The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-12-19


to the County Rulers Yesterday
ThteI Agency Bill Fails to Go
Through.
The board OF county. commissioners yes
terday morning turned down, by tie
vote, the claim of the Thiel Detective
agency for .S67s.57, for services alleged to
have been rendered, under instructions
from former County Attorney Anderson,
in ali unayailing attempt to locate the
Middleton murderer. THE bill had been
In the hands of a special committee since
last spring, and yesterday Commissioner
Lott refused to vote, saying the matter.
If legitimate, should have been settled
long ago
Former County Attorney Anderson
again asked that the claim be definitely
disposed Of. OF the special committee
to which the bill had been referred. Com
missioner Hardick was the only one who
had approved it, The rest of the COM
mittee did not care to make the recon-
mendation. az.
The matter was brought up on a motion
for allowance';by Commissioner Hardick
and Chairman Kiefer took a decided
stand. He carefully 'BeTutinfzed7 the DIFF
ferent items for travel expenses and other
things and then remarked: -. =
II will never vote the peoples money
for whisky ard cigars for. buns -.
County Attorney Bigefow remarked
that the main fault with the bill was that
1t was itenlized too plainly. AS a usual
thing the whisky and cigar charges were
entered as incidentals.z
Commissioners Hardick, Wright and
Powers voted for the allowance, Mayor
Kiefer and Commissioners Cuehl and
Cray against, and Commissioner Lott re-
fused to vote The bill was disallowed-
Mr.. Anderson declared that the agency
would at once institute legal proceedings
against the county. An outrage had been
committed in keeping the bill tied up IN
committee for nearly a. year.
The final report Of Public Examiner
Pope upon the result of the investigation
of the county offices was read and re-
ferred. The report #asoa follows:
COUNTY. AUDITOR.
The examiners f6u4a an imperfect
method of accounting Tor premiums re-
such sales. A new register has been
procured by the auditor; the accounts
were balanced and proven correct, and
the book will hereafter be kept so as
to show the true condition at all times,
and be g check upon any attempted IT.
Irregularities. y r.iv
We found in use 1twelve separate order
books This was confusing and super
flIous and sometimes conflicting, and mas
been changed by, the county auditor, VINO
now uses but two BOOKS: one Lor com m
missioners' warrants and the other for
auditors warrants, each being numbered
consecutively, as is provided. in the stat
utes.
ty are not in accord with the form pre-
sertbed by the state auditor. The law
makes it the duty Of the county treasurer
to issue all receipts for current taxes,
return stubs thereof monthly to the coun-
ty auditor, who shall charge the treas
urer the amount stated by the treas
urer. and on the first Monday In jan
county auditor the several tax lists and
himself compare them with the stubs
in the auditors possession. This plan
affords no check upon the county treas
urer, and should be improved on. l shall
venture to recommend that the board
of county audit check these returns and,
by the sums of taxes collected and taxes
DELINQUENT when returned, prove and
verify the total levy, following on each
page of the tax lists for collections and
delinQuencieS.
The proper and prescribed form has
columns ruled for these purposes-the
form in use in this county has left them
out I shall ask the auditor to correct
his forms for the coming year, and re-
spectfulIy recommend that you shall take
action through the board Of audit, or. as
seems best to you. to have the current
list properly checked up In January next
This item is the largest source Of county
revenue and should be properly checked;
whereas. it has now no check.
COUNTY SURVEYOR
I have heretofore called attention to
charges made by the county surveyor for
team hire, which were unauthorized BY
law, and have hereto call your attention
to the rate of compensation for chain
men, which is fixed by Section 1855. Gen
eral Statutes 1894. at 81 per day.
COUNTY ATTORNEY.
It is made the duly OF this officer to
approve the bills OF Justices, constables,
ct al, as he is supposed best to know II
the services charget11for twere rendered.
If his approval reads 10. K" If serv-
ices were rendered. 1T: amounts to moth
.