The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-12-01
DENIES ANY intent
BIomberg's Friends Say He
Will Explain All.
Shortage Is Alleged to Be
S671; How Made.
Other NicolIet Officers Referred
to in the Report.
Lax Business Methods Charg.
ed Against Them.

accounts of c. A. Bloomberg Jr., for
mer clerk of courts of Nicollet, to the
amount OF $67l.
They cover the period from 1893 to
the time of his retirement a year ago,
and involve fees which it claimed he
pocketed and failed to make a matter
of record
Instead of filing the report with Gov
ernor Johnson, as at first contemplated,
Mr.. Kerst on Saturday turned the.
matter over to the county attorney at
st. Peter and asked him to bring pro-
ceedings looking toward a recovery of
the amount. Mr.. Kerst, in his letter,
SAYS:
THE recent examination of the af-
fairs of Nicollet county discloses very
unsatisfactory condition in several of
fees.
Il take the liberty of calling your at
tention to the matter and respectfully
request that you take up the items
which will be fully enumerated in this
letter at your early convenience, with
a view of remedying the irregularities
that have existed, and that steps be tax
en- to recover into the county treas
ury such money to which it is entitled
and which the county appears to have
been defrauded of by the former
clerk of the district court.
John Webster, treasurer, was found
to be short in his cash in the sum of
$S3
This sum was paid into the treasury
before the examiner left.
in addition to that, however, the
treasurer has, in his cash drawer, checks,
$G77.95, which are so held contrary to
law.
'AIr. Webster must replace these items
with cash Immediately.
This department has prescribed a
cash book to be used daily for the pur
pose of balancing his cash. l find that
he has persistently ignored the same and
has not proven his cash in the prescrib-
ed book more than once a month.
1T appears that the county depositor
les credit interest to the treasurer's ac
count but once year, whereas the law
provides that this should be done
monthly. (See p. 735 G. S. lS94.)
''The books show that a deposit of
of New Ulm, which bank has not been
designed as a county depository, nor
was there bond given for the protec-
ton of the deposit This deposit is il
legal and therefore, | have to request
that it be withdrawn at once and plac-
ed into one of the legally designated de-
positories of the county.
1T appears that the bills rendered to
the county are very poorly itemized
and very unsatisfactory system pre-
walls for the filling of the same.
This department has prescribed prop
er methods of procedure in both cases,
and | should like to have you request
the auditor to strictly follow the same.
''As ar illustration of the above, ]
wish to cite you one case: Bill paid
under Warrant No. 2223, where there
was absolutely no termination and does
not disclose what the money was paid
out for.
at appears that the oaths of county
commissioners have not been filed since
1880, as provided in p 664, G. S. 1894.
''The certificates of election of treas
urer and sheriff do not appear as requir.
ed under 723-7s3 G. S. 1894.
at appears that the judge of probate
still continues to allow examiners in
lunacy cases 80 and mileage" This
has been modified in the law of 1905
Chap. 81, allowing examiners only $500
and mileage" >s..a.
County Commissioner Anderson. APP
pears to have been paid $3.50 mileage
for visiting the poor. Attention is call
ed to Chap. I'll, G. l.. 1897, allowing
only one hundred (lO0) miles at tel
cents (l0cl in any one year. Commits
sioner Anderson has, therefore, exceed
ed that allowance in the sum of $3.50
which must be refunded. ,,....,.
Bloomberg's discrepancy, however, i
the most important feature of the over
hauling, and may go hard with the for
mer clerk of courts. The salary of tn
office is only $1,000 year and is pail
ont of the fees, if there are any, an.
difference being made up by the county
BY failing to record these fees accord
ing to the allegations, Bloomberg fore