The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-17
OFFICIALS MAKE
I SWEEPING DENIAL
NO SEMBLANCE OF GRAFT IN BEL.
TRAM. THEY SAY.
County Attorney Loud and Commission
ers sibley and Wright Dispute the
Charges Of the Public Examiner and
Welcome Full Investigation.

Bemidji Mimi, April 17.--County officials
OF Beltrami will vigorously resist the charges
Examiner P. NJ Kerst. Now that Governor
Johnson has appointed commission to investi-
gate these charges, they have broken silence in
no half-hearted way. II. J. Loud, county at
torney, says:
Noticing that charges have been filed with
the governor against myself and other county
officers, l desire to say that in regard to the
Cannon matter had nothing to do with grant
ing or refusing him liquor license, as 1t was
not within my jurisdiction. AS to refusing to
prosecute ]. B. Montague upon the complaint
Of Cannon, am prepared to meet that charge
and assert that was fully justified in refus-
ing the warrant I was never removed from
the prosecution of case against lumber COM
pany and reinstated, and settlement made.
before Judge Spooner, taking parts Of five days,
and as 1t developed that the logs In question
were in transit to the place Of manufacture,
the court held and rightly, that they were not
subject to taxation here.
I'm regard to holding back, or being party
to holding back. any money due the county
for liquor licenses, the charge Is wholly and
malciously false, and can be proved to be
false. This matter was fully investigated by
the grand jury last September. and its report
is file In regard to the Kelliher and Bau-
and refused to approve Mr.. Jinkinsons bill for
that reason. did approve two or three labor
claims. upon the certificate of Mr.. Jinkinson
that the men had worked the time stated, at
from the commissioners that Jinkinson was the
foreman in charge OF the work and the proper
party to certify to the bills of the laborers.
This I will assume responsibility for, and do
not tear the outcome.
No Grating.
81 have never, knowingly approved an illegal
bill for any amount whatever. and have never
been party to any graft, and know of none
on the part of any officer accused during my
Of
tract of last year, it is true that the bid Of
the Pioneer higher in some particulars than
the others, but the circulation offered was at
least four times as great as that offered by
any other bidder.
I'm regard to not prosecuting criminal cases,
I have in some instances refused warrants where
the motive Of the prosecution was to extort
money from the accused, and I was fully con-
vinced that the application was made not in
good faith to punish a crime, but to get re-
venge extort money. -..-
II have also allowed some criminal cases to
be dismissed after arrest, where the facts
developed that no crime was intended, or where
the complaining witness requested that the mat
ter be dropped, or where 1t was the first onense
on the part of a young person under the indu-
ence of liquor, and the wrong had been made
right and the complainant refused to prosecutsE
If it is an offense to my discretion in good
faith about these matters, must plead guilty
|, to that much. If all warrants were issued that
are asked for, there would not be jail room in
! the county to hold the accused, nor enough
fees, and there would be more convictions than
! at present, would any good purpose be
served as complaints made from malice and
other improper motives against innocent parties
| are matter Of daily occurrence.
II do not fear a fair investigation into any
official act Of mine, and If that Kind of ar
investigation is contemplated shall welcome it.
sibley's Statement, E
County Commissioner F. O. sibley says:
| ''There is not word of truth in any asser
| ton made in the report of the public examiner
to the governor. I am perfectly willing to hav.
| NV acts as a member of the board investigated
to the fullest extent, and feel confident that thu
| charges will be proved false.
'In regard to my trip to Tennessee, / vii
state that I was advised by the deputy publ
examiner, the board Of county commissioner
and the county treasurer to take the trip Il
order to settle up shortage of about $1,000 il
treasurer. successful in doing this. an
did not charge any more for my services an
expenses on the trip than the amount to whic
was rightly entitled. had no mining Inter
ests in Tennessee and never owned or wa
interested in dollars worth of property Outsid
the state Of Minnesota.
.As to the county printing contract, whic
was let to the Pioneer, the county board decide
that the difference in circulation Of the news
: papers bidding for the work warranted the lei
Ting of the contract to the Pioneer at full legi
rates. This year the Beltrami County New
!. was awarded the contract at full legal rate
before any other bid had been opened alth
several other bids were presented. At that tin
Mr. Danaher had control of the board
'"The charges made against me regarding I'll
work on the Baudette road are also false.
was instructed by the county board to sen
J. j. Jinkinson and crew Of men ont to tai
! charge Of the work, and all the bills Above
: for the work have been reasonable. AS to tt
claim that there has been no work done on tt
road, wish to state that there is good roa
I, for eighteen or twenty miles"
Me, Too, Says Wright.
County Commissioner Yves Wright says:
welcome a complete and exhaustive examinatit
9 of my record during my residence in northel
Minnesota since 1886, and particularly my reco,
as member Of tile board of commissioners
Beltrami county. The records Of the board al
!. at the courthouse and can be examined by a
> who desire, and II it is found that have bee
!. party to any graft or wrongdong while
. member Of the board am willing to take Il
consequences and will be right in Bemidji whe