Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1911-05-04

the county $ interest in six tracts OF
land, rendering for the same the
amount he claimed to be due the
county for back taxes. interest and
penalty. which amounted to nearly
two thousand dollars. The treasurer
refused to assign the same or receive
the money. presumably for the rca-
son that he was not clear as TO the
rights of the county in the same,
Friday of last week mandamus pa
pers were served on the treasurer
to compel the assignment asked for.
and the matter is to come up before
the court at Bismarck next Wednes-
day.
| The tracts in question are part
of more than fifty manifestations
| of land on which the county had
claims for back taxes in the
year 1901. and which were adver-
tisei for sale at competitive bidding
on the fourth day of November.
| 1901.
| Al the date named there were up
ward Of a dozen bidders. most Of
them bidding the amount that was
due TO the county on the tract or
tracts on which they bid. At that
time the commissioners. by motion.
rejected all the bids offered and
directed sales to be made Of fifteen
quarters to 7. L. Beiseker, and the
remainder about 6.76l acres were
sold 10 the Hackney Boynton Land
Company for about Is per cent of
the amount due the county on the
lands. Later, it appears that some
of the delinquent owners of these
tracts brought actions to determine
their rights in the tracts which they
owned. Lawyer Lynn acted as their
attorney. and the cases were finally
determined in the supreme court,
that body holding that the owners
had right to redeem by paying the
amount against the tracts and Z per
cent interest. In the cases before
the court. as matter Of convenience
in the trial. it was agreed to as fact
that the Hackney Boynton Land
Company had paid the full amount
due the county; which, however.
was not true, and for that reason
the court held that the Hackney
Boynton people we're entitled to the
redemption money. But it is con-
tended by Lynn that the county is
entitled to all Of the redemption
money. under the true state Of
facts, ard such money would amount
to anywhere between five thousand
and twenty thousand dollars, accord
ing to the manner in which the court
should find that the interest and
penalty should be calculated. The
editor of the Record has read the
decision, and, from what he remem-
bers of the facts, he believes it
would undoubtedly be a wise move
on the part Of our board Of county
commissioners to investigate the
matter and ascertain the rights of
the county therein, and. if there is
anything rightfully coming to the
county. initiate steps to obtain it.
At the time of the sale to the Hack
ney- Boynton Land Company there
were many rumors as to the means
the land company employed to influ-
ence the commissioners to make the
discount of % per cent, in the face
of the fact that many bidders offer
ed the full amount. Mr.. Lynn says
that at the time Of instituting the
suits. and shortly afterward, he Of
fered to pay to G. A. Herolz. the
then county treasurer. the sum of
1922 76.5s in redemption of seven
teen manifestations, and that MIR.
Herolz refused to accept the same.
With all this money being offered
and no takers, isn't it about time
that the taxpayers should ascertain
definitely where they are at. and
compel some one to take it if it be-