The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1909-06-24


are filed in consecutive order accord
ing to number on the Index Register.
The jury fees paid into court have
been properly accounted for
Superintendent of SchOOls-W. B.
Stewart.
The Superintendent Of Schools has
filed the enrolment report with the
county auditor, as required by Sec.
1884, r. L. 1905, and his salary was
by Sections $4,000, r. L. 'O5.
County Attorney-Chester McKusick.
Salary
The salary of the county attorney
was fixed by the Board at $1,000.OO
per annum An appeal was taken to
the District Court and the salary was
fixed by the Court at $1,000 per an
mum.
Contingent Fund
attorney for 1908 (Funkley) was
$4,000. OF this amount $4,000 was
disbursed and the balance transferred
to the Revenue Fund as provided by
ebay. 999, G.. L. 1907.
Deputy Auditor Brose's Statement.
The attention of the Grand Jury
was called to the following affidavit
received by mail. AS it is a matter
that can be substantiated or refuted
ny IeSIlIuOIly OIlly, respectfully ~
ferred the subject to that body for
consideration.
M. F. KAHN,
u Asst. Public Examiner.
Dated June 4, 1909.
"Blackduck, Mimi, 9-1S-'0S.
ITO the Public Examiner, St. Paul.
Dear Sir:-Please read the enclosed
circulars and if possible make some
suggestions as to what we can do in
o1r TIC
having loaned the asst. books to the
Crookston Lumber Co.
Yours truly,
S. w. ELLIS"
'Oct. 5, 1908.
"Mr. S. w. Ellis, Blackjack, MINI.
Dear Sir:-I am in receipt Of an
opinion from the attorney generals
office in regard to the matter submit
ted by you, regarding the county
auditor of your county. The opinion
is as follows:
IF the charges contained in these
printed circulars are true, it is prob
able that the auditor is guilty of mall
feasance in office and subject to re-
movaI therefrom by the Governor on
substantiation thereof. Very truly
yours, (Signed) G. Louis Weeks,
Special Assistant.
"Trust that this is what you want.
OURS truly,
A. sCHAEFER,
Public. Examiner"
The circulars referred to follow:
Blackjack, Mimi, Sept. 1, 1908.
Mr.. A. B. Allen, Editor Sentinel Be-
midi, MINI.
Dear Sir:-Your letter of Aug. 21st,
in which you submit four questions
relative to the official conduct of our
present county auditor, is received
and noted.
I answer these questions as follows:
1. One day while I was Mr.. Will
mann's deputy, an employe of the
Crookston Lumber Company entered
the auditors office with package
under his arm and placed it on the
table. I asked him what he had there
and he answered. "Some assessment
books that Mr.. Wilmann loaned U.S."
I opened the package and placed the
books several in number, in the vault.
Mr.. Brose, the other clerk, was pres
ent and saw those books returned,
and, I have no doubt, remembers the
incident as we discussed the matter
after the company's agent went out,
For we were somewhat shocked to
think that the taxpayers of this
county had paid over $50,OO0.00 for a
court house, with safety vaults in
which to keep their records and then
have a trusted and paid custodian of
those records permit them to be car
ried away by corporation of any one
else, and returned at their leisure.
Had the office Of the CrOokston
Lumber Co. burned while those books
were in their possession, the county
might have lost the real record upon
which all legal actions in tax matters
rest-the assessment record.
2. Yes.
8. Yes.
A. I have no personal knowledge
that he ever issued warrants to his
deputies or clerks in excess of their
salaries, and then required them to
give him the difference between the
amount Of the warrants and salaries.
But the deputy who succeeded me
complains that he was so treated and
is prepared to make oath to that eff
feet.
If anyone doubts the truth of the
rumors implied in your questions, l
would suggest that they ask Mr..
Wilmann himself regarding them.
Yours truly,
c. o. MOON.
Blackjack Enterprise, Sept. 8, 1908.
In Re the Auditors Office:
Mr.. C. O. Moon of this place has
received a letter of inquiry from the
Bemidji Sentinel in regard to the
manner in which the county auditor S
office has been conducted, which he
has answered.
The Sentiners letter and Mr.. Moons
reply follow:
Bemidji, MIMI, Aug. 21, 1908.
Mr.. G! O. Moon, Bannock, Mimi.
Dear Sir:-It is rumored that our
present Auditor, Mr.. John Wilmann,
has, during his administration, done
certain things unbecoming the head of
that important office.
We desire to satisfy ourselves as to
the truth of these charges, and being
aware that you were his deputy for
some time. believe that you are in as
good a position as anyone to confirm
or refute these charges. Hence we
respectfully ask you to answer the
following questions to the best Of your
knowledge:
/. Did he ever loan any of the tax
records Of this county to the Crooks
ton Lumber Company?
2. Did he ever have an employe of
that company at work in his office,
without fee, changing the valuations
in the assessment books, after the
Board of Equalization had made a
sweeping reduction of said Company's
assessment?
3. Did he ever keep a special clerk
in the office for nearly year, at a
salary of $50 per month"; at work on
the Current Business of the office,
when the commissioners resolution