Mohave County miner., 1897-05-01
Report of the Brand Jurg.


 of Arizona. County of Mohave.
 We, your Grand Jury regularly em- paneled for sad term, beg to submit our final report as follows:
 We have had under consideration var ious matters that have been brought be- fore us, and find the following:
 In the matter of the Territory of Ari- zona vs. Ed. Fletcher tcolored) true bill.
 In the case of the Territory of Arizona against the Indian known as One Eyed Riley we find the evidence insufficient in our judgment to warrant a conviction, therefore we recommend that said Indian Riley be discharged from custody.
 In the matter of certain charges made against Wm. H. Lake to the effect of his delinquency to the county of Mohave for certain taxes collected in the year 1892, in that portion of the county north of the Colorado river, we find that Mr. Lake 1 is still indebted to the county on account of said taxes to the amount of 488 .67$ for said year. We therefore recommend that the district attorney of the county 1 take immediate steps to collect the same.
 We find upon thorough and exhaust i've examination that the county has been injured to the extent of approxi- matelg 500$, for the year 1897, owing to 10 of ho r1 of St1- pervisors to award at the proper time, the contract for printing pertaining to county for 1897 The testimony we have taken in this matter shows that the bids of Kean St. Charles, and Anson H. Smith, resDectively, for the year 1897, are from 25 per cent to 200 per cent lower than the bids for the same class of work in the year 1896; and yet, in place of accepting the 1897 bid, the board al lowed the bulk of county work to be performed and pald for under the terms of contract for printing for 1896, which as above stated, caused a loss to the county amounting to 500$ or more. We do not charge criminal intent therein, but gross and apparent neglect of duty, because, upon the first meeting of the board to consider contracts for the pres- ent year, the contracts for printing were not accepted, and yet, between this meeting and the one following, the bulk of printing for the year 1897 was per- formed, and then, both parties who put in bids for printing came before the Board of Supervisors, and refused to have their former bids accepted, so that these bids could not be made retroactive upon the work performed pen ling award of contract. Thereupon the board ordered the county recorder to have all subsequent printing performed at rate not exceeding the contract for 1896, which ls so largely in excess of either bids for 1897. In this connection we recommend that hereafter, under calls for contracts for county work, the Board of Supervisors be required to call for cer- tifed checks, or approved bonds, to &C., company any and all bids involving f I nancial obligations, said checks or bonds to amount to 10 per cent of the face value of the bids accompanied; said checks or bonds to become forfeited to this county. when further suitable bonds are not pro. vided by the bidder for the acceptance and faithful performance of bids made.
 It is not only the administration of the present Board of Supervisors that we find lax methods of transacting business of the county, but also in the admlnis tration of many preceding Boards; and we cannot too earnestly recommend to the present and all succeeding Boards that searching enquiries into the admin istration of the various offices of the county and into all contracts submitted to the Board for approval, will be greatly appreciated and commended by the tax. payers of this county, who are ridden by too low an assessment upon property, and too high a rate of taxation.
 We find that in some instances in the past certain unauthorized individuals have been allowed access to the vaults containing the county records and we recommend that no one but the proper custodian be allowed access to the vaults of the county, and that no papers or records be given out or removed without a proper receipt for the same.
 We recommend that certain repairs be