The weekly chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Craig County, Okla.) 1905-1913, 1911-09-22

yember l6, 1907 to January 8 1911,
now owe the county the sum of $l3,
270.31, according to report made to
the office Of Charles Taylor, state ex-
aminer and inspector, by r. NJ Nash,
special deputy examiner. Those Off
cials in whose accounts the report
shows that shortages exist We're the
county Judge, sheriff, clerk of the dis
trict court, county superintendent of
schools, county attorney and the as
sistant county attorney.
On the other hand, the county owes
to other county officials the sum of
81, ,905.44, including an amount which
may or may not be due to the county
commissioners depending on the inter
probation of the courts of the question
of whether such officials are entitled
to a raise in salary during their term
of office. 1t now is before the supreme
court.
The greatest discrepancy was found
by Inspector Nash in the accounts of
the county Judge, Theodore d. b..
trear, the amount reported to be due
to the county being $4,34446. OF this
amount, $1,431.25 is said to have been
'overcharges on probate cases, $259.09
was oyercharges in civil cases, $266.99
oyercharges in criminal cases, $164.50
in issuance of marriage licenses and
marriage certificates, $4921S in over
drafts on his own salary, $1,439.27 in
amounts paid in excess of the legal
limit for clerk and deputy hire, $9017
in cases where alterations were made
in the records, and $197.55 in costs
charged in criminal cases which were
dismissed.
The examiner says of the county
Judge that his records were poorly kept,
that he had no definite system in keep
ing the receipts and disbursements of
his office, that there were erasures by
knife blade and acid and changes made
counts of the sheriff and made no final
report to the county commissioners
when his term of Office expired.
According to the report, on July l,
the sheriff, H. E. Ridenhour, was in
debted to the county in the sum of $4,-
1928 During his first term of office,
! if he had earned in fees the amount
allowed by law, he would have been
entitled to $7,553.32 But he legally
earned only $6,970S3. He drew in sal
airy the amount of $9.98194, leaving a
total amount overdrawn of $2,42S.62
not allowed and $82.49 which would
have been allowed to him had he earn
ed it in fees. This made total of
$3,01111 overdrawn in salary.
The report states further that he
paid out in deputy hire in excess of
the legal limit the amount of $1,05S.71
before January 8, 1911, and after that
time until July /, under the salary
law, an excess of $123.93 was paid. Also
he charged excess expenses in serving
criminal court papers Of $51.50, but
this was due to a misinterpretation of
the law The report also states that
the sheriff also charges for liquor
seizures under the prohibition law, al
though there is no fee so allowed. The
examiner states that it was a case
where the work was demanded by the
people, and that he really was entitled
to the fees for the work done.
In the case of D. B. Stutsman, clerk
of the district court, there was a total
balance due the county of $1,752.15.
Part of this amount was fees collected
for transferring from his Office to the
office of the county clerk the papers
in cases turned over to him at state
hood by the old United States probate
clerk. He charged 60 cents, it is stat
ed for transferring each case. when
he has no right to even transfer them.
The total amount of this was $775.35.
L ICii lHG ItDOIl StdlGS IUdt lie charged
the county s. per diem for attendance
at court. also at the same time charg-
ing the regular fees for each court act,
which amounted to a double salary.
The amount so overdrawn was 1866.
Because of errors he was allowed a
salary of $50 more than he was en-
titled to.
The county superintendent of
schools, H. W. c. Shelton. according
to the report, overdrew in salary and
expenses the sum of $637.65. Of this
amount, SHOPS was illefal expenses
for attending teachers meetings, $3.50
was per diem salary as a member of
the county examining board, $3S was
excess expense in visiting schools,
S1S4.95 was paid out in excess hire,
and $124.42 was overdrafts in his own
salary.
The county attorney, Edward H.
Brady, was all right in his accounts.
except, it is claimed, that through
1.