The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1901-04-26

more than ever assist TO confirm the |
suspicion already formed that he was
short9 Groepke, after learning what
the commissioners had done, told the
gentleman that he would get q horse
and buggy and come home at once. In
his article he stated he was going TO
AleXandria to attend another business
matter. That is simply another subter-
fuge. Groenke did get home Friday
morning, and on the following day
turned the money into the treasury
that was due as fees from his Office,
With this same statement in his article
Groenke sweeps the board clean of any
thing wrong on his part, or any posi-
bility of a shortage.
Ii Groenke had the money TO pay over
TO the treasurer why was it necessary
for his bondsmen to come to his rescue?
| Why was it necessary for Groenks to
make contract which assigned all
of deeds aud what would come into his
hands for one year and authorize the
! treasurer OF the county to pay the
salary warrants of the register to-
Groenke's deputy, Frank StearRs?
I What is the occasion for such q pro-
ceeding If Groenke had the monev With
which to pay up his deficiency with The
county? Under this contract he is not
allowed to draw one cenO until his in
| debtednass with his bondsmen is settled
There ie another feature about the
fees OF the register of deeds Office
which Groenke did rot explain He
insists that he had the money to pay
ogar 10 the commissioners and that
there was no occasion for their action.
II such is the case Why is it that a con-
i tract was made with the bonds1nen that
the fees of the cffice are to be turned
over to g. bank in this city to make alb
solutely sure that the money win be on
hand st the time of future quarterly
, settlements? Would it be necessary
for the register OF deeds to bind him
, self to such methods Of conducting the
business of his office if he YVES not short
, al ths time Of the settlement? Whist
cause would the bondsmen have to i'm
pose such obligations upon the register
> ii he was not in their debt to the
amount OF his shortage? If the money
, that Groenke turned over to the county
; treasurer WAS the same money that he
, had taken in as fees in his Office then
| there would have heen 10 necess ty for
t the execution of the contracts referred
D 10. As the situation is now, Groenke e
, has nothing to do with the business OF
2 the Office, so far az the financial trans-
! actions are concerned, this feature being
y left entirely to the deputy, Frank
e Saearns.
9 Groenke endeavors to make IS strong
Q point in his article that he is being
q persecuted politically by the republican
Q members of the board, when it ie wei
g understood that the two populist mem.
: bers were just as anxious thgt measures
o be taken TO prevent the county from
: | loss as were the republican members
It If the county commissioners had per
IS mitted themselves to be governed en-
e tirely by the wishes of the register, ,ant
S the county had turned up short will
e censured BY the people, which the,
would have been entitled to. When
'. public official has q financial settlemen
"a to make with an official board, and tina
le same official does not appear with tn
Y. cash, even after the boa d had waite
to two or three days for his appearance
e. and even though he notified the boar
rs that he would return on certain dat
n TO make the settlement, and did no.
t. then there are certainly grounds fo
,d the strong supposition that he does nc
se intend TO return, and for the protectio
i'd of the county it is simply the plain dut
n. of the board to take the necessary al
On tion in such matters. The board know
be ing that twice before Groenke was p,
Ia. to hard test to borrow money to max
ir his settlement, was perfectly justified
er takir what acticn they felt was nece
d. sary TO protect the county from any 10
en- in this case
to The four men Groenke attacked
,ct his article have nothing to DO with b
he case whatever, and if the register b,
.u confined himself solely to the contro
~ versy in question he would have stood
ne great deal better with the public, f
ter the persons who have read his allee,
he defense can readily see that the poin
~ at issue were in no wise touched by tt
man who took two weeks in which
On discover defense for being absent fro
ion his duties as register of deeds when t.
aid law requires him to make a settlemel
H., What is the custom with registers
other counties or what has been t
val custom in this county has nothing to
ave with Groenke's case. He was ahse
the when he should have been here and
the is solely responsible for whatever {
probrium has been brought on hi
'1no self