Gloucester County Democrat., 1909-03-25
CHOSEN fREEHOLDERS.
MORNING SESSION.

the Board OF CHOSEN FreenOluefS last
Thursday closed while the Board was
discussing resolution presented by
Mr.. Usinger following the adoption OF
the Special committees report
The resolution follows: !,
s.Be it resolved, that the Board of
Freeholders approve of all the work
done on the County Roads which was
ordered by Lewis Stanger, County
Supervisor of the County Road Com
mittee, including all the different
scale of wages for the same, for teams
or labor in full up-to-date."
In advocating the adoption of the
resolution Mr.. Usinger made an i'm
passioned speech. He said as to the
allegations of the report against him
that in his 81 years service it would
be strange if he had not made mis-
takes in making out bills, in additions
and entries. He knew he had be-
cause only a few meetings ago the
Auditing committee had found a mis-
take of $24 he had made against him.
self. AS to his charge of five dollars
per day for his team and man, he said
the price was made with Road Super
visor Stanger in his lifetime, and had
never been objected to by any Free
holder. Prices for men and teams
vary; there are seasons when farmers
teams cannot be secured at any price,
and other times when the county can
hire them at $3.50 per day His team
the county had whenever there was
use for it,and he considered the county
received full value at the price agreed
on with the Supervisor.
Mr. Best opposed the adoption of
the resolution because he said nobody
knew what we were sanctioning. 1t
would be folly in this Board to adopt
such a statement as that.
Pending action the Board adjourned
for dinner.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
A loan of $4,000 in anticipation of
taxes was authorized.
At the request of Judge Starr and
Prosecutor Rogers, a reward of 5000
was offered for evidence that shall
lead to the conviction of the murderer
or murderers OF Edw. d. Cole, at Pal1S
bOro.
A bill of s$526.S4, in favor of the
Law and Order League, with a credit
of $50, carrying the approval of Judge
Starr and Prosecutor Rogers, was pre-
sented for payment. Mr.. Whitney ask
ed for particulars. Mr.. Rogers said
this expense was incurred in investi-
eating West Deptford hotel and two
speakeasies-one at Forest Grove, and
one at the White Bridge, in West Dept
ford township. Mr.. Whitney asked
where the salary of the detective is
SIS and expenses So, what was the $8
expended for. Mr. Rogers an
swered whisky and expenses. Mr..
Whitney asked how many convictions
he had had, and Mr.. Rogers answered
that he had employed the Law and
| Order agents in twelve cases at an
Expense of about $1,100. There had
been nine convictions and the fines
fell about $40 short of that amount.
| Mr.. Whitney wanted the bill fur
ther itemnized before it was paid.
Mr.. Cooper asked the Prosecutor
how he selected cases for investiga-
! tinn-why are certain places picked
out? Those we find violating the
law, we Investigate" said the Prose
cutnr.
Mr.. Usinger moved the bill be paid,
and the motion was adopted by vive
yoce vote
| Mr.. Cooper asked the idea of the
auditing bills in the future.
| Mr.. Whitney said there are only two
or three counties in the state that do
not have an auditor.
Several thousand do1lans in bills
are brought in for audit every meet
| ing, and it is impossible for the audi
tors to do more than prove the cal
eulationS If the auditors had a
l IL ~, 81 fr, Il n
make comparison, troubles such as
we are now experiencing could be
avoided.
On motion of Mr.. Usinger 1t was or
dened that Mr. Bell act as clerk to the
auditors, and the Special committee
was charged with the duty of perfect
ing a plan of procedure.
It was ordered that all bills to be
presented to the Board for payment
must be in The hands of the auditors
by 10 a. m. of the Tuesday before the
meeting.
Then the question of what eonsti-
tutes days work, for which a Free
holder may charge a days pay. came
up.
During the discussion it was said
that members had been known to
charge two days in one day--that is
a days pay for board meeting in
the morning, and a days pay for a
committee meeting in the afternoon.
Some charged days pay for inspect
ing the Imperial road, and dining with
the contractors. And members had
been known to charge dollar each
for viewing bridges and view several
in a day
Solicitor Avis was appealed to to
define a Freeholders pay day. He
said it seemed to him If there was a
day session of the Board and an even
ing session, the member was entitled
to another day for the evening session,
but in bridge investigation he was not
entitled to more than 81 in any one
day. He certainly was not entitled
to day for a committee meeting fol-
lowing a Board meeting.
Mr. Usinger asked for a committee
to view the wings of the Bridgeport
and Nortonville county line bridge.