The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-12-17
CLARK WILL
BRING SUITS
Against the Marion County
Officials.
OPINION or THE COURTS
Desired in Matter of Laws
s Governing Fee Drawing.
Actions are Result Of Report Filed
BY Inspector z. N. Halbedel Filea
with the Auditor of State.

Prosecuting Attorney John Fl.
Clark will start suits in the local
court of common pleas against
those county officials who are
charged with having drawn illegal
| fees during the past few years,
| lie states, however, that these suits
are to be brolght merely to get
an opinion OF the court I'M regard
to the. various laws governing the
payment of fees to county off,
| cials.
Several weeks ago Z. N. Hal
bedel, an inspector from the state
bureau of uniform accounting, filed
a report with the auditor of state
in which he charged practically ev-
cry county official who has served
within the past Ave years with
having drawn illegal fees. The to.
tai amount was $4,000. go
That some of the officials were
entitled to the fees the prosecu-
tor believes. Tuesday he made the
following statement regarding his
plans lin regard to this matter:
"I have been asked great many
times since the filing of the re-
port of the examination of Marion
county by T.. N. Halbedel, one of
the state examiners from the
bureau of inspection and supervis-
ion of public Offices. whether or not
suits would be brought against the
parties or officers alleged to have
drawn illegal rees.''
| "I will state my position with
reference to said matter:
| First. we will all have to
! admit that there is question as
to the law governing a great many
of the findings, and that probably
In some cases the bureau 's> inter
probation of the law is incorrect.
"second, in all cases where the
Bureau Is wrong, and the officials
has only drawn what he was lie.
galiy entitled to, II there are such
cases, an injustice has been done
the officials by making the i'm.
preston upon the minds Of the
pcoplo that saii officer or officers
have drawn Illegal fees.
| "Thlrd. II the bureau is correct
n rs nndns5, and officers or
rHfdies have drawn illegal fees
then an injustice has been done
the people II said officers or par
ties are not required to pay said
money back into the county treas.
ury.
"fhe only way for us to find
out who has been done the I'm.
Justice is to let the courts pass
upon the law governing the var
ious findings; this being true
suits will be started at once
against all parties whom 1t is
illegal fees, unless. OF course, some
alleged. by the bureau has drawn
OF the parties desire to volun.
tarily return said alleged illegal
fees, which some expect to do al
once.
"lt seems to me In fairness tc
the officers or parties; in fairness
to the bureau of public accounting
In fairness to the tax payers o
the county, and in fairness t.
myself these suits ought to be
brought and the law governine
the fees IN the various findings
should be determined.
"it has been stated by parties
who were either ignorant or dis
honest. that I probably would brIne
those suits, as would get fec
out of each one OF them, which oi
course is absolutely Incorrect. as
the prosecuting attorneys are or
salaries, and In this county the
salary lis 1850 and the amount o
work done will not increase ,ol
diminish said amount.
f'Ihe bringing of said suits ther
only means hard work for me. and
the satisfaction of knowing that
have done my duty"