Omaha daily bee., 1895-03-31
DREXEL and MOORES REPLY
Official Answers Made to the Criticisms
Of Deputy Auditor Ruan.
HEARD BY THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
Board Recommends that Some Changes BE
Made in tho Booking of Certain Fees
Sheriff Calls for Ruan's Discharge
Clerk Urges Investigation.

Sheriff Drexel and Clerk of the Courts
Moores both sent communications to the
Board of County Commissioners at the meet
Ing yesterday morning relative to the re-
Elections on their integrity and criticism
Of the conduct of their offices recently made
by Deputy Auditor Ruan.
The sheriff, after describing Ruan as a man
unfit to have the Job of checking I'D the
DOCKS or any man who is trying to be honest
and after calling him an adventurer, asked
Tor his immediate discharge as an expert
accountant, making the demand as a citizen
and as an executive officer of the county
AS TO the retention Of fees in special re-
cceivership cases Sheriff Drexel cited five
instances In which fees had been collected,
the total amount being 1926, He reiterated
request made few weeks ago that the
dispute over this money be referred to the
judges Of the district court, since he had
legal advice that the fees were not fees
Of his office and that he was not accountable
to the county for them.
In your communication" said he, "you
inform me that you have referred this mat
ter to the county attorney. am not
satisfied with the opinion Of the county at
torney, as my legal adviser advises me diff
ferently, and / will again request you to re-
Ter this matter to the judges OF the district
court II In their opinion the fees collected
county / will gladly turn them over"
DEFENDS HIS ACCOUNTS.
The sheriff then went on to say that,
though on account of lack Of help the book
keeping in his office may not be as complete
as desired, yet 1t Is thorough enough to
record the progress OF every cent passing
through his office.
Mr.. Ruan was informed when he called
at the sherlffs efiice." lie continued, ere
gardlng these fee bills, that there was no
book Of record regarding the disposition of
such fee bills, unless such fee bills had been
satisfied and collected. ! will say that every
fee bill placed in my hands for collection and
entered on the 'blotter fee book that being
the book and the only book In my office kept
for such records. There is no record kept
of such fee bills which are returned and upon
which receive no fees until they are finally
settled; to my best knowledge there never
has been one kept In this Office, and / am
reliably Informed that there is no such book
of record kept in any sherin's office In this
state"
He admitted that some clerical errors had
been found in his accounts, but attributed
them to the inadequacy of his Office con-
yeniences and the lack OF privacy which bis
clerks must put up with.
IN THE CLERKS OFFICE.
The finance committees report upon the
subject of Ruan's statements was unani-
mously adopted by the board. Out OF
seyenty-fiye dockets In the clerks office, II
was reported that but thirteen had thus far
been eanyassed Mr.. Moorts himself admits
that he holds a considerable amount OF .ees
ready for payment on call Of the proper par
ties. Regarding the Use Of characters 10
designate the amount Of money received, con-
tinuea the report. this Is not OF a serious ma
ture and only touches about hfty cases out Of
the books examined, and would not exceed 100
In all, SO the committee is Informed. Tho
committee has been furnished with the key,
but recommends that the use Of the agurss be