The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-08-12
EVIDENCE is COMPLETED
i'm HEARING OF OFFICIALS
Commissioners Wright Sbley and Danaher on the Stand
They We're Never Instructed to Examine
Treasurer's and Auditors Books

treasury, showing the amount, kind
and character of the funds therein.
County Auditor Wilmann was
placed on the stand and stated that
the board did not examine the
accounts of the auditor or treasurer
at any one of these three meetings.
County Treasurer George H. French
was also sworn and testified as to
the board not examining the
treasurer's accounts at any one of
these meetings.
Testifying further, Mr.. Wilmann
stated that the board of tax levy of
1905 levied an appropriation of $40,
600 for the road and bridge fund in
1905; in 1906, $4,000; in 1907, SIS,
600. He also testified that there
was received from the liquor licence
fund $1,725, which was credited to
the road and bridge fund.
This morning Mr.. Wilmann testi-
fed that the county received from
the state S1,625, which was credited
to the road and bridge fund in &C.
cordance with appropriations made
by the legislature in 1907. He also
stated that the road beginning in the
center of section Fl, Township of
Bemidji (same being along the south
boundry of the village of Nymore)
and running thence south to the
Hubbard county line had been des-
ignated as Estate road, No. ~
The work done thereon by John w.
Olson was done on state road and
the money he received was partly
from the state appropriation. 1850 70
According to the financial state
ment of 1908, it was shown that the
county received a state appropriation
of $1,625; that warrants were issued
against the same to the amount 3 of
81, 508.32, and that on December 81,
| 1908, there was a balance of S117.6S.
E. E. Mcdonald was sworn as
witness for the defense on the third
charge, Mr.. Mcdonald testifying
that he had been a resident of the
City of Bemidji since May II, 1908;
that he had practiced law since June,
1888; that he was county attorney
of Beltraml county from July, 1905
until January l, 1907; and that dur
ing his term as county attorney he
attended every meeting of the county
board but one; that he attended
the meetings of the county board
in January and July of these years.
Mr.. Russell, attorney for Messrs.
Sibley and Wright, then offered
to prove by the testimony of Mr..
Mcdonald that the. attention of
the county commissioners had
never been called to the fact that
it was their duty to examine the
condition of the treasurer's and
auditors Offices and to make
report concerning the same. This
was objected to by the state and
sustained by the referee.
F. O. Sibley being called as wit
ness stated that he had been CON-
missioner for eight or nine years;
that during that period he had been
chairman two or three times, that as
a member of the board he did not
examine the condition of the audi
tors and treasurer's Offices as re-
quired by the laws of 1908 or the
code of 1905 and amendments
thereto. He stated that his atten-
ton had never been called to this
duty by the county attorney nor had
it ever been mentioned in any of the
sevaral examiners reports received
during that time.
At this time Mr.. Russell stated
that the board of county commits
sionerswas not composed of lawyers;
that their attention had not been
called to any of these duties by the
county attorney or other public
officer; that this law was not followed
in other counties throughout the
state and that he, in his opinion,
could not see why these men should
suffer for anything not done or
required to be done by the exam
iner's office in other counties.
Roy K. Bliler was called as wit
ness and testified that he had been
County surveyor for the past year
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