The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-05-15
MR. HAND REPLIES


The Differences Between Himself and
Mr.. Horn DO Not Concern the PGbllc-
Calls For DisprOOf OF His Charges.
EDITOR tribune: In reply to an
editorial in the Caldwell Record, l de
sire TO mako the following statement:
| never asked for an investigation of
the assessment books for the years
1895 and 1896. My sole efforts were di-
rected toward the exporting of the
books of the years 1898 and 1884. After
exporting and Fe-expertiBg, Mr.. Dunbar
ON behalf of Mr.. Horn, reported that
he was short for the year 1885, $2413 5
The County's experts also reported that
Judge Little had made overcharges
during the years 1895 and 1896, to the
amount of $2606S, making a total of
S50198. To this must be added another
sum. When tho fact became known
last January that the books would be
examined, Mr., Horn Immediately turn.
ed over to the County Treasurer 1902 %,
which amouat had been collected by
him during the years 1893, 1891, 1895,
and 1896 for redemption from tax sales,
and according to law should have been
turned into the treasury the first Mon
day of the following month after its col
lection. These various items make to.
tai of over 5000. The cost to the county
to regain this money was $3.50, paid to
the experts, leaving net gain to the
taxpayers Of $500. This is "wild goose
chase" No. l, and, by the way, two years
ago we had little exporting, the re-
suit of which was as follows: Jake
Horn, taxes collected and not turned
over, 1903 %; Jake Horn, poll tax fees
and percentages, 1862; Howard Sebree,
overcharges of fees as County treasur
err, S151.15; total $533.15. The cost of
this exporting was s21O, leaving net
gain to the taxpayers of $32315. This
WAS wild goose chase" No. 2. The in
vestigation at that time also showed
that John L. Keegan was short in his
accounts as Auditor and Recorder about
$500, and when the County was about
to start in TO recover this amount, the
taxpayers found out that our Board
of County Commissioners, of which the
present proprietor of the Caldwell
Record was chairman, had neglected
to require of Mr.. Keegan a bond as
Auditor and Recorder, and as a result
of this neglect the people of Canyon
County are losers to the extent of
$500. From the experience of the
past it would seem that our Commits
sioners made a financial success
whenever they embarked in the inves.
tigating business, and the wonder now
is why Commissioners Knox and King
should stop so sudden, when such an
alluring field was opened up to them.
The taxpayers of Canyon County have
never had even an intimation of the
'whyness" of this. Surely the pr0prie-
tor of the Caldwell Record, who seems
to be about their only defender in this
transaction, could throw some light on
the subject. When it comes to the
past and present personal differences
between Mr.. Horn and myself l hardly
think the taxpayers of Canyon County
have any interest in them. They are
anxious, however, to know how much
money the Assessor collected for the
past four years and has not turned
over. have made the claim that Mr..
Horn has illegally obtained and re-
tanned about $1,000, and now if Mr..
Horns books are straight and he is
square with Canyon County let him
demand an investigation and prove
that my assertions are false.
G. A. HAND.
Caldwell, Idaho, May 18th, 1897.