The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-08-16
REASONS FOR HIS ACTION
AS REPORTED ON AUTHORITY
THAT Is RELIABLE.
DON'T LIKE BslATID SETTLEMENTS
On the Part of Sheriff Jones, The Court
House Ring and its Methods and the Put
ting OF Of Payments Until To,mor-
row Are Not to His Liking
row Are Not to His Liking

Mr.. Joshua r. Hnl, chairman Of the
Board Of County Commissioners. is n
Republican and is moi out hunting fo,
Democratic newspapers TO talk about his
party or the actions Of men elected by it.
All the same, it has come ont that Mr..
Hin is not at all pleased with certain
things with which his position rs chair
man of the commissioners has brought
him in contact. and is pretty Thoroughly
tired and Disguised. One or the chief of
these thorns in the flesh has been and is
that belatcd settlement of Sheriff Jones.
Sc completely has MIR. Hin had enough
that he does not propose ~ stand for re-
election To the Board of County Com
missioncrs. Those who are anxious 70,
the job Mr.. Hill has found ready cut
out fer him are welcome to il after his
present term expires.
Mr. Hin is a good business man and
has imbibed from his business certain
ideas as 20 how affairs, public or private,
should he conducted and does not care
TO stand sponsor 10 arrangements where
money. many months overdue, is tars.ly
paid into the public treasury. and then
only under the pressure or exposure ia
the newspapers. Certainly in his de-
cisien to wash his hands of the whole
business Mr.. Hill shows both taste aud
Judgment. But why has Mr.. Hill de-
termined to stand from under? All that
will come out in due course of time.
The 1895 laws of North Carolina,
chap. 119. see. 103. say:
THE sheriff or other accounting officer
shall. on or before the second Monday
,,, ,.tx l. 90
tax account with the commissioners OF
his county and pay the amount for which
said sheriff or collector is liable TO the
treasurer of the State in such manner
or at such place as he shall direct"
The sheriff of Wake county is under a
special provision, given until May to
make his final settlement. Beyond that
time. however, there is no provision for
extending the time allowed for settle
ment nor is the power to grant an ex-
tension resident in any man or body OF
men. And yet the record in the register
of deeds office shows that the report of
Sheriff Jones which is the basis CT his
annual settlement was not even entered
until ouneTS. Even at that late date the
amount of money due from taxes was
not ready to be turned over TO the proper
officers by more than $1,000. This the
News and Observer showed up at the
time and since then there has beeS. a
mighty scurrying hither and thither to
secure the funds to effect final settle
ment. Time and again it has been given
out that the settlement had been made
and everything was straight and smooth
and unwrinkled and yet each time it has
been found that it had been NEARLY
made" or would 'soon be made" but up
to yesterday the endorsement of Chairman
Hill was wanting on the document. The
settlement will be made if Chairman
Hill is firm. But why was it not made
the first of May as the law directs? Who
was so gracious as to grant the three
months of grace so sOrely needed? Why
has there been SO manifest reluctance
to lay bare the inwardness of the whole
business! Why is it that Mr.. Ii ill refuses
to stand for reelection to the Board of
Commissioners? Is all sound and clean
lin Denmark Surely there is some
thing about these various settlements"
that hath dubious seeming
There is no reason apparent why, if
settlement that is to be made on the
first of May, according to the laws Of the
State, can be made just as well in the
middle of August that so unpleasant q
necessity should not be postponed until
the LIST of December or Both Of Februarv
The settlement of the sheriff seems to
be cut after the same pattern as John
Smiths penitentiary report, and is al
most as elusive.