The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1906-02-15
The Carroll bill for s2O5.S0 for one

The Carroll bill for s2O5.SO for one
months work, was also produced. He
had charged for % days committee
work, 1902 Overseeing the poor one day,
32.7o. 1857 miles travelled. including his
trip to Minneapolis, sS4.35. June 6-S
meeting, days. SIG. Mileage to and
fro meeting 5000.
Black was asked as to whether ne thot
% days work in one month was eNces-
sive. He said ne did not think it was.
Black was induced to tell how the
commits toner's charged for their services
Three of them, the defendants charged
one day coming and one day going, as
tho they had been attending meeting
of Board. And in addition they charged
mileage. This of course is contrary to
law. In practically every instance where
Black came to Minot to attend meet
ing of the Board, he charged in this
manner. Now he knows he has made a
mistake, will he be honest and refund to
Ward county what money is due her:
The voters will watch Mr.. Blacks course
, with good deal of interest. Black told
! how Neil McDougall had repaired the
| dipping tank near his home. (Which by
| the way the county built at cost of
of several hundred dollars. and which is
used mainly by MIR. Black for which
McDougall was paid s5S.51. Mr.. Back
| had been paid SO for boarding two men
on the job and had been given IS for
hauling a load from Stanley. An at
tempt was made by the state to show
! that as a county commissioner, he had
entered into contract with the county
| Black said that he had always charged
| 81 day for signing warrants: He some
i times came down on purpose to sign
them and charged the county for three
days or one day coming ard one day
! for going in addition to the mileage.
| (Thrn the tax payers wonder why their
! taxes are highs
! Auditor Fabrick told how he came to
! make out the two excessive warrants
for two of the defendants, June s, 1905.
One was drawn to S. s. Richardson fsr
s2Ol 95 and the other to Leslie X. Carroll
| for S2G5SD. These warrants were in
payment TOR bill. part # which in
cluded the famous trip to minneapolis.
On Saturday evening J. Z. Smith was
| placed on the stand to explain what he
! meant when he admitted that Nckeevcr
| had embeZzled money from his Office.
! He said that Mcheever had not really
eribezzled any money, but that he had
! ony; teen short few times and not any
time to exceed six dollars. He had al
ways paid this amount back. Tins at
tack o.. Mr.. Mckeever by the defense
was considered very cowardly, and had
no place whatsoever in the proceeding
| of the case.
The state touched slightly upon the
sale Of the 800, 900 funding bonds.
The state here rested and the Judge
adjourned court until Monday morning.
Auditor Fabrick was called and testi-
, fed that the commissioners had met in
the year 1908 as follows: January II
days; February days: March 6 days;
:. pril days: May days: June 4 days;
July y days: August days: September
4 days: October 4 days: November 6
days and December So days.
Atty. Greene, attorney for he defense
then asked the Judge to lind verdict
of not guilty on six Of the charges.
Goss granted the motion with the ex-
ception of one of them. The charges
thrown out related to the Parker rebate
tax. the Dinnie hospital contract. the
raising in value Of Minot real estate
property so per cent. on the assessed
valuation the fact that was produced.
Some bills had not been properly
verified, and the sale OF the
100000 refunding bonds. This left the
charge which later proved to be the
sticker for commissioners Carroll and
Richardson. and the latters Waterloo.
This left six charges for the com
misSioIers to explain.
Attorney Wineman prior to Goss' de
cision, called his attention to the fact
that the state legislature had made
stringent rules that before the bills are
allowed by the county. they must be
properly itemized and verified. II
Green's argument that these men simply
made mistake, is good one, then It
might be gust as well to wipe out the
statute.
i 1t is general rule to charge the
county more than private individual,
but this Is not right. No one has right
to charge the county cent more for
any work than they would private in
divldual. This would lead to favoritlsm
and fraud. A person who violates these
; laws is guilty of a misdemeanor and can
be sent to jail, If convicted. There Is
no law to authorize these men to allow
. bill and order warrant drawn before
goods are delivered. These men were
not authorized to go to Minneapolis
No officer has right to charge per diem
out of the state, only allowing his actual
expenses.
County Supt. Warren was called to
the stand to testify that he had met Mr.
Palmer shortly after he had arrived in
i Minot and had been informed that Pal
mer was supboened for this trial. An
attempt was made to show that Palmer
i had been brot here from the east to
Ssstify against the commissioners.