The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-01-15
FINES THAT ARE LOST
The Result Of the Investigation Into
Butte'S Jail Record.
THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG
AS to Just Where the Trouble Is
the Committee Has Not Yet
Made Public State-
ment.


ton to-day. The members of the
committee have arrived at the conclusion
that a thorough investigation which will
be satisfactory to everybody means a
much bigger job than was anticipated,
but they are going into it with an earnest
ness which is "A guarantee that the search
light of publicity will be thrown into every
suspected nook and corner. Alderman
Schatzlcin, the energetic chairman of the
committee, had intended to start on an
extended eastern trip tomorrow but he
has found the investigation to be of so
much importance that he has decided to
postpone his departure until after il is
concluded. 1t is probable that at Wednes
day nights meeting of the council the
committee will ask for further powers
and make a rigid investigation into every
branch of the police department. Ii is
known that tho members of tho COM
mittee have been put in possession of
some evidence OF n slightly sensational
nature and while they refuse to talk about
it or make any predictions some develop
ments that are now entirely unlocked for
are among the possibilities. From present
indications the investigation will very
likely last 10 days or two weeks at least.
Aside from the gross negligence shown
to-day, Court Officer Hallahan informed
the committee under oath that he had
turned over two fines of SIS and $40 to the
city clerk, of which that official states that
he has no recollection. The disputed
question was not gone into in detail but
will be taken up later on.
The first business taken up when the
committee convened this morning was
a comparison of the city clerk's cash book
and the treasurer's receipts from May l
and Dec. 81, 1891, winch were found to
correspond exactly. 1t appeared, however,
from the police trcasurer's books that
the police court receipts for November and
December, amounting To Si,Ol2, had not
been turned over until last Monday, Jan. Z.
MIR. Irvine explained this by stating that
II had been the custom TO turn the re-
ceIpts over every month and that he and
the assis2nt clerk turned over their war
rants in part payment, reserving cash
therefor. The receipts for November and
December were SO small, however, that he
thought 1t just as well to turn them ali
over on the first OF the year, and did so.
The matter of the city attorneys fees
was briefly discussed. 1t was the opinion
OF the committee that as the city clerk Is
not "A disburslng officer, he had no right
to pay the city attorney his fees. Mr.. Cot
ter arrived while the question was being
discussed and he informed the committee
that he was legally entitled TO draw cash
hereafter, as he was going out OF Office in
the spring and did not want TO hold lot
OF warrants until they could be redeemed
next fall. He had accepted warrants here
tOiorc, but under tho law he said he was
entitled TO the cash when he demanded it.
The cases referred to in the city at
torney's report asking for an investiga-
ton were then taken up. Tho first one
was that of Emma Teal, who was sent to
jail for IL days on April 22 The Jail record
showed that she had been in jail for eight
days, but Jailer Anderson stated that she
had not been in Jail at all. An informal
discussion arose but was objected to by
Cook, who said that the object m view was
an investigation of charges of irreguarity
and that they should proceed in a business
like manner. After some further discus
sion II was decided to have Judge Naughten
place all witnesses under oath, and also
subpoena witnesses when necessary.
JaIer Anderson was then sworn and
was asked to tell wha; he knew about the
case. lie said that Emma Teal had been
arrested on April -, and on April y was
sent up to the court room for trial. She
was not sent down from the police court
and, as he did not know what became of
the case, he put the notation 'conun-
drum after her name in the jail record.
In answer to questions the jailer stated
that frequently commitments were not
sent down from the clerks Office until
ceivcd, and in few cases not until after
the sentences had expired. discussion
then followed as To the manner OF rcleas-
ing prisoners. Some time ago an order
was posted IN the jail office to tho elect
that no prisoner should be released, even
when his time had expired, except on a
written order from the mayor or police
Judge, but il appeared that this rule had
not been strictly adhered TO. The jliler
stated that he had so many bosses that he
did not know exactly who was m author
GRITTY over the Jail, but no direct answer
was given To Clerk Irvino's question as to
whether or not the order signed by the
mayor IN regard to the release of prison.
oners was not n sufficient manifestation
of authority for the direction of the jail
crs. The jallcr stated that ne had fire.
quently al owed prisoners, who had So
cured the consent of the judge To make an
effort to raise thor fines, To accompany
either tho court officer or IN 1rshal or some
other officer through the city in search OF
their friends. Some objection to this plan
was sllenced by a statement from Judge
Naughten that IL was perfectly proper,
aud for the reason that IL an officer ac-
companied the prisoner IL was equivalent
to his being in custody. Reverting back
to the Teal case, tho clerk stated that no
knew nothing about IL further than that
the commitment had been made out and
entered in the book. The matter was
lIeu allbNei 10 NTpp NtliIlNiAIllAs
The case of Jennie Murphy was exactly
similar to that of Emma Teal. She was
committed on July :. and the jliler
stated, as shown by his record, that he
had received the commitment, but that
the woman had not been IN jail At all.
The next case was that of Nellie Blv,
who was fined 500 aud costs on June q.
The records showed that Si5 had been
paid on the date of the trial and the re-
naming S6J on Dec. 81
City Clerk Irvine was then sworn At his
own request, so that he could make a
statement IN connection with his case.
lie explained IN Il the woman had put up
a cash bond of So which was applied on
the fine. aud she gave security for the
balance and was given tlmN To- pay %.
1 owards the close Of the year bills were
sent out 10y an officer To all parties owing
fines and this one among others was COL
lcctel aud Was entered on the books as
paid on Dec. 30.
The next case investigated was that Of
Frank smith. whoWa~ comm trci 10 serve
cut Sl5 fine on Au-. and who, II ap-