The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-15

~ansarDus proceedings against the
5 - count commissioners came 10 a
= tse criminal department OF the
.~<,or court yesterday when Judge Ja-
ssctaea that the commissioners
su6It samuel r. Robertson's claims
- the county and either allow them
,sst he could get his money for work
- done. or 6lSaiiow and reject them
= 80 and sufficient grounds. The court
-. tbs board the generous margin OF
ss.sty days from date 10 comply with the
So: 1850. u..,
a. he fact that they form the latest
= "a connection with the sensational
---s.s.rss OF fraud perpetrated on the
..s~,T road and bridge fund. Apart from
Z. .a,a arguments Of the attorneys on
-. ss.s. the most interesting feature of
g tr,sl yesterday vas tina fling OF tho
-.ra's answer 10 the writ Of mandate.
~ rxyort OF which follows, only the
..sraI tschnicalitIes and legal rspstitions
80 omitted or the language simplifiec:
TIE Comm ssioners' Answer.
.5tl, made the duty Of the county COM
.xsoaefx under the Law 10 audit only
- lat and nonsse claims against the
rsnsy for any services performed there
Z ~ reaSon OF charges and claims be-
= nAds By citizen taxpayers OF the
srssfY 10 the effect that there had been
,.ueoise, Illegal and unjust claims audit
q al allowed BY the former commission
\ In the Third district, and IL also being
ss,n<d that there wero unjust, illegal
VA xrongful demands on fllc In the audi
: / s1scs from the Third commissioner
Tsrset for labor and services and sup
e furnished which had never been fur
- ths board of county commission
= determined that an investigation
sgsIs 10 had OF the charges. Thereupon
81 board agreed that no bills or claims
soaa be allowed on the Third commits
Edssrs district until the fun amount OF
"a Claims from that district under the
.ip.a.stration OF ". III. Heaton IS COM
tassonsr should be investigated.
Upon Investigation II was ascertained
nsf W. II. Heaton mad agreed with the
srl 10 exceed the sum OF IS 900 in his dis
met during the last year OF his term. but
fast IN fact he had contracted To obllgata
fss county for much larger sum. When
ias present board took office IL was found
,Aal the sum OF $1,000 from the Third
IA bills we're still being presented for al
hNsncs or rejection Thereupon the
tsss. agreed that no more bills from that
Gsnet should be audited till a sufficient
me bad expired for the presentation OF
81 clAiras against that district. Road dis
tfscf No 80. Of which Robertson was su-
garylsor. IA In The Third district.
There are now on file In the auditors
elise claims against the Third district.
shieh have not been allowed. amounting
% nNe No part OF these has yet been
as1.ted. Prior TO January 10 the Third
1ar.ct had already had bills allowed for
ts past year amounting 10 $4,000.
In Robertson's District.
From the investigation which has for
iss past ninety days been conducted I'M
Ger direction OF the board. IL has been as
esriainef that In road district No. 80 there
az fofgeries on the road and bridge fund
sNosnting 10 t43. The investigation has
sso shown that during Robertson's two
ysars' term OF ofTi3s as supervisor there
has been expended on that district 81. 10,
addition 70 the ts43 and the claims stili
asEg anaudited.
slice bills and claims from the supervisor
Il read district No. 50 for alleged labor
and services performed by Robertson. Los
ytgsr. w. T. scurry. c. A. Pease. Theo-
gre Leifhelm. Eugens Day and August
Havsrcamp. amounting 20 $3.50. The Az
grgats OF all these various sums is great
b n excess Of the labor and services rem
teFed and material furnished for road and
sssrt purposes in road district No. so
- board has accordingly determined
'Ass II cannot infelligently and with
r'npsr degree Of discretion audit and allow
o. rsjsct these claims untfi the investiga-
tisn shall have been completed. The board
has caused the investigation TO be pur-
alst With all possible speed.
One nil Already Paid.
IN the course OF the Investigation IL
has been discovered that one Of the claims
SOW presented by Mr.. Robertson has al
ready hesn audited and paid by the prevt-
Gus board. Notwithstanding which fact
now seeks TO have II paid
sxsln.
From road disiric, No. 50 have core
a.'ls amounting 70 sSls for direct line
q rad across section q township -.
re heard has made an Investigation OF
- work alleged 20 have been done on
Ms lins ana the hoard ~ convinced that
Ne sum named is greatly In excess OF
wat wnuit be Just fair and legal claims
- ne services alleged 10 have been per-
In conducting the investigation into
~ rost and bridge fund the board has
.fertsined that there have been various
'sFEs'ies on the county In certifying
Faafuient claims for services ren8efet ard
aassrial furnished. on which the county
'ss already paid out ss.n1a. and many 81
shirh vet rerrsin tn be audited. The
'fa'S ayers that there are large SUMS OF
'sfess've. fraudulent. uniusz and Illegal
.lair,s against the county. and the board
scnia fail 20 resnecs their oath OF cfTice.
NJ wouis Fail 20 discharge th~ir duties
: prelic officials. IN auditing srd allow
~ claims or in re'ect'nr claims 80 pre-
'eried = thew fis not With their present
have n full ans complete In
,H'ses
. Furthsrrnore - has been discovered
ass fNe contract work performed and al
- No. y has been so tnterwoven with
~ n district No. II. which sdfo,ns :, on
~ south thst a thorough Investigation
ata both . necessary.
Failed In Ills Duty.
he Investigation has also siscloSee ire
go that the read -anerviSor OF district
-, = has faf}ed 80 perform hi. cuty a.
I aifed Nv law ln the collection or road
- .exNs, snt nv his neglect the county
~ failea 90 receive either In services or
: aerey the sum ~ $so.
~ These evidences % fraud ana or rs-
!. we charges together with the cnarEes
! ssalfeasance IN office. which have been
,Tfet against Robertson, the bet IN
ssses2 o. the county. and the pursna ne
!. : general puhitc policy looking 20 the
I, ,@terston c. the funds OF the 'aNpaNers
3 aAs county require that the toart
- axe NJ seton upon the audf'HE OF
anE OF richardson's claims untl
~ ana thorough Investigation has been
"a az district 40 81"
An Animated scene.
re scene IN The court room was an
Nffe - "a FtkafS VI W. hNrfftNf
3 arasss'euers were present ard noted
y Proceedings with interest. Rep
seating them we're Plcsecuting Attor-
~ AeElroy ard Deputy Prosecuting At
.aney Hart. In behalf 90 Robertson.
ss Fairfield uore appeared.
As sees as the foregoing answer had
- Presented NJ nors filei . demurrer,
ss@ns Forth the usual plea that the ms {
1 ~aegcG IT. fhe answer was not sufficient
'esaa 10 constitute aefenss Tie then ar
We ease for hts client referring TO
- &nsweT" ~ she commissioners as an
!. s's'rnsnt-" ana taking the position that
Aet q SO investigation hsing IN
ssess should present no nnstacl* % the
..-.t'ts % ella ms Ger work actually ard
lily Performed. Fcr the cornnnissiszl-
- eo'h the prosecuting attorney and his
'arssnt
a, ','e'ieFing hia decision Judge jacobs took
!. stound test she heard ~ county con-
Ssfs Is cesrWe3 with tire duty CT
- . - =