The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-07
LET COUNTY INQUIRE
Deputy Public Examiners Report
on Hennepin County's Offices.
THE COURT CLERKS OFF
1t Receives Much Attention With
Recommendation for
Checking Up.


of Hennepin county by The public exam
liners department has been completed by
Deputy Public Examiner Henry c. Koer-
ne: and Assistant Public Examiner J. d.
Harris AS perhaps the most important
result, in view of the criticisms of the
Office of the clerk of court. the county
board is advised to employ some COM
petent person to check up the affairs Of
the office during at least portion Of
G. N. Dickey's administration.
Mr. koerner's report to his chief be-
gins with a review of the situation in
the county auditors Office, where all is
not so satisfactory as he would have it.
complete but cumbersome, involving a
great deal of extra work. Bills without
accompanying receipts were found by the
deputy examiner, also several Improper
charges Among the bills without re-
ccipts is one of D. c. Mackenzie, super
intendent of schools, for postage, $3.50;
a. P. Erickson, stamps for stock, $25;
D. Mackenzie, postage, $1o46. Among
the Improper charges" is one by R. A.
Mabey for reporting the coroner's in
quest for the county attorney in the
Leonard Day case, $45.4O. The deputy
examiner says the law provides fees to
be paid the coroner for these services.
Questionable Charxes
A charge by Frank Haycock, drafts
man, for extra pay for field work, $50.81, is
commented upon thus:
The propriety of this charge I consider
questionable. The salary of this man Is fixed
by the board at regular intervals. This pay
ment of extra money is perhaps improper.
No receipt is attached to the voucher
of G.. w. Dickey for salary advanced to
wv. J. Evans, $3.50. "The BILL" says the
deputy examiner, Should be presented
by and in the name of the person per
forming the services charged for" A
| bill of James Lawrence, detective, for
expenses in connection with the arrest
of Burton H. Billinger at Duluth leads
Mr.. Koerner to say: IF this service
can be made by a detective he is entitled
| to sheriff's fees for making this arrest"
| A Gratifying Change.
| In summarizing as to county bills it is
added:
| In general there has been a most gratifying
| change for the better in the management o.
county affairs so far as the handling Of bills
and claims concerned, for which due
credit should be given the board of county
commissioners, the auditor, Mr.. Scott, ant
c. l.. Smith, attorney for the board of county
commissioners, for their conscientious efforts
| in this direction.
Compliments for Two.
| OF the county treasurer's and register
| of deeds offices the report speaks as fol-
| lows:
! The affairs Of this Office are we'll and abb!
! conducted by D. G.. Bell, the present count,
treasurer. Perhaps the only criticism to b.
| made Of this office is the present book system
| which, like that in use in the auditors office
| unnecessary amount Of work. We desire tt
compliment Mr.. Bell highly upon his conduc
| Of the Office for the past year, it having beer
done in workmanlike and business-like
| manner, highly credtable to that officer anG
his office force. u 5r.
The examination. of the Office of George G.
Merrill, register Of deeds; reveals rather
extraordinary condition Of affairs. /. e., ar
! office upon a salary basis as to officer anl
clerks, yet paying it's way from the fees re:
ceived in the course of business. This is
generally credited to the earnest efforts to.
ward an economical administration on the
part of Mr.. Merrill, who, in our opinion
should be heartily commended therefor
There Is an excess of receipts over disburse.
ments, for eleven months ending Dec. /
1901, Of s., 4842 e. less salary one year. register
of deeds, $4,000; net earnings, $4S4.27.
This, as compared to an excess of expenses
over receipts of 81, 1928 in year ending Dec
81, 1900, makes a very satisfactory showing.
Court Clerks ONCE.
Far the larger part of the report is
given to the Office Of the clerk of court.
This shows that of the amounts received
by the clerk for entering civil actions
about $1,000 has been returned to the
persons entitled thereto and that the
clerk says he has never refused to re-
turn any such funds when proper author
ity for collecting the same was presented.
A list of moneys received in condem-
nation proceedings, or deposited by or
der of court for the benefit of heirs, is
placed in banks on certificates of deposit
as follows: