The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-05-14
BOOKS AND RECORDS.
Report of Prentiss Maslin, Expert
to the Jury.

| In presenting his report to the Grand
Jury, as the result of his labors as eX-
pert, Prentiss Maslin says:
ITO the Grand Jury of Sacramento
County-Gentlemen: 1 herewith re-
| spectfully submit my final report as ex-
pert accountant to your honorable body
! Having kept you fully advised from
time to time by my special and progress
reports of the work performed by me
under your instructions, and under
standing that the result of most of my
work will be incorporated in your re-
port to the Superior Court, and desiring
to avoid repetition, shall in this report
| but briefly review my work.
| Complying with your positive in
structions, l have made a most careful
examination into the conduct of public
| business by the officials of Sacramento
| County 1 have performed this work
without prejudice or bias, and have
given to it my undivided time and my
best ability"
| The expert begins with the office OF
County Clerk, the management Of which
/ is generally commended, but he found
a few errors in the books. They were
of small amounts and resulted from
haste and lack of care" He strongly
urges the Encouragement of the office
/ for the better protection of papers and
public records.
! The books and records of the Asses
sor's office We're found well kept and
correct.
| The Sheriff now collects but a small
sum in fees. His books were correct.
AS Tax Collector he had paid in $2o.3l
too much.
| Auditors office-Reference is made to
several errors found in this department,
though all were in small sums.
! The experts report covers some ~
pagers of typewriter copy, embrace
ing a vast amount of tabulation and
making very complete showing OF the
| financial transactions of the county dur
| ing the past year, but very little OF 1t
! is availa bic for use at this time. HIS
! figures, however, and recommendations
| form the basis Of most of the general
report of the Grand Jury and the result
of his work is largely covered in that
/ report
! Mr. Maslin, referring to the office OF
! Auditor, states that it is the duty OF
| that officer to prevent official extrava-
| gance, but that the Office has degen-
Grated almost to a mere clerkship. Thls
1 is not a new topic, by any meaEs, as
| the extent of the Auditors authority
| has been fruitful theme in the past.
The present Auditor, it must be said,
has refused to audit claims allowed by
i the Supervisors, but the courts de-
clared against him, and declared that
| he has no option in such cases.
! The expert says the Supervisors have
allowed demands amounting to $1,1S1.01
that We're not itemized as required by
law. He says they have also paid de-
mands from the general fund that were
properly chargeable to the hospital
fund, such as transportation of indi-
gents, purchase of trusses for indi-
gents, donations to Protestant Orphan
| Asylum and charitable bodies, etc.
The City Trustees are also accused of
paying claims from the wrong funds,
and a list of such claims is given.
I Attention is called to 1.-The unwar-
ranted uses" which the City Trustees
have made of the immigration fund in
donations to Memorial Day Commit
tees, Red Cross Society, Children's Day
Home, Fourth Of July celebrations.
etc.
EXPERTS CONCLUDING REMARKS
J have in the foregoing report pur-