The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-04


lectmen, the county attorney, the ex-
pert special auditor, a stenographer
and the apologist of the persons Incl
dentally referred to, this paper is war
ranted by all the facts in the case in
declaring that the expose of methods,
made in its issue of Tuesday, is fully
warranted by the facts.
SUb-heads which classify as "wilful
misstatements. outrageous siurs,"
and others Of like ilk, may be consol-
ing to those who are charged with mis-
management, but they do not deceive
the general public. The fact still re-
mains, despite all which has been die
lated to the contrary, that this county
court stands convicted of gross mis-
management and extravaganza in
office.
When this paper first called the at
tentlon of the taxpayers of Salt Lake
county 10 the fact that the men en-
trusted with its business were not act
Ing according 10 the statutes, it sta
ted facts. 1t has continued to state
facts ever since. 1t viii continue to
state facts as long as this condition
continues to exist, which will doubt
less be until the terms of Office of the
selectmen expire.
In the light Of all the evidence which
has been adduced, The Herald claims
that this county court, meaning the
three selectmen, stand convicted of
every charge which has been preferred,
and that, too, after it has had a chance
to make a defense.
The Herald has demonstrated that
the officers Of this court have conduct
ed the business of the county in a
manner almost void of thorough bust
ness like methods and with extrava-
gance.
1t has demonstrated that the men,
bers have violated the law in its spe-
cific requirements by fling bills and
allowing the payment of the same con-
trary TO the express provisions of the
statutes governing this matter; and
that, too, knowingly.
It has shown to the people that the
sale Of the poor farm property was il
legal and simply infamous.
1t has proven beyond contradiction
that exorbitant sums have been charg-
ed for mileage in an alleged eudeavor
TO make record as. reformers and
that the salary of the sheriff of this
county has been cut to a ridiculously
low figure while a few pets of the Sc
1ectmen might be installed in having
positions
1t has demonstrated that in the mat
ter of the payment of the fees of the
county clerk, the court has exceeded
its authority by endeavoring to wreak
petty vengeance upon that official
for reasons of its own.
Summed up, the articles IN The Her
aid show that this court has been
wasteful and extraNagant, incompe- !
tent and untrustworthy. It was elect !
ed upon the cry of Reform and vet |
the knife of reform has never been APP
piled; the salaries of the selectmen !
being an example of the truth Of this
assertion.
Mr., Geddes has written a letter in
which he has attempted to make a
showing. In that epistle, which was
written out on a typewriter. not re-
futation has been made.
Mr.. Geddes states as a prelude that |
The Herald article teens with mis- |
statements and inaccuracies, made pur-
posely with the sinister motive of plac- |
Ing him in a false position.
Nh Geddes knows that he says what I
Is an untruth when he endorses that
assertion. II there are any misstate-
ments IN what The Herald has said
whose fault is II? There was nothing
on file up till yesterday to indicate
what Mr.. Geddes expended all this
money for, save the checks. and they
were not properly on file. Mr.. Geddes
can consult the files Of this paper and [
he will ascertain, as he well knows
right at this moment, that The Herald
has called upon him many times to
file his checks in order that the over
drafts, which he asked The Herald
man and the Tribune man to suppress.
might not go to the public Geddes
hot ~ l..
TACT OF the passage of these bills was
suppressed, and neither this paper or
the Tribune ever had a line concern
ing them.
Now as to that stubt For the first
time since it was filed Mr.. Geddes as the
keeper Of the county poor; the feeder
OF tramps, the buyer of railroad fares
etc, etc, ETC., yesterday placed that
stub where it belonged. It shows little
beyond what is stated in the checks.
When it comes to feeding tramps. Mr..
Geddes merely charges this county 81
per head for feeding tramps. The Her
aid has not charged Mr. Geddes with
pocketing that 81 per head, nor with
any dishonesty, but it has maintained
and does maintain that under that
system, there was nothing TO prevent
a. S. Geddes from drawing a.check to
A. S. Geddes and charging it to feed
ing trampS and placing the amount in
A. S. Geddes' pocket. Mr. Geddes as
sumes that an officer acting in this
capacity is honest The law presunnes
no such thing. The law makes every
man give a bond, and says Here is
the law; live UP to it," 1t has done
SO in Mr.. Geddes' case, and he has
violated it on his own showing.
The Herald reiterates that when Mr..
Geddes states that the stubs of his
checks were on file with the clerk {
where they should be, accessible to the !
reporters of this paper at all times. as
he states in his reply" that Mr.. Ged
des deliberately states what he knows I
to be untrue, and the assertions of the |
custodians of the records and his den
uty. and his expert special auditor win {
correborate the assertion. Not until c
yesterday has The Herald been able |
to get a copy of these stubs. The |
checks were not with them for com I
parison. and at the time Mr.. Cedjes
reads this paper, provided he gets n !
early in the morning, are they in the i
vault. A Herald man had a chance to :
see The stubs yesterday and it appear
I'd as though recent writing had been
'one on them, although This paper
would not charge Mr.. Geddes with ,