The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-02-04
SHERIFF MUST
RETURN FEES
FORMER OFFICIAL OWES DOUG
LAS COUNTY S12,3OO.
Decisions of Circuit and Supreme
Courts Sustain the Citizens Com
mittee and Check Raids ON the
County Treasury at Superior
Office of Sheriff No Longer Big
SnaD
Special to The Journal.

Special to The Journal.
Superior. Wis. Feb. 4.-The decision Of
the supreme court in the case of Douglas
county against Former Sheriff w. j. Som
mer leaves the latter indebted to the
county in the sum of $1,000 for fees al
legged to have been illegally collected by
MIN and now declared both by the cir
cult court of this county and the supreme
court to have been illegally paid him. The
supreme court held that in the first fifteen
months Of his term Of office he was actual
ly paid over s12, 900 more in fees than he
was legally entitled to. -.
A decision in the suit against Former
Sheriff Snyder stopped the heavy drafts Of
the sheriff upon the county at that time
and for the remainder Of his term he did
absolutely no more business than was alb
solutely necessary for him under the law
Deputies were discharged, frequent trips
to far points became less frequent and
things were generally changed.
The sherf's office has always been re-
garded as a bonanza in this county and
any man who held 1T for two years was
supposed to leave 1t rich. Thirty to forty
thousand dollars are said to have been
cleaned up in one term by some men. But
the county board passed resolution put
ting the sheriff upon salary and then
changed back to the fee system In taking
the latter step loophole was left for the
citizens committee, which was trying to
block the heavy expenses Of the county Of
ficers and the supreme court held that
! the sheriff was on a salary basis and had
| overdrawn his account to the extent OF
$4,000 The former sheriff still has some
bills to put in, but it Is believed he will
be behind several thousand dollars when
the final accounting is had.
Work for Ship Builders.
1t is expected that in a day or two mat
| ters will be in shape for the letting of the
contract for a boat at the Superior ship
Yards. The committee Of citizens that has
been taking subscriptions for stock be-
lieves it has ba cking for the building OF
boat costing S275.000 If this is true, the
project will give employment to 500 mer
who would otherwise be out of work fol
the rest of the winter.
The council will pay the mayor Of the
city $500 more year than has ever beer
paid here. The salary next year will bt
81 500. This is considered small for city
of this size. The salary Of the health com
missioner is also raised to $1,000 a year.
Lands Appraised Too High.
Real estate men are disappointed owe
the appraisal Of state lands in this county
| The market value of lands here ha
doubled in a short time, but the price pu
upon the lands by the state was probabl!
double even the market price, and out o
about $50 descriptions the total sales a
auction and private sale did not amount tt
over twenty-five descriptions. The ap
4 praisal was such as to make the prices
demanded almost prohibitive.
Irvine l.. Lenroot of this city Will speal
before the Vail Halla club Of Marinett
on Saturday 1.-THE Duties Of Citizenship
will be his subject and it Is expected h
will introduce some politics from the l.
!Follette side of the republican party.