The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-05

bill for $62.75 for fuel used by
Sheriff Justus at his residence, 10 East
Eleventh street, presented to the
board of county commissioners for
payment, will be turned down. The
bill was discovered by Assistant
County Attorney O'NeilI while audit
ing the claims to be presented at the
meeting of the commissioners today,
and was promptly stamped with the
official veto of the county attorneys
office.
1t is going pretty far when a county
Of1clai expects the county to heat his
home for him." said Mr.. O'Neill 1.-The
first thing we know the county officials
Will be sending us their grocery and
laundry bills. The county is not in
any way bound to settle coal or other
bills contracted by one of it's officials
at his home, and I am surprised that
such bill should ever have been pre-
sented. If the sheriff was occupying
the residence portion of the county
Jail, he would be entitled to the heat
and light necessary for the building,
but not so when he lives in a private
residence"
Sheriff Justus says the bill is a Just
one, and that he will make an effort to
collect it.
Justus Thinks Claim Just.
''The statute provides that the
county shall furnish the sheriff with
residence, which shall be heated and
lighted at the county's expense" said
Sheriff Justus ''and the fact that my
residence does not happen to be in
the county jail does not make any diff
terence, that L can see. 1t is the first
bill of the kind | have presented for
payment, but it may not be the last
one. l believe, under the statutes, that
L can hold the county, not only for my
fuel and light, but for my house rent
as we'll, and l may take steps to COM
pei the county to reimburse me for
these items"
A year or more ago Sheriff Justus
attempted to have the county pay his
house rent, but the request was refus-
ed and the matter was dropped. He
lnt1mated last night that the question
would again be taken up, and that the
county would be asked to return to
him the money paid out for house rent,
fuel and light during the time he has
been living in residence outside the
county Jail. He contends that the coun-
ty is obliged to furnish him a resi-
dence, and that it is no fault of his
that there is no provision for his home
IN the temporary Jail quarters.
Another bill presented to the county
commissioners for payment by Sheriff
Justus and disallowed by the county
The sheriff secured carriage for the
purpose of transporting an insane pa
tlent from the detention hospital to
the probate court Mr.. O'NeiH says
there is no provision for the payment
of such bills, and recommended that it
be disallOWed. While the bill in itself
amounts to only a small sum, the ques-
ton is one of considerable Importance,
1nasmuch as the county paid out near
~ 5000 on similar claims last year.
Many Claimants Disappointed.
This is the first time the claims pre-
sented to the county commissioners for
payment have ever been submitted to
the county attorneys office for the
purpose of having their legality passed
upon, and as a result many claimants
will be sadly disappointed today when
they learn the result of this action.
Aside from the two bills presented
for payment by the sheriff, bill for
$116.05, from County Surveyor J. B.
Irvine for surveying plats, was disal-
lowed, and twenty others, aggregating
more than $1,000, were held up for
farther investigation. Among the bills
held up by the county attorney are
a number for road work, which have
heretofore been allowed by the coun-
ty commissioners without question
when properly indorsed. The money
thousands of dollars every year, but
Mr.. O'NeiII believes this work should
be paid for by the town supervisors,
and not by the county.
When the county has properly con-
structed a. road and paid the expenses
incurred in constructing it, it's duty
ends there said Mr.. O'Neill, ''and the
repairs should be made at the expense
of the towns in which the work IS
done"
Mr.. O'Neill will thoroughly investi-
gate this question, and should he be
able to back up his present opinion
with the statutes, it will mean a large
saving to the county. In the meantime
all of these bills will be held up for
payment, and no warrants will be
drawn until the matter has been
thoroughly looked into.
The county commissioners will meet
this morning, at which time the bills
audited by the county attorneys office
will be returned to them.