The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1899-11-03
SHAKEN UP.
County Officials Before Public
Examiner Pope.
Alleged Excessive Fees Must Be Paid
Back Into the County Treasury,
Ii Is Said.

The members of the county board
and one or two county officers met be-
hind closed doors last evening with
Public Examiner E. M. Pope. w. B,
Davies was present as the latter's at
torney, and also to take a stenographic
report of the conference. Others who
were present were given to understand
that the meeting was secret one. The
session commenced at s o'clock and
lasted until 1890 o'clock.
Gen. Pope has been visiting different
counties and meeting with the COM
missioners and officers, calling their at
tention to wrongful acts and arrang-
ing settlements with officers and former
officers who have been paid more than
the law allows. Several weeks ago
Deputy Examiner Davis made an in
vestigation of the books of Blue Earth
county, and it is believed that Gen.
Pope's visit is due to the report re-
ceived from Mr.. Dayis.
While the mouths of all present are
sealed as to what atranspired at the
meeting, it is believed. that Gen. Pope
called attention to the practice of GER
tain of the county officials in making
charges that he considered excessive
and not authorized by law. One of
these is said to be.a bill for several
hundred dollars which was presented
by former sheriff and allowed after
some slight deductions had been made.
Another matter touched upon is said to
have been the fees charged and re-
ceived by former coroner and also by
one or two former or present members
of the county board. 1t is said that
Auditor Gunders was censured by Gen
Pope for drawing orders in payment of
these bills, and that Treasurer Ewing
was blamed for paying these orders.
Gen. Pope is said to have taken the po-
sition that the auditor should audit the
bills and refuse to- pay those that are
unlawful.
There is an alleged practice of the
members of this or a former board that
is said to have been referred to, and
that was of the members allowing
themselves per diem while doing com
mittee work, and mileage for the dis
lance Travelled, and then paying the
livery bills out of the county treasury
instead of out of their own mileage that
they allowed themselves for the pur.
pose.
Gen. Pope took the stand that the
money unlawfully drawn from the
county treasury by present or former
officials should be refunded by said
officials.
1t is Gen Pope's hope that an AMIGA
BILE settlement will be reached and suits
to recover the money will not be nee
essary. He quoted freely from the
laws and supreme court decisions tc
sustain the position which he took in
regard to the unlawfulness of certain
expenditures. His report did not &C
back of 1895.
Tonight another secret session will
be held, at which there have been in
vited to be present besides Gen. Pope
and W, B. DaYis. the members Of the
county board, one or two present and
one or two former county officials, ant
former member of the board. County
Attorney Hughes has also been invited
to be present in an advisory capacity.
1t is proper TO say that the partie
who are charged with having received
too much money from the count.
claim that they were not paid exces
sive amounts. and that the count,
board passed on all of the bills. What
ever was done was open and abov
board.