The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1895-02-28

Inc DlliS were ipVi oouIcu
in the house:
To reimburse Lincoln county for
transferring insane to hospital.
Requiring railroads to keep fagmen
at street crossings.
Relating to railroad commissioners.
Relating to assistant attorneys.
To establish county uniformity Of
text books.
Relating to exemption laws.
Relating to the employment OF
clerks for county officers aud fixing
their salaries.
THE RUTH INVESTIGATION.
The investigating committee had
before it to-day Col. Ruth, and Mr..
Burk, the questioner, put Mr.. Ruth
through a rigid examination, taking
his testimony gwen previously, and
other witnesses. as a basis. Mr.. Ruth
admitted that during his term OF Off
ice he had spent less than a quarter
of his time in Pierre, and probably
did not average more than two or
three days a month, and was absent
once or twice for two months. At
such times he was at DeSmet. On
July 10th he was called east by the
illness OF his wife and ret urned early
in September. He made the estimate
required by law on May 10th, 1893,
but did not send out the notices as
required. In fact he had W sent
out those notices as required, stating
as his reason that there had new
been calls for loans. Mr.. Burke called
his attention to the fact that the law
required that those notices be sent
out on May 10th and November 10th
OF the apportionment which would be
made July first and January first in
order that the county auditors might
advertise for loans and SO be able to
take the money when apportioned.
MIR. Ruth stated that this vas the law
but he did not regard it as manda-
tory. He understood the law to d.
rect that the interest and income
funds be apportioned on the 9Th OF
June. In 1893 it was not apportion-
ed until October 3lst. The reason
was that from June IS to July 10,
when he left, he was busy with his
private business at De Smet, and had
not time to make it. He had intend
ed to make the apportionment July
10th but his wife's sickness called him
away. When he returned in Septem-
Der he was suffering from V
prostration occasioned by his wife's
illness and death, and his physician
advised him to do as little work as
possible. During September he did
practically no private business. He
was at his home in De Smet and visit
ed Pierre only one or two days. The
delay in appOrtioning the money was
due solely to thereasons given though
he may have written certain county
auditors that it was oCCasioned by
the slOwness OF the counties in send
ing i'll the funds. He was simply unfit
for business though he recognized let
ters to several county auditors writ
ten early in September saying that
the apportionment would be made
early in October. He admitted that
the apportionment which should have
been made January list, 1894, was
not made until February 2lst, but he
had no excuse to offer. sked why
in October he only apportioned $685.
900 OF the permanent fund although
there was on hand 1923, 600 he said
that IN his opinion it was illegalto put
out any money received after the first
OF July. When the books were pro-
duced showing that there was on hand
the first Of July only SIS, 900 instead
OF $4,000 he declared that the books
would not show all that had been
paid out. He stated that the interest
fund appOrtiOned October 2lst should
haye been on June 18th but was
not for the same eason given for the
other. He stated that his apportion-
ment OF the interest fund was a little
bit greater than the amount on hand
June 18th, justified because he was
anxious to make even figures, but
when confronted with books showing
that on June 10 there was $65, 900,
while October 81 last there was $751;
OOb he stated that the law, which was
rigid prohibiting him from apportion-
ing in the permanent fund money re-
ceived alter July first, did not operate
on the income fund.
His excuse for not apportioning the
money when the law stipulated was
that the state treasurer did not mott.
fly him of the funds on hand, but ad-
mittei that the t~reasurer's office was
next to his and when he wanted infor-
nation he went there and got it.
Then when he was asked why in that
case he did not apportion all the
money that WAS on nand he stated
that ii he had there would be moth
ing left for the next apportionment
nine months thereafter.
He swore that the only fund Taylor
ever had in his bank were two certifi-
Gates of deposits both made in 1891
and paid in 1892. Further questions
elected the fact that the Redfeld