The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1911-05-27
WANTS SHERIFF HAz Zen REMOVED
Vggo Peterson Chairman County Board in Petition to Governor
Accuses Beltrami Official Of Systematic SVinde and
Disgraeefm Conduct in Office.
PENDING PUBLIC INVESTIGATION, ALSO DEMANDED

petition setting forth such charges
and praying the removal Of that Of
ficer.
THE laxity in the matter of
handling prisoners has been sub
ject Of common talk for some time
but the matter Of collecting mileage
from the County where no mileage
has been earned has come to my at
tention recently, and I have refused
to sign warrants for claims that have
been allowed for such mileage.
Il believe that the interests Of this
County demand that prompt action
be taken in the premises and I trust
that the enclosed petition will re-
ceive early and earnest consideration
at your hands.
"Yours Respectfully,
"viggo Peterson, Chair
man Board Of County Commission
ers.'
The Peterson petition in full as
now before the Governor is as fol-
lows:
Here It Il In Full.
ITO His Excellency, A. o. Eber-
hart, Governor of Minnesota,
"Your petitioner, Viggo Peterson,
respectfully shows and alleges:
II. That your petitioner is the
chairman of the Board of County
Commissioners of the County Of
Beltrami, State of Minnesota, and
that Alvin B. sHazen now is and dur
ing all the times mentioned herein
has been the Sheriff of said Beltrami
County
III. That the said Alvin B. Hazen
has, during the entire tenure Of his
said office as Sheriff, continuously.
systematically, willfully and corrupt
" practiced methods in the perfor-
nance Of his duties as Sheriff which
constitute gross malfeasance and
nonfeasance in Office, and has dur
ing said time corruptly obtained
large SUMS Of money from said
County for which no services
have been rendered, and has
willfully, knowingly, corruptly and
Systematically made and veri-
fled claims and presented the same
to the Board of Commissioners of
said County for allowance, which
said claims are not true and which
have been allowed by said Board in
ignorance of the fact that they were
untrue; that during both the pre-
sent and the preceding term of said
Sheriff, the management Of the jail
of said County has been uniformally
disgracefI1 and bad, and the lax and
insecure manner of handling prison.
ers committed to custody of said
Sheriff, a menance to the law and
order of the community. Specifi-
cally, your petitioner alleges:
Makes Service by Mail.
"First, that the said Alvin B. Haz-
en- as Sheriff of said County and
during the period aforesaid, has
Systematically and repeatedly fail
ed and neglected to make personal
service of subpoenas upon grand and
Petit Jurors drawn to serve at the
term of the District Court in said
County, which said subpoenas he
was by virtue of his said Office in
duty bound to serve: that instead
of making personal service of such
subpoenas, has mailed the same to
said jurymen and thereafter present.
ed duly verified claims to said Board
of Commissioners for allowance, in
which said claims full milage has
been charged for making personal
service, whereas in truth and in
fact no mileage had been earned;
that your petitioner is unable to
state the number of instances in
which subpoenas have been mailed
and mileage charged therefor, as
aforesaid, but your petitioner verify
believes that said practice has been
general and covers not only the pre-
sent term Of Office of said Sheriff but
also the greater part Of his preced-
ing term; that Exhibits CA" "B,"
&C.. I'd" and CO. hereto attached
and made a part Of this petition are
afidavits Of jurors who were served
by said Sheriff by mail. for which
said service said Sheriff made and
presented to said Board of Commits
sioners duly verified claims for
mileage allowed by law for personal
service Of jurors.
Has Been Notoriously Careless.
Second, that as your petitioner
is informed and verify believes, the
said Alvin B. Hazen, has. during his
entire tenure Of Office, been habitu-
ely careless and negligent in his
duty Of keeping prisoners COM
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