The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-04-14
SAYS OFFICIALS
ROBBED COUNTY.
PUBLIC EXAMINER WRITES OF
.THE SHAME OF BELTRAMI.'
Accuses Almost Every Official Of Tile
gal Acts-Public Funds Used for
Private Gain, Law Abused and Per-
verted-How Graft" Game Was
Worked-Governor to Investigate.

The leading officials of Beltrami
county are charged with malfeasance in
office in report filed late yesterday
afternoon with Governor John A. John
son by P. M. Kerst, public examiner.
The report is very long and makes SEN
sational disclosures. 49, ,~~- s-.e.
"In looking over this report it
says, addressing the governor, "'you
will find it very apparent that wilful
and the payment of illegal bills out Of
the funds of the county have prevailed
for the last three or four wears. w.
"One Of the most glaring irregulari-
ties discovered is the utter disregard,
abuse and perversion of law in the
handling of crimes. Apparently no
| effort has been made in many cases to
perpetrators in order to bring them to
justice. r> s.r.s ~.
''In my opinion the county attorney
and two Of the county commissioners
have made themselves liable to prose-
cution for their illegal acts, and steps
should be taken to proceed against them
for the following reasons:
"The county attorney, H. J. Loud, in
that he failed to prosecute criminal
cases when brought to his notice, was
aware of and connected with the hold
ing back of funds received for liquor
licenses, and neglect in not examining
bills and preventing the allowance of
excessive and illegal claims.
Commissioner F. o. Sibley-In be,
ing a, party to and receiving funds on
illegal claims.
Commissioner w. Wright-In ap.
propriating to his own use funds be-
longing to the county and in various
cases being party to and knowingly
allowing unjust and illegal claims.
I'D. L. Sylvester, who has been the
auditor prior to Jan. ], 1905, is impli
Gated to considerable extent in that
of county funds upon bills that he
should have known to be improper.
cit is also shown by this report that
the sheriff, county physician and CLERK
Of court are more or less implicated ii
irregularities contrary to law.
GAS to the matter of assessments
taxation and abatement of taxes,
am informed by the state auditor that
when assessing the several tracts o;
land. the value of standing timber mus
be considered, to arrive at the prope:
valuation for taxation. This was ap
ty officials in that certain owners O.
land are favored more than others
which their several tax lists plainl,
show. Even after low valuation i
placed on the property, ATTACHMENTS o
taxes are demanded (amounting il
some cases to several thousands o
dollars), and receive ready and promp
, approval by the county officials, with
out any apparent effort to prove tn
statements of the claimants.'
The report states work in the coun
ty auditors office is much behind. N
effort has been made to secure iron
the state refund of wolf bounties O
over ST. 1000 paid by the county.
Takes In Most Everything.
} Investigation is asked by the publ
? examiner or fraud and conspiracy alon
the following lines:
County printing, in which the contrac
| is usually left to the highest bidder.
"a Road and bridge expenditures, whic
show unlawful and excessive payments
r Excessive and illegal bills allowe
t amounting to over $1,000
Bills paid to county health officer an
county physician, in violation of thei
contracts with the county. ->s~.
The construction OF bitches, which sho,
, improper proceedings in the reviewer
2 report and in the sale Of ditches
Assessments and taxes in which exces
, sive taxes wero levied for county pur
= poses.
Statements and grand jury reports an
fraud in the defunct Merchants bank &C
counts.
The names Of the county officials ar
;: given in the report as follows: A,
: ditor, John Wilmann; treasurer, Georg
H. French; register Of deeds, J. o. Ha1
ris; sheriff, Thomas Bailey; attorne,
e H. J. Loud; judge Of probate, M. 4
Clark; surveyor, NJ. D. Stores; corone
= E. H. Marcum; clerk Of courts, F. "
Rhoda; street commissioner, Parke
Nye; superintendent Of schools, j.
n Regain; county commissioners, Y
g Wright, George Gunderson, F. o. Sill
i ley. j. H. Wagner and O. w. Danaher
9 The governor will appoint commi
d sioner Of two to take testimony an
e report to him.