The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-08-07

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list from which the auditors assess
ments had been made between
January 4 and May S, according tc
the testimony introduced.
Regarding the two descriptions
in Block 16 and II, Mr.. Wilmann
stated that this land was used as an
alley, and that they were placed on
the list by his deputy, F. S. Arnold.
and that he did not believe this
property was subject to taxation.
Mr.. Wilmann stated that as soon
as his attention was called to the
omitted property he Immediately
made an auditors assessment for
current taxes as we'll as back taxes,
and that the public examiners office
had never reported to him any
omitted descriptions.
Regarding the division of the
N. w. ID of the S. w. II of section
4, Town of FROM, Mr.. Wilmann
stated that auditors assessment was
made as soon as it was determined
whether or not the nineteen acres
decided to the Beltrami Electric
Light & Power company as howage
had been assessed as personal or
real estate and that the said auditors
assessment was made February IS.
Mr.. Mcdonald offered in evidence
his request, made in 1905, to. the
governor asking that official to
appoint special examiner to
examine and report on the lands in
Beltrami county, and that such
examiner came to Bemidji, and after
searching the records for some time,
madelreport to the governor that the
taxes that would be collected by the
placing of these tracts on the liens or
tax list did not warrant the expense
incurred in making such list.
Mr.. Wilmann stated, on direct
examination, that he had devoted
considerable time to writing for and
receiving patents and receivers
receipts from the U. S. land Offices
at Crookston, Cass Lake and
Duluth; that all descriptions men,
toned in this complaint were on
the list before the charges were
preferred by the public examiners
office, and that in making the
charges the public examiner had
taken the auditors list from which
to make up the list in the examiners
report.
This morning Mr.. Wilmann con-
tinued his testimony and stated that
at the time the assessors met at his
Office to receive the assessment
books for the year 1908, he informed
all assessors to be on the watch for
omitted lands; that if they discovered
any it was their duty to report it to
the town board or to the county
auditor. :
Mr.. Wilmann asserted that the
law does not require the county
auditor to record proceedings of the
county board establishing, altering
or vacating county roads; that the
statute prescribed that the commits
sioners must provide for this work;
that there were three road record
books marked a." b." and &C."
in his office and that some of these
had a few entries.
At the time of assuming office,
said Mr.. Wilmann, a few road pro.
ceedings were recorded, most of
them but partially finished; that
early in the year of 1906 he employ
ed T. Baudette to do part of this
work, for which bills were allowed
by the commissioners.
In giving his testimony, Mr..
Wilmann stated that he had talked
over his work with M. D. Stoner, at
the time the latter was county sur
veyor, and later with Roy K. Bliler,
the present county surveyor.
On cross-examination by Mr..
Smith, Mr.. Wilmann stated that no
contract had been entered into with
Mr.. Stoner and that no money had
been paid either to MIR. Stoner or
Mr.. Bliler for the work recorded in
the road record books; that some
work was done on this record book
by Mr.. WiImann, himself. :
On redirect examination, Mr..
Wilmann stated that the attitude
of the county board towards the
county o,1ditor,c oAcoo ,,,., ~ ~ !