Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-03-05
Report Of Committee.
To the Hon. John NJ Sheets, Jatdge
of the Court of Common Pleas Of
Henri County, o:

Lp'tJ SO""'3i ~
The undersigned Committee, appointed by
you at the September term, 1895, of said Court
to examine and investigate the financial re-
port of the Commissioners OF Henry County,
for the fiscal year ending August 31st, 1895,
respectfully submit the 10 lowing report:
We have very carefully examined and COM
pared each docket bill and voucher for mon
ey paid out of the County treasury on the al
lowance of the Commissioners, and lind the
same in all respects correct as set forth in the
report.
penses of the County during the year covered
by this report were materially reduced as
compared with the preceding year, and that
for the first time in many years the limit OF
the levy permitted by the statute for County
purposes has been sufficient to defray the eX-
penses payable out OF this fund. We be-
lieye that the Commissioners have consclen-
tiously endeavored to reduce the expenses OF
the County to the lowest possible minimum.
Yet we feel constrained to criticize their action
in the allowance OF bills in some instances,
and to express the opinion that they have not
in all cases exercised the same amount of
Judgment that prudent business men would
exercise in dealing with their own private az
fairs.
We find that the amount paid out for sta
tionary and postage for the county officers is
something in excess of S2l50.00, $4,000 Of
which was for postage. While this amount is
a material reduction from the amount eX-
pended for the same purpose the preceding
llScll ytuE, we tlIt bhllSllci
alton the bills that many of them should not
have been allowed, and that the amount eX-
pended was excessive and could have been
materially curtailed. We cain find no authori-
ty in the statutes for the allowance of postage
to the county officers, unless it be construct
ing to the Clerk and Auditor for official cor
respond9nce.
We find that the publishers Of three news
papers were pal III Sl25.00 each for lb-
tisning the Commissioners Annual FL
nancial Report for the fiscal year end
ing August 31st, 1885, The payment
to these, newspapers for the pubica-
ton Of law-Section 917 Of the Revised Satu
tes, provides in explicit terms that said re-
port shall be published in, compact form
for one week in tUo weekly. newspapers OF
different political parties in the county, etc.
In the course of our investigation we found
it necessary to examine into the condition of
the Poor Fund. and the manner of its dis
bursement. We find among the bills for sup
lowed by the Infirmary Directors, and paid
out of the Treasury, one for $61 Al, $4,000 of
which was for rtwenty three gallons Of Bourbon
Whiskey, furnished at different times be-
tween January 5th, 1894, and February 1st,
1895. We called the Infirmary Directors and
the Superintendent, Mr.. Bosteman, before us
to explain the matter. Their explanation
was that the whiskey was wa procured mainly
that for strictly medical purposes this was
entirely too liberal q supply. In Justice to
Mr. Bostelman, we should say that he claims
to have been ordered by Mr. @. H. Visiting
Director, to furnish to his ward, one Jacob
Ex, then an inmate of the Inflrmary, and
drawing pension of sl29O month, one gal;
Ion Of whiskey per month Tor MS lndlyidual
use, and that he, Wistinghausen, would pay
the amount so expended for the same. In
this Mr.. Bostelman is corroborated by Mr..
Stockman. one of the directors. Visiting
hausen has neither paid for the whiskey so
furnished to his ward. nor for his wards
boarding and lodging at the Intirmary al
though drawing his wards pension each
quarter. The directors should proceed to
as such guardian, at once.
GENERAL LEvIES.
For the year ending August 31st, 1895. over
Sixty Thousand Dollars was collected from
tax levies for the county. Bridge. Road,