The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-12-18

provides that the auditor shall keep the
minutes of the commissioners and 1t is
claimed by some attorneys that he
should know what action the COM
misioners have taken.
1t is said to be the law that the au-
ditor must fully satisfy himself as to
the legality of bills before he pays them,
and If they are not legal he has-no
light to pay them. 1t is said further
that If he pays Illegal bills, he and his
bondsmen are responsible to the county
Now, in the case of the bills for the
broom factory, ii Is claimed by one of
the commissioners that they were de-
ceived as to the work and that the
building was to cost but 1900, or there
abouts, and was to be paid In convict
labor to a great extent, If not a total
extent. If that was the case, 1t Is con-
tended that the auditor should have
known 1t, and should not have paid
bills that aggregated more than the
amount authorized. It is said that the
law requires the auditor to see II there
is a warrant and authority of law for
the construction of such building,
and to satisfy himself that what has
been done in the matter has been done
legally. IL Illegally he Is authorized to
refuse all bills. The theory is that
the auditor stands between the treas
ury and the power that makes bills
possible. 1t is his business to keep the
minutes of the commissioners and to
know just what Is authorized and what
is not. If the bills that aggregate
about $22, 900. or even $4,000 or 1000
come in, and the expenditure of only
81, 200 was authorized, all bills above
that sum are illegal and IL paid the au-
ditor is said to be responsible There
Is nothing criminal about 1t, it is claim
ed, but 1t is said that he and his bonds
men would be liable for the amount
thus Illegally paid. 1t Is said that an
investigation along this line Is being
made.
ASKS FOR THE BOOKS.
1t Is known that Prosecutor Day has
already taken the matter of the work
house expenditures In hand and Is max
ing a preliminary investigation. 1t was
said that he went to the auditor and
asked for all of the books and papers
ir the workhouse matter. Auditor
Reed declined to give him the books
and papers to take to his Office, that
he might more conveniently examine
them, but insisted that IL an investiga-
ton were to be made that 1t be made
in his office. There was some talk that
Prosecutor Day had threatened man
damus proceedings, but such proceed
ings were not undertaken. The pros
ecutor concluded, it Is said, to take q
stenographer and go over the books
and have the stenographer jot down
such matters as were desired.
Prosecutor Day, when seen by a
News Democrat man Saturday, stated
that he had asked for the books and
papers, and that Auditor Reed had de-
clined to allow them to be taken to the
prosecutors Office, stating that they
might become scattered. He said that
he might have secured the books and
papers IL he had so desired. by due pro-
cess, but did not do so and says he car
look over them when he wants to at the
auditors office.
Auditor Reed, when seen, said that
the prosecutor had asked for the books
and papers, but he had told him he
could look over them in the auditors
Office, but could not take them out.
All of which goes to show that the
investigation of at least the workhouft
phase Of the matter is already well un-
der way.