The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1896-02-14

who cdl tee on equal
Messrs. MutcN ley, Van Hise,
Smith, Marshall, j. inch and Nc Will
Iiams, the members of that commit
tee, as honorable men, capable in
business and of high standing in the
communities where they live. WE
DO NOT BELIEVE ONE OF THEM Is A
RoBBER, but rather that they are hon
estly mistaken as to the justice Of
the equalization made, and that the
error comes through failure to in
vestigate the value of the taxable
property in the various villages and
townships, and to inform themselves
as to lat would be exact justice in
this matter.
The sheriff is accused of receiving
from the county at the October and
January sessions the sum of "a, l02.33,
when in fact, according to the pub
lished official proceedings of the
board, the full amount of the sheriff s
bill as allowed at the two sessions
was $3,092.33. A little misrepre-
sentation of $1,000 is nothing, how
ever, when an opportunity is sought
to attack republican official.
Now the NoRTHERNER has no occa-
sion nor intention to defend Mr..
Lamberson. He is abundantly able
to take care Of himself, and if his Of
fetal actions will not bear public
scrutiny and honest criticism, he
himself will have to bear the conse-
quences. But the NoRTHERNER is
unwilling to see him or any other
man 60 down in cloud of misrep-
sentation and deceit.
tgain, the amount of bills sheriff
y put in against the county is no
und for condemnation, provided
has rendered to the public the
ices for which the compensation
awn. "The )aborer is worthy of
his hire" and unless his critics can
point to specific illegal charges in
the sheriff's bill, he will stand blame
less. The bills are open to public
inspection, and the laws fixing the
sheriff's fees are plain.
No one dares to accuse ex-Sheriff
Thomas of any dishonesty in office.
His reputation in the county is such
~ Ne pollution by the breath
OF Scandal. So it may not be with
out fairness to compare his bills OF
the yeai before, with those of Sheriff
Lamberson for his first official year.
MR.. THOMAS BILLS.
J<.JU
Less board and turnkey fees 1,514.09
Services and expenses 81 1897 Al
MIR. LAMBERsoN's BILLS.
Total amt bills 81, 092. 80
Less board and turnkey fees 1887 SO
Services and expenses 81. 354 AS
So the fact will be seen to be that Mr..
Lamberson's fees, outside of the fixed
charges for board and turnkey fees,
are actually less than those of Mr..
Thomas for the previous year, and
that Notwithstanding the fact that Mr..
Lamberson has averaged larger
number of prisoners in his custody,
as is shown by the larger board bill
and that at a lower rate per week.
Considerable stress is laid upon the
fact that Mr.. Lamberson was allowed
$550.76 for 'sincidentals." During
the same period of the year before
Mr.. Thomas was allowed 'sincidentals'
to the amount Of $793.60. However,
the amount paid for incidentals, like
the amount paid for services, is no
ground for criticism. If criticism OF
Mr.. Lamberson's incidental bill is to
be made, the bill itself should be care
fully scrutinized and the items cited
that are not legitimate. IfMr. LANDER
son has charged the county illegally,
the people are entitled to something
more than sweeping generalities.