Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1910-02-19

the new sheriff would carry the court
house debt as had the former sheriff.
but when it came to their notice that
the sheriff had refused to take up or
ders passed by the court they caused
an investigation. and after finding out
the real status OF affairs, they asked
the tax commissioner to come here
and confer with them In the hope Of
devising some means OF clearing up
the tangle. When the commissioner
informed them that 1t would be Inn
possible for him to come here, the
court deemed It best to have some
one go 10 Charleston and present the
whole matter to the commissioner and
County Clerk Hobbs was selected for
the mission,
The county has owed the ex-sheriff
something more than $4,000 ever
since the completion of the court
house. This Ii in one order which the
court gave him. which Cancelled sew
eral others which aggregated that
amount and had been granted at vari-
Gus times as the amounts were paid
to the contractor.
Open to the Public.
All these matters are OF record In
the minutes OF the court and are open
to the people OF the county. The court
is making no effort to withhold any
thing from the public, but were I'M
willing to have the matter made pub
lie here until 1t had been presented
by them to the State Tax Commission.
er.
The court feels that the matter will
be satisfactorily adjusted when they
hold their conference with the com
There are several ways In
which Ii may be cleared up and the
county freed from debt. One would
be the calling OF special election for
the laying of sufficient levy to COW
er the Indebtedness and the other
would be to have the legislature pass
a bill allowing the court to make a
levy to take up the Indebtedness.
Have Confidence Of Public.
The public has always known the
under which the court
house was remodeled and knew that
there was still several thousand dol
lars owing on 1t, and was satisfied to
have the court take care OF the debt
in the way 1t had planned. Every one,
is satisfied that the building has been
made modern and convenient for a
very moderate sum and the county
court has been commended all along
for the care and economy they have
exercised In its reconstruction.
The people of Berkeley County are
honest and they will be only too will
ing to come to the assistance OF the
court and help them out OF the diff
Guilty In any way that the tax commits
sioner may deem wise. There Is very
little criticism of the court, the only
one OF consequence being that the
court has put of for SO long a time
the effort to relieve the county OF the
burden which 1t was carrying.
When asked concerning the trans
action between the sheriff and the ex-
sheriff. the clerk of the court said
that was something with which they
had nothing to do.
Sheriff Refuses to Talk.
When Sheriff Kettering was seen
by representative of The Evening
World he said that he had nothing
to say, but would make a statement
when the proper time came.
The present crisis in the county's
affairs has been brought about by the
between the sheriff and
the ex-sheriff and when the investiga-
ton is made 1t is expected that there
will be some very interesting develop
ments in that quarter.