The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-02-18
THE COUNTY BOARD.
Reply to the Taxpayers Petition.
District Attorney Instructed
to Act.
Petitioners Asked to Show Cause
Why Action Be Taken.

At the meeting Of the County Board
on Tuesday last, the following answer
of the committee to which was referred
the petition OF a number of taxpayers
asking the board take action to recover
certain monies alleged to have been
Illegally drawn, for the dismissal of the
county poor agent and other things,
| was presented:
SUPERIOR, Wis, Feb. IA, 1899.
To the County Board of Douglas County:
Your committee to whom was referred
the petition of r. &. Ogilvie. b. T. Ran
dali. f. L. Buxton, A. J. Webster, Ho
mer Andrew, Ogden Fl. Hammond, P.
& Stratton. Henry w. Gilbert and
Martin Pattison. served upon your
chairman and certain members of the
board a. the session of the board held
on the 3Oth ult., beg leave TO report that
they have considered the said petition
and demand, and that thew deem it the
duty Of the board TO take affirmative ac-
ton thereon, and TO that end they re-
spectfullv recommend that said petition
and demand be referred to the District
attorney, with the request that he look
into the charges and claims for money
made therein. and if he shall come to
the conclusion, after investigation and
consideration, that said claims tor
money or any OF them, are well founded
and can be sustained or probably sus-
tanned, in law. that suits be brought for
the collection of the same.
We suggest that he first, by personal
demand, make effort to collect any and
all sums of money referred to in SAID
petition, that he NAV deem due TO
Douglas county from any person or cor
pDratiOn, and that before instItuting
anv action or actions he procure from
said petitioners any 'acts or evidence
they may have, and that he advise and
counsel with your board or any commit
tee thereof appointed for the purpose,
as to the number of such actions, the
merits and domerits of each cause, the
need OF any probable expense OF pro-
curing Witnesses and documentary evil
dence, the expense of serving papers,
and an estimate of other necessary dis
bursements and expenses in prosecut-
ing each case. also the prospect OF re-
covery after judgment.
AS to the manner of publishing the
proceeding Of the County board, refer
red to with criticism, by said petition
ers, we beg to state that We believe the
to the statute which allows 60 days after
the adjournment of a session III which
to complete the publication.
The minutes of the proceedings are
written 10y the County clerk under the
law, and it goes without saying that the
suppression or omission by the board OF
any part o. portion of such minutes
would be regarded generally with sus-
picion and as a verv serious violation of
duty.
AS to the request of the petitioners
for the summary removal of the county
agent Of the poor from bis office, we
need scarcely suggest that 1t would be
wholly unfair and unjust to thus re-
move All officer of the county in this
manner, without even the formalitv of
a hearing The County Poor agent is
an old and tried official, in whose in
tegritv and ability the board reposes
entire confidence. He has greatly re-
duced the expenses of his department,
and the board has heard OILY words of
praise OF him, and nothing 10 his dis
credit except from the signers of said
petition. Ii the petitioners have any
specific charges against the County
Poor agent, and will submit them to
this board, we feel sure they will be
fairly and fully heard and just action
taken thereon.
We recommend that for the in 'orna-
tor of said petitioners certified copy
OF this report and of any proceedings
had in this matter, at this meeting be
served upon each of the petitioners
above named and also upon their at
tornevs. Respectfully submitted.
JAMES BARDON.