The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-07-01
County Commissioners WieI1
the Whitewash Brush /.
Private. N
SWENSON CASE HEARING .
BEHIND CLOSED mn
Absence of Two Witne,
Causes Postponement Of
the Investigation.

The county commissioning held 8
cnamoer session Thursday mornina
hind closed doors and partly iuyos,,.
the charges against County S,,.va-r
Is, SWeDson, In every other oo,,-,
IN the country a matter Of such In
ancc 10 the public concerning s,'
irregularities In the conduct ~
Official is open and above board srs
investigation is generally public nm,
SO with the county commissioners Of
county. They seem determined IN h.
Such matters with as much secre1-
possipic' so lllat the whltewash
may be applied gently and witho,,s. :.
public Knowing anything OF the rcsi'
in the case. 'oH'
~ representative OF The Trimno
present in the office Of the comn1v
rnlssioncrS when the lnvesiipat,c,
supposed TO have commenced Thmr.
put lie was not permitted Ia re,na,,''
long. County Surveyor Swenson :,
the point as TO whether or not the
ING was To be private or public. Co,
sIoher Murdock at once replied fhs'
taL as ne was concerned, II shoui
public, as he wanted the public ~
OF these things.
Chairman John c. Macliay had !
tercnt opinion on that question and
Sested that they reLire TO nnothsr>
and decide whether or nor ihev !
permit the newspaper mon TO ren,ain'
ing The investigation. The newsr
men retired and gave the conmIrsls
the opportunity to decide that y,
WITHOUT embarrassment 10 the officj,
AFTER waiting about thirty ininufcs
a ,.f
INTO the commissioners room for T.
brief moments 10 hear a very n
question put by Chairman Macts
county Auditor Heglpbotham, whicI
FORMER thought settled the cnarre 4
the failure OF the county surveyor ia
III fees collected by him for the ann.
OF plats OF subdivisions Checked Nv
The answer OF the auditor was uof
conclusive, from q newspaper Stands
at least, but Chairman Mackay was
IDENTIFY satisfied. as he then askej
newspaper men TO retire from ths
ana be sure and get that matter
III the papers"
Auditor Questioned.
Mr. Mackay asked the county an
whether or not Mr.. swenson had In
in fees collected by him. and vh<
or not the plats for which the see5
been paid had been checked up 10 A
the amount turned In was correct
In reply 10 this. Mr.. Heglnbothafn
tnat the fees had been turned IN
inc piats checked as far as could be I
but under the statute ha said no def
fees had been fixed, as it seemed TO
that matter entirely to the suryr
hence there was no way of Checking
satisfactorily
Mr., Mackay then explained To the 4
representatives that up until thIs I
there had been no ordinance In for
the county fixing definite fees for cho
10 be made by tho surveyor. He
asked II the surveyor had turned IN
fees under the new ordinance An
they had been checked by the audit
MI ginbotham put another q
into Chairman Mackay by his Il
which was that the surveyor had IN
In fees under the new ordinance. hut
made no report. so that the auditor Z
not check the fees.
Mr.. Swenson took the hint and
tened TO remark that ne had the ror
Tor the last three months made out
would file them with the auditor du
the day. Up 10 o'clock Thursday u
noon the reports had not been filed
The auditor.
Requested to Leave.
After this very valuable Informu
had been so adroitly brought out TIM
the questioning of Chairman Mackay.
newspaper men were requested 10 II
the room and the investigation contlI
behind closed doors. Two Of the d
discharged employees OF the county
veyor who made the charges against
were not present. and after some
and hearing the statement of Mr., WI
ker, one of the discharged emplo}
Chairman MacRay announced TO the n
representatives who were waiting
side the office. that the investigation
continued until after the return oI
other two employees Of the surveyors
fee, who arc said to be out OF tho sI1[
The charges made against Mr.. 81
son by his former employees are
he failed 10 turn into the treasure<
of the fees collected by him for chc<|
plats OF subdivisions filed of record;
he used the county'S mon and team
material for private work done BY
on time paid fo by the county
last-named charge is supposed 20
been considered In executive sesSun
the commissioners after the press r<|
scntatives were excluded from the u
Those present at The Investigation
Commissioners Mackay. Burton
Murdoch, County Attorney Lyon. C00
Surveyor Swenson and ;. c. WMt1|
one OF the discharged employees.