage.
i The PIONEER EXPRESS, under pres
sent proof, does not claim that all
these days and miles are not correct,
but we do think that before the coun-
ty commissioners pass them, that there
are discrepancies sufficient to call for
inquiry and explanation, and perhaps
for new system of issuing vouchers
and U. King bills for court mileage
and per diem. Certainly the vouch-
ers in many cases do not agree with
each other, and do not agree with the
} actual time occupied by the term of
court, and 1t is right that the tax
payers should know that these vouch-
ers are issued. to whom, and for what
services, and that they should be pub
lished in the official proceedings just
like other items, SC that the tax-pay-
ers can judge for themselves of the
correctness of the amounts allowed.
} MR.. HILLS MONOPOLY,
AS yet, 1t seems a question wheth-
er Mr.. Hill will be able to swallow the
!, ~ t.