The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1907-03-01
Board Of Supervisors Met in
Special Session to Hear
Report of Committee.
MANY 0VER-CHARGES FOUND
Ex-sheriff Britton Will Refund
S11O5.77 and Chief Nc
GreQor $3.50 90.

Pursuant to call the board of SUPER
visors met in special session last Mon
day to receive the report of the commit
tee appointed to investigate the bills of
Ex-sheriff Britton and Chief of Police
McGregor OF South Haven. Roll call at
p. IN. found the entire board in their
accustomed places. Following is the re-
port of the investigating committee:
To the Honorable Board of Supervi-
sors Of Van Buren, County:
Your committee appointed to investi-
gate the accounts of Elk sheriff Britton
and Deputy Sheriff McGregor, reports
as follows
We find that Sheriff Britton, following
the customary charges of former sheriffs,
has charged and collected illegal turn
key fees to the amount of S33l.75, as
shown by exhibit "a"
Also, following the same rule we find
that he has made errors, charged and
collected in various and sundry cases ap-
parent and illegal sums amounting to
1862 54 as cited in exhibit "B"
Also in Deputy Sheriff McGregor's
accounts there are apparent illegal
amounts collected in railroad charges
amounting to 229l3, as shown in exhibit
&c"
Also there has been apparently illegal
court fees collected amounting to Sl0968
as s also shown by exhibit &C." making
total for McGregor of s33S.Sl. Total
for Britton S99429, grand total S1333.l0.
Respectfully submitted,
VIM. G. SPENCER,
GEORGE HALE,
MILAN d. WIGGINs,
Committee.
This committee further reports that it
finds that the charges made by John III.
Britton and Malcolm McGregor have
been practiced by their predecessors in
the same Offices and that these charges
have been made according to custom
and not according to statutes. We also
find that there has been a great neglect
of system in the manner Of keeping
books and records, and great lack Of
detail in making reports, which makes
it next to impossible to check their ac-
counts.
We also find gross carelessness in max
ing returns of subpoenas to the county
clerk to be placed on file in the various
cases. In the grand jury proceedings
we were unable to find the return of
single subpoena of the great numbers
issued.
Attached herewith we file the opinion
of Attorney General Bird on legal points
submitted to him
Respectfully submitted,
VIM. G. SPENCER,
GEORGE HALE,
MILAN d. WIGGINs,
Committee.
After some discussion the committee
reported that one item of s. charged to
McGregor was all right and wanted it to
show that they charged him up with
S33S.Sl. An agreement was reached
whereby he will refund to the county
the amount and one- third of the cost Of
investigation, which is s5573, making a
total of S3S955. The time of payment
shall become due October 10, 1907.
On motion OF Supervisor Mackey, sec
onded by Supervisor Virgins, John II.
Britton was ordered to pay to the treas
urer of Van Buren, county S99424 and
the investigating committee Sl1l.48, a
totol OF sl105.77. And should said John
II. Britton, by the October session of the
board Of supervisors, 1907, prove by q
supreme court decision that the charges
for extra mileage on cases where more
than one warrant was served in one day
is legal, that the board OF supervisors
pay him the amount shown to have been
charged back to him ia such cases. The
amount 1894 80 due Van Buren, county
to be paid on or before the last day Of
the session of the board OF supervisors
in October 1907, and the sl11.4s, the ex-
pense of the committee to be paid at
once, the payment Of the amount due
the county to be secured satisfactorily to
the county treasurer.