The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1895-11-07

Durham,s Populist Register of Deeds
i'm Deep w alter.

Durham,s Populist Register of Deeds
i'm Deep Water.
The tax books, which should have beer
ready to turn over to the County Commits
sioners and by them turned over to the
sheriff, on the first Monday in Septem
Der, are not yet completed.
The reason that they have not been
turned over is that they have gotten
into terrible tangle while they were
being compiled, which was done by the
Register of Deeds, who, by the way,
was elected at the last election
and is Republican-Populist.
The books were a comedy of errors
from beginning to end and to cover this
the Register of Deeds, it seems, turned
the books over to the sheriff and took
his receipt for them, before the commits
siocers had authorized him to do so. 1t
also appears from the following pream-
BILE and resolution, which was passed by
the Board of Commissioners at their
November session, which adjourned yes
terday afternoon, that the Clerk OF the
Board has been guilty of negligence,
bordering on crimmiality, in more than
one case.
The following is the action taken by
the commissioners, and was secured
with some difficulty by the NEWS AND
OBSERVER representative, as the acting
clerk to the board did not want it to get
out before the public:
The Preamble and Resolution.
Whereas, On the minutes of the Board
of Commissioners at their september
meeting it appeared that an account OF
W. H. Burroughs for two dollars and
fifty cents ($2 50) had been allowed,
when, in truth, said account had not
been allowed; and
Whereas, At the October meeting Of
the Board, on the reading of the minutes
of the September meeting, said error was
discovered, and by the Board ordered to
be corrected, so as to show the whole of
the proceedings of the Board; and
Whereas, The said correction has not
been made as directed by the Board; and
Whereas. The tax books for 1895,
which the law required should be by the
Board of County Commissioners turned
over to the sheriff on the first Monday of
September, were not completed by the
register of deeds and submitted to the
oOdIu lOE DClOAC bIab tALlCt
or at any time during the September SEES
sion of the Board; and
WHEREAS, the Board, at said Septem
Der session, appointed committee to ex
anime said books without ordering them
turned over to the sheriff; and
WHEREAS, at the October session of
the Board, upon examination of the
minutes of the Board, it was discovered
that a receipt had been entered upon
the minutes of the September session,
purporting to be true account of the
proceedings of the Board at said session,
which said receipt had been signed by
the sheriff on receipt of the tax books
for 1895, which said books had been
turned over to him by the clerk of this
Board, without authority therefrom; and
WHEREAS, the clerk of this Board when
reading, for the approval of the Beard,
at its October session the minutes of the
September session neglected and omitted
to read thereceipt above referred to, and,
WHEREAS, BY examination of the com
mittee appointed as hereinbefore referred
to, of the tax books for 1895 and by
further examination of the books by the
board at its October meeting, the said
tax books were found to be in terrible
condition, the compilations containing
many and gross errors, both against the
county, and against individuals, and it
being the sense of the board that it
would be highly improper to turn said
books over to the Sheriff, in their then con-
dition, and allow him to collect the taxes
after consultation with the Register of
Deeds and by agreement with him, it
was ordered that the board should secure
the services of three competent men to
compile the taxes and prepare the books
at the earliest day possible; in pursuance
of which agreement and order Paschal
Lunsford, D. @. Gunter and r. @. Cox
were employed to do said work; and
WHEREAS, On examination of the min
utes of the October session of the Board
it was found that none of this appeared
on said minutes, in express violation of
the directions of the Board,
Now, therefore, in order that the min
utes of the Board shall speak the truth,
the whole truth, and nothing but the
truth, be it
Resolved, That the Clerk of the Board
is hereby directed and ordered to spread
the foregoing preamble and this resolu-
ton on the minutes of this (the Novem-
ber) session of the Board.
Unanimously passed and ordered to
be spread on the minutes of this (the
November) meeting.
(Signed. G. B. GREEN,
Chairman Board of Commissioners.