Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-11-01
STANFORD CASE
IS DISMISSED.
,c,d County Commissioner Has
Lengthy Statement Made Part
OF Court Record.
tsLIcI1A1EO BY THE COURT
u,s Fidelity to the People Dur
Ing Long Incumbency in
County ONCE.

Nav There were a num-
snectat6rs In the district court
., Inst evening when Judge Howell
, ..rsa the case Of skeen vs Joseph
s ss,o,a and the defendant entered a
s ~, Of not guilty. and asked that luis
p'.' av. G II. Hollingsworth BIO per-
.rsd to make statement Tor nun.
which was granted.
Ne Hollingsworth.---f the court
.,e Mr.. stanford has prepared IN
,,,,s and has signed a statement
Nnnne nov ne termed one In explana-
vh'' lis plea OF not guilty. ana
W. = tnow IL is an unusual request
sn .N stIll I am going to ask the
70 n"I ~ exercise its discretion and
eoun' Inc statement TO be fled and
wade a part Of the bles anu recoru ,,
y, i,,' ,sis case, and l hope the court VIII
nrant my request AT this time move,
s,,su,nt TO consent OF counsel ior
psa accucser, that the proceeding IN
.s,utsd BY J. d. Skeen against joseph
stanford be dismissed.
s's TSs court granted the filing OF the
tolovlne statement:
70 he Hon. j. A. Howell, judge or
,hs secopd district court. and to the
,sxpayers and citizens of Weber eoun-
81 Utah; . .. atm
.orslv thank Judge Howell for per-
milling mo to make and have filed
Win he other papers IN this matter.
,hs following MS my reply to the al
lesed acts which / am charged with
committing by the accuser.
In November, 1900, / was elected
county commissioner OF Weber coun-
IL for o two-year term and In 1902
vas reelected by large plurality for
similar term, while In 1904 / was
elected by an unusual plurality for
the four-yenr term, the same covering
,he years 1905, 1906, 1907 and 1905.
In 1928, IL not as early as 1896. the
salary Of each county commissioner
N counties of the class 10 which We
lsr county belongs. was fixed at $50
W month, and has since remained at
iat sum. The statute allows each
ruty commissioner not 10 exceed
| ~ per annum. payable monthly, for
nd In the performance of his official
dltles, In 1897, and for portion OF
1875. the three county commissioners
then In office simply presented, with
oui any itemization or attempt at
lemizatlon whatever, each month a
clslm In their own favor, reading.
For actual and necessary expenses
Incurred IN attending sessions OF the
beard Of county commissioners, per-
forming committee work, etc, s25,'
and each claim was approved az re-
qulred by law. by the then county at
lolley, and approved and ordered
paid by the board OF county commits
ioners. IN 1899 and 1900 these claims
we're in a way itemized before each
vas approved by the county attorney.
Wy claims from the first month in Of
nee, January, 1901, to and including
nc last one ! presented, are fairly
gemized, aud after having been pre-
pared were approved by the county
auditor as to their correctness. and
men by the county attorney rs to
mer legality, and after such being
done. We're allowed and ordered paid
y, inc board OF county commissioners.
tAch county commissioner since 1898
Pas drawn very nearly, II not fully,
sSeu per annum. and not until re-.
~hly has any question been raised
70 the legality and regularity Of
ny cain OF this nature: In fact, $500
", ahnum came 10 be almost univer-
Sny considered a part Of the regular
alary attaching to the office of cown-
commissioner.
inc charges Of the accusation on flle
w,mmenee with my claim for January,
~ and take up In order practically
w claim rendered by me since that
aVah, The accusation states THAT
oefendant Is and has been guilty of
tlslng and collecting Illegal fees for
S.Vlces rendered and pretended to have
ssn rendered by him, and for expenses
%usred IN his capacity OF county COM
| sasnser OF said county" II any such
aesauon Is found to in fact exist as
''en one small item In any one OF
n , s'allns IN question, then I am given
'naerstand that without any modify
-, eatenuating circumstances what
~ uemg either considered or allowed.
wen any error In judgment or mem
smw rom any other cause, with no
, ,,as wrong doing, the verdict
NJ u nave 20 be one In effect meaning
REMOVAL from office.
| NJ recent exposures made OF dIshon-
i,snnIesnlarltles existing or having
hrl,pIed IN life insurance companies.
nina institutions, etc, the public
bas nas become imbued with such a
| Inward any such conditions or
nsa, aacuons that In my opinion any ac-
Mr. oa or charge made in this direc
tonh, Nnlen carries the semblance OF a
Inn against the accused OF the wrong
I'm renders II impossible, In my opir,-
MI W ootaln jury to try case OF
nnv ,samre without such bias control
sne minds OF the Jurors.
ms accusation does not make refer
tims .sI'houeh the public press at the
b ~ '"s accusation was filed so stated
h ANN vla,m OF s273.5o, presented by me
NE ro,, isVS' Tor expenses incurred by
by orSar 'il,tee on legislation appointed
A readn vi me board In August. 1902.
hlttea OF the report OF that COM
lain 4, salncient explanation of the
Acluda question. The accusation does
NAY ien. claim OF $50 rendered I'm
turred l., lor my actual expenses in
na me-, we performance OF my duty
alton ar,r OF the committee on legIs-
services polnted by the board and which
lion AZ ,h We're rendered during the ses.
4 hllv u ~. legislature OF 1905. This till
Write, .,selnlzed and a reading OF nv
" SUCH 'sport to the board as cnnlrma y
sient ,S,ommittee Is a full and sufI,-
hon. Tpahatlon OF the claim in o,,es-
1905 arc ns Two reports for 1904 ana
y clerk w NE In the office of the conn
sesIr,raa and are accessible 10 onv " um.
The 20 read the Same. " "'S o"'
ven reater portion OF mv ,,,o h..
posI,,ooppe nt In this county II have h 'sas
Ind i,,,. after position Of nnh,sc 'v h ne,u
ny Nha, and have ever strivsn ~ %a
avs,ole duty 10 the ci,,van " 10