The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-02-14
WHOLE NO. 1899

ants, as to fees and compensation al
lowed for certain services above the
amount fixed by the statute. The
statute clearly defines certain fees.
The law allows the board of supervis-
ors by resolution to give further COM
pensation where they may deem ex-
igencies of the case demand it. And
also to fix by resolution the fees in
matters not defined by statute, but
there seems to be a number of charges
made, not by reason of any of these
lawful authorities, but by practice or
precedent or in following the claims
of some former officer. AS examples
OF this, the statute clearly fixed the
mileage for transfer of prisoners to
place of return and to Jail at 10 cents
per mile, but we are charged the fixed
sum of 81. 90 for every transfer to and
from the Jail and Owosso City Courts,
and of Is cents to and from Justices
courts i'll Corunna while the balance
of the county goes by statute at ten
cents per mile A clear injustice with
the present means of travel The at
tendance of these officers Oh the ses-
sions of the circuit court is fixed by
statute at ST. 80 per day we are charged
$3 90, 80. so and 50. 90 per day in the
several cases of sheriff, undersheriff
and deputies only because it has been
the practice; in the case of sheriff and
undersheriff the number in attendance
to be defined by the courts.
The amount charged for investiga-
ton into certain cases is $3. 90 per
day and actual expenses, and is so be-
cause of long standing practice.
The county is charged so cents per
day for board of prisoners by resolu-
ton fixing the same, but it has cos9
the county $50 more than seems right,
and just. Under this rate for the 100
prio or more prisoners taken into GUS
tody during the last three months be-
cause of the practice of charging for
both full days of entrance and of exit.
A prisoner locked in on the evening
of one day and locked out on the
morning of the next costs the county
for two full days board under the pres
ent practice.
In the serving of warrant or sub
poena the statute seems to contemplate
that the mileage charged shall cover
all charges incident to travel, sbut we
have number of instances where full
mileage is charged and in addition
charges for travel and board are made.
The committee can see no reason for
this from evidence at hand. There
are few of the instances where prac-
tice and not absolute authority has
fixed the charge. We must not in the
future be governed by this manner of
making charges.
Your committee would recommend
as part of their report, that all
claims allowed by the board of super
visors for services of sheriff and depu-
ties during the year 1902 shall be such
as are fixed by statute, or when not
fixed by statute such as shall be fixed
by resolution of the board duly record
ed.
We would also recommend that it
be the duty of the board of supervis-
ors to appoint committee of three
who shall confer with the officers of
the court during the January session
of the board in each year, and recon-
mend such charges as shall be estab-
lished and allowed by the board for
services other than those fixed by stat
ute for the year.
The committee would report the sew
eral bills and amounts as claimed,
back to the board for their united
action without recommendation