The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1910-06-16

Sheriff Makes Weak Attempt to Set Himself
Right in the Eyes Of the Voters s4is A.
ministraton Has Seen Very Cestiv

Minot, N. D., June 18th, 1910.
TO the Ward County Independent:
In a recent issue of the Minot indie
pendent, newspaper committed to the
candidacy of another candidate for
1.-THE Republican nomination for sheriff,
some figures are published regarding
the fees Of the Sheriffs Office during
the years of 1908 and 1909, and la
borious ecort is made to imply that
there has been a misadministration of
the Office of Sheriff and disposition
on my part to rob the taxpayers.
| 1t has been said that all is fair in
war and certainly the attitude of the
Minot Independent would Indicate that
it also holds that all is fair in poll
tics. I believe the servants OF the
people are accountable to them and
stand ready at any time to go into
any matter touching on the conduct
Of my Office with any taxpayer In
Ward County, not excepting the edl-
tor of the Independent. Such a course
on his part would no doubt be valua-
bic to him as giving him a more lucid
understanding of the subject matter
in hand.
No one who has read the indie
pendemt's article can doubt that 1t
| has been inspired by political pre1u-
dice and is nothing more or less than
an attempt to create capital for ano-
Their candidate at my expense.
wish to say that during my term
as Sheriff l have not collected one
cent from the county that was not
legitimate and also wish to say that
the fact that the sheriff's salary in
1909 ran up ito $4,000 does not neces-
sarily Indicate plentitude that ne can
cross the palm of every editor, who
must be "sweetened" before he will
support anybody for any office at any
time.
The Office of sheriff of Ward coun'
ty is one Of the most important III
the County and before citing the total
of the fees as the Sheriff's salary, to
the end that it may be considered eX'
' orbitant, those who wish to be fair,
and are not biased in the mater Will
no doubt be pleased to take some &C
count of the expenses attached to 1t.
The prisoners of the county are board
ed at IS cents day. There nave
been times when there were as many
as so prisoners in the county jail
at once. Thus the board bllls run
I'D. The Sheriff bears the primary
EXPENSE. r. hen, too, there are depu-
ties at various points throughout the
county and in the office at Mlnot, nee
essary to the businesslike discharge
of the duties of this office. All the
fees paid to these deputies are &C.
counted in the sum total of the sher'
ifs salary. During my term OF ONCE
| have contributed as much as was IN
my power to cleaning up the bhnd
piggers in Ward County, and an inves
tigation will show that there have
Ibeen more arrests for the illegal sale
of liuuor since l have served the PEG
ple of the county as sheriff than ever
:before in the history OF the sheriff e
office.
TO charge that 1 have collected ID
cents a mile for summoning jurors Is
only partially correct. The figure was
charged for summoning only one
panel of Jurors in the year l9o9' De-
fore a change in the law, fixing the
fee for summoning jurors at ten cents
Furthermore the charge was mace
|adyisedly, the states attorney having
looked up the matter, and until 1ne
recent change in the law, 10 cents
was the fee allowed the Sheriff.
There is another circumstance
also which should be taken into con
sideration in considering this MAI
ter. Dnring my term OF ofhce' mucn
Of the money paid out for constaoaes
fees has been paid direct to the COLI
stables, at the time their service was
rendered, under former admlnlstra
lions by the sheriff, the constaoles
were sometimes compelled to present
their bills direct to the County Com
miss,oners and the money thus paid
out did not appear Of record as sher'
| in's salary as it does at the present
time.
have before stated that 1 Invite
the fullest investigation of the ousl'
ness Of this Office by every taxpayer
in Ward County. The people have a
right to know where their money goes
and how it is paid out and shall De
glad to assist them in any way can
as I am a taxpayer myself.
Tn NV present campaign for re-