Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1903-12-02

Miner gave a condensed report of the
report of the grand jury, so far as it
relates to the management of the
county poor farm and hospital. In
order that it may not be charged with
garbling it the report is herewith
given in full:
We find that a considerable number
of cases referred to the grand jury by
the different justices of the peace
which ought properly to have been
disposed of in the justice courts. In
many of these cases, had greater care
been exercised by the justice, much
labor would have been spared the
grand jury and a great deal of ex-
pense would have been saved to the
county. A number of these cases
have come up from Congress precinct
which did not merit the care and in
vestigation that the grand jury has
been required to expend upon them.
We are strongly of the opinion that
luc cnus VI JuceiOO anu thO AhOCAOSSo
of the public would be better subserv-
ed by a disposition of most of these
cases in the lower courts.
A careful and thorough investigation
has been made of all the county Off
ces, the results of which will be
found in the reports of the several
committees accompanying this report.
Generally it may be said, there is a
lack of method in checking the &C.
counts Of the various county officials
and institutions, and particularly
those of the county hospital. So far
as the accounts of the contractor of
the hospital are concerned, we find
that there practically has been no sys
tenn of checking or auditing. The
practice seems to have been to admit
upon the order of some one of the
supervisors, such persons as are rec
commended by the county physician,
and while the discharges have been
apparently ordered by the county
physician, we find as matter of fact
that he has actually superintendent but
few if any of the dismissals and has
copied his reports of dismissals from
the records of the clerk Of the board
of supervisors, who himself has made
up his statement from report made to
him by the contractor, SO that in
effect no check, whatever, has
been kept upon the contractor.
This lack Of system has led, as
might be supposed, to fragrant
abuses and Irregularities. Your
grand jury finds that for the second
and third quarters of 1903 an average
number Of A persons has been charg
ed for by the contractor and paid by
the county, while the facts seem to
be, from information gathered from
every available source, that not more
than &c we're actually maintained
there upon an average during these
quarters. The same condition of
affairs appear to have existed from
the first of the year, prior to which
date the grand jury could not find
time to investigate.
Enough has been shown, how
ever, to warrant the grand jury in
charging the board of supervisors and
the county physician with culpable
and inexcusabIe negligence in con-
nection with the hospital. 1t is the
opinion of the grand jury, based on
substantial evidence, that several
thousand dollars have been illegally
drawn from the county by the hospi-
tai contractor, and this fraud so
quickly appeared to the committee
which made the investigation that it
seems almost beyond belief that such
conditions could have existed for
month after month and probably year
after year, without the knowledge of
the board. At least it is certain that
very slight attention would have re-
vealed the conditions referred to, and
which we have taken the strongest
means to correct, and certainly an in
stitution which is costing the county
nearly $40, 900 per year, merits some
care from the auditing officers.
We strongly recommend that in the
future the board refer the hospital
accounts, as we'll as all other impor-
tant claims, to the district attorney,
it appearing that the hospital accounts
have not hitherto been so referred.
We recommend:
l. A closer scrutiny and checking
of all claims against the county.
2. A removal of the hospital con-
tractor and county physician, and
that steps be taken to fully ascertain
and fix the responsibility of all off,
cials concerned in the hospital irregu-
larities.
The report is signed by J. ]. Fisher
foreman, and attested by Ziba o. |
Brown, secretary.