The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-08-19
looks like A GIFT
COUNTY BOARD SETTLES &13O,OOO-
BOND FOR $4,000.

Bondsmen of American Loan and
! Trust Company Released From
Their Bond ON Payment of Ten
| Thousand DOllars-City Attorney
Richards Claim Referred to
| County Attorney for an Opinion.
An adjourned meeting Of the county
commissioners was held yesterday after
noon at the court house, and when the
commissioners had concluded all matters
before them and adjourned there had been
paid in to the county treasurer s13,351 in
cash as result of the afternoons labors.
The judgment of about $4,000 held by
| the county against the bondsmen of the
American Loan & Trust company was
assigned to Alfred Merritt for a consid
Grafton Of $4,000 spot cash, and J. l..
Washburn was present as the representa-
tive of Mr.. Merritt with a great big bun
die of bills and four drafts with which
to settle the score. The other item of
! Isl was received on the sale Of all
! personal tax judgments owned by the
county to N. s. Bruner, formerly a clerk
i'm the office of the auditor. The matter
Of the resolution endorsing the work Of
J. B. Richards as attorney for the coun-
ty in the collection Of the 100000 back per-
sonal property taxes Of the Duluth Gas
& Water company was referred to the
| county attorney for his written opinion
! as to the legality Of any action that the,
commissioners might take in, voting to-
approve the acts Of Mr.. Richards. S.. Z
When it came to take up the matter Of
the settlement Of the judgment against
the bondsmen Of the American Loan &
Trust company the commissioners first
tried to pass a resolution releasing only
Leonidas Merritt and A. B. Chaplin on
payment Of $4,000. Mr.. Washburn told
them that this would not do. All must be
released, or the money would not be paid
over, and Furthermore it was the last
time that they would come before the
commissioners with am offer to settle. On
the resolution to release Leonidas Merritt
and A. B. Chaplin on payment Of $4,000
Commissioners Kugler and Berg voted
aye, and Commissioners Kauppi, Williams
| and Morcom voted nay. .:z 4; /. Il ;sS ID. Y
The resolution that finally carried was
opposed by Commissioners Kugler and
Berg, who had supported the other reso-!
luton. The affirmative votes were from
Commissioners Kauppd, who introduced
| the resolution, and Williams and Morcom.
It was as: follows: ..3.5; ! ,..#s
Resolved, " that the written offer: of
Alfred Merritt to purchase the Judgment
in favor Of the board OF county commits
sioners against the American Loan &
Trust company and certain securities, be
and the same Is hereby accepted, and the
chairman Of this board is hereby 2au-
thorized and directed to execute and de-
Eliver a proper assignment Of said judg-
iment to said Alfred Merritt on, the pay
ment Of $4,000 into the county treasury
of st. Louis county within one day from
/ this date..''' lS
! The bonGsmen released by the action Of
the county commissioners are William
Mckinley, George Elder, p. =: Bradley,
/ c. =. Lovett, p. c. Cash, .Leonidas Mer-
rift. a. B. Chaplin, ". ". Sanford.
The matter of the resolution endorsing
the action Of =. B. Richards In his work
before the various courts through which
he fought the .Dupluth Gas & Water CONF
/ panys and finally succeeded in collecting
the $4,000 delinquent personal property
i taxes Of that company for the county was
! brought up again and on motion Of Com
missioner Berg, IT. was referred to the
county, attorney With a request for his
written opinion as to the legality Of the
action of the commissioners should they
conclude to vote to pass the resolution and
thus approve the work Mr.. Richards per-
formed and place him in a position where
there would be no question as to. the 10
gality Of a claim on his part for services
rendered. Mr.. Richards presented "a COM
munication under date OF Aug. II as fol-
tlows: b! 81: e. s;5 !,3 {s
I'm consideration Of the passage, by the
board Of county commissioners of ST.
Louis county OF the resolution ratifying
AMI approving my services and employ,
ment in the case Of; the collection Of the
delinquent personal property taxes Of the
Duluth Gas &, Water company for the
years 1894, 1886, 1896 and 1897, I hereby
agree that I viii present no claim against
the county Of st. Louis in a sum exceed
ing s,O0O.''$ * ,4
In; addition to the communication Mr..
Richards presented a copy Of an 4 opinion
from u 81 L. Washburn touching on the
resolution, lin which Mr.. Washburn says
lat is his opinion that the county commits:
sioners have a perfect legal right to pass
the resolution as introduced. He says that
the commissioners had a right in the first
place to employ Mr.. Richards, that the
fact that he was employed by the city Of
Duluth as its attorney made no differences
that the commissioners were cosnizant of
the fact that he was employed in the in
terest of the county. and accordingly they.
had right to approve Of services that
had been performed. as long as it had
been their right in the first place to have
engaged such services.
The personal property taxes in judg-:
ment sold to N. s. .Bruner. for $685. in
cludes all personal property. tax judg-
meats outstanding unpaid and unsatisfed
belonging to st. Louis county. The sale
included none Of the tax, judgments on
which executions were issued and placed
| in the hands Of the sheriff prior to Aug.
Z, 1899. but It includes all others. The
amount Of them is about $4,000 A res
oiut;on was adopted subsequent to the
sale Ky which the clerk Of the court is
directed to file and place on record with
, out charge. an assignment for all the per-
TO- iuIo hat on