The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-03-10
THE COUNTY
COURT NEWS
Trial of County Commissioner Meyers
Attracts Little Attention.
MR.. ULRICH'S ILLEGAL BILLS
The Commissioners Gave out Printing Con.
tracts illegally to County Seat
Papers-The Controller Act vio-
lated in This Respect Minor
Court Notes.
Special to EVENING HERALD.

Court Notes.
Special to EVENING HERALD.
Pottsville, March 10.-Interest in Commis-
sioner Meyers trial is not nearly so intense
as that which was shown by the public in the
suit against Commissioners Rentz, Martin
and Allen at the January term of court
Chief Clerk Reber, of the Commissioners
Office resumed the witness stand. His evil
dence not included in yesterdays letter re-
lated to the employment of Jacob Meyers, a
building expert, by the Commissioners on
the recommendation of the Builders Ex-
change of Philadelphia. He passed on
Daniel McGurls contract for erecting the
county hospital and other buildings and dis
allowed some of the extras cearged. Ex-
Judge Ryon, Jacob Meyers, Mr.. McGurl and
the Commissioners were present at the meet
ing held for the purpose on August 8, 1897.
| Witness could not say that Charles E.
Breckons represented Mr.. McGurl at the
meeting as attorney.
Papers showing deductions made as re-
corded by Mr.. Rentz were produced by the
witness. The minute book does not show
any record of the meeting. The deductions
tOtaled SIG 022. 10 and the amount of extras
allowed S9s637. The amount of $3O6 20 over,
paid McGur on one part of his contract was
taken from the balance due him. The min
utes show nothing about the extras allowed
! McGinness, Smith & Co. The warrant in
their favor for $2 552 .95 dated April 81 1897,
signed by Messrs. Meyers and Rentz was
made up Of $500, "a additional and the
difference was the balance due them.
William J. Bast's extras were 81 $50, making
a total of 81, 450 for the AlmshOuse plumbing
contract Witness knew of no written agree
ment for these extras, nor that they had
been called to the courts attention. He
could not say why the contract awarded to
Horn, Brennan & Co., was executed in the
name of j. f. Buchanan & Co., unless it was
that the latter were at work on the grounds.
Horn, Brennan & Co., probably sublet the
contract to the others. This job was for the
electrical work There were extras on it
also.
The state furnished book for keeping the
mortgage record began in January, 1897
Harry Bensinger and Charles McGnness kept
this record when they had the time to do it,
Mr.. Reber admitted having told Mr., Shortall
the Tax Payers Association representative
that the mortgage record sheets were lying
around loosely prior to 1897.
Questions were put showing that the mort
gage record was not started until after the
investigation by the Taxpayers Association
was begun last May, but Mr. Reber was posi-
tive it was under way in January He knew
of no advertisement for the almshouse range
costing S145 furnished by Mcconnell Bros. of
Ashland. 1t was paid for by the Poor
r Directors out of the appropriation made by
the Commissioners. The minutes show that
bids were invited for shelves and other items
Iott tIn Inc, Int Il
a contract being awarded to Anton Loeper,
of Ashland, as the lowest bidder, nor Of NO
. other bids. Mr.. Reber knew of no advertise
ment for these bids, nor for the Mcconnell
r range
The printing of the Lyon-Dunn contest
court testimony was done for 81 per page by
the Pottsvlle newspapers until March 80
1897, $2,0s0 having been expended for that
; purpose up to that time. On that date the
J Miners Journal Printing Company was
awarded the contract for 81 cents per page
The other bids follow Ashland Local, &C
cents Ashland Record, So cents Chronicle
As cents; Republican, As cents; Reading
Eagle As cents. The witness could not say
whether the bids were invited verbally, OF
by advertisement.
The bills Of John o. Ulrich, counsel fol
the Commissioners during 1894, 1895 and
1896, were then taken up. 1t was shown
that he drew the last balance of his 81 900
salary for 1895 on December IA, 1896 and
Mr.. Schalck contended that the $400 drawn
by him for professional services during 1896
on Jan. 49, '97, was given him fraudsntly
There was no record on the minutes of any
extra services performed for this sum. Tn,
prosecution also claimed that $3.50 paid t,
. Mr.. Ulrich on Dec. IA, ,96, "for services il
% quo warranto proceedings to oust COUNTY
= Controller were for services never rendered
= Mr.. Reber could produce no records to shov
= what the services consisted Of Mr. Ulricl
= was also paid S75 to reimburse him for ex
= penses in attending the Supreme Court.
AS to the quo warranto bill Mr.. Schalcl
! said he proposed to prove there were N,
u such proceedings and that the bill wa
fictitious MeSsrs. Brumm and Edwards
according to the minutes got the Commits
siOnerF to reconsider the resolution of Octo
" Der IA, 1894, relating to the ousting of th
County Controller and further proceeding
against him were stopped until Nov 8, 1894
e and the minutes of the latter date have n
If reference to any nesting on that date t.
If indicate that the proceedings against tn
[. Controller were resumed.
: Referring to the $500 additional salary pait
IS to MIR. Olrlch IN JAM 1877, after ne had beel
1t succeeded by Charles A. Berger, counsel t
rs the Commissioners, Clerk Reber swore tina
ia Mr.. -Ulrich threatened the Commissioner
D. with suit if they didn't pay him that amount
Re6er couldn't remember the nature of tn
threats. Ulrich was shown by the annua
statement to have received for counsel fee
h during 1894 81 ,054 So and in 1895, &c. 035. Is
,r The payment of four bills amounting +
N more than 500 each for stationary and cleo
le tion material purchased during 1897, wa
ID then proved and claimed to be illegal accord
o ing to the 10th section of the Controller
If Act which provides that material COSTING
500 OF more must be advertised for. n
bids were invited and each Of the bills men
H. toned were approved by the Commissioner
as and Controller.
of No minutes could be discovered referrin
IS to the Wilhelm-Ryon bill prior to Mar 3
1897, when, on motion of Commissions
Meyers, the defendant, the bill was laid over
, The bill, however, was passed Mar. 8, 1891
h by simply drawing an order by warrant o
D. the County Treasurer for $225, without eS
is planning on the minutes the reason. TIL
warrant was countersigned by Controlle
Severn, signed by the Commissioners, an
xt was cashed at the treasury
il The bill read ITO professional servie,
rendered dvring January, February, Marc