The Detroit times., 1912-10-29
COUNTY BUDGET
IS PUT THROUGH
Items Include Grand Jury Money
Which Has Been Cut
to $4,000


without discussion, but Supervisor
Lynch objected. He said he was not
familiar with the contents OF tle re-
port. and he wanted the budget taken
up, item by item. This proposal made
a number OF the supervisors shudder.
because OF the voluminous nature or
the report, and IL was finally decided
to have the clerk read only the
changes which had been made In the
budget as submitted by the county
auditors, q few days ago. when copies
OF IL were distributed among the gu
pervisors.
II was suspected that Supervisor
Lynch was laying for the items In
regard TO the grand jury allowance
OF $4,000, granted by the ways and
means committee, Monday afternoon,
and increases TO the salaries of Di.
vorce Proctor Heston and County De.
tective Coffin, of the prosecutors
Office, and there was loud laughter
when Supervisor Lynch asked II
those matters we're incorporated 10
the budget. He was told they were
there. Lynch, however, offered no oh
lection to the grand jury item, and
merely asked what Coffln's duties
were when his case was reached.
Prosecutor Shepherd advised the
supervisors that Coffin was d busy
man; that he did all the process serv-
Ing for the prosecutor and otherwise
made himself useful.
At the end OF reading of the changes
the report was unanimously adopt
ed
The ways and means committee or
the board OF supervisors met Monday
afternoon, In the Office of the county
auditors, and "gigged' back on its
previous decision TO allow Prosecutor
Shepherd $4,000 to finance his pro-
posed grand jury TO investigate NUM-
cipal bodies and alleged mercantile
trusts. On motion of Supervisor Burt,
OF BEDFORD. the appropriation was cut
down TO 10000 The prosecutor
asked for $4,000, in the first place.
Supervisor Vernon stood out alone
against the reduction from $4,000 to
$4,000, and suggested that the prose
cutor would. likely be able to get the
circuit court to approve legitimate
expenses in connection with the grand
jury work, despite the action of the
committee.
Prosecutor Shepherd said he was
sorry that the committee had seen At
10 limit his Appropriation to $4,000,
declaring that the reduction would
seriously handicap him in his work.
He said that he was sure the people
OF Wayne county wanted grand Jury,
and that they were willing to pay fer
It. The supervisors were not carry
m tf hn .ich 30 a IL
tents In voting to cut down the apro-
priatiol, and 1t was a bad example TO
set for the evil-doers, he said
1.-The prosecutor was also bumped
irfr connection with salary boosts for
two OF his officials, Divorce Proctor
Heston and County Detective CONN.
Heston was given a boost from $1,000
to $500 by the committee, a few
days ago, but the increase was cut in
two, Monday, on motion of Supervisor
Burt, making his pay $1,000 a year.
Coffin was allowed an increase OF
$500 year In the previous meeting
OF the committee, raising his pay from
$500 to $1,000. County Auditor Buhr-
er argued In the meeting, Monday,
that Coffin was not entitled TO the full
amount OF the increase, representing
that Collins work was no harder than
that of a deputy sheriff, who is paid
81 900 year. Following this argu-
ment, Coffin's salary was fixed at
81 900.
!. George Palmer, clerk In the pro-
bate court office, was given an in
crease OF $500, making his pay $4,000
a year, and Edward Gilbey, circuit
court commissioners clerk, was rails
ed from $3.50 to $500 q year.
The supervisors who attended the
meeting were: Vernon, Burt, Field,
HARPER, Hurst, Littlefeld, Day, Stell-
wagon, Tossy and Brozo. The latter
rs chairman Of the committee on ways
and means. Aid Tossy, who was ar
rested with Brozo and other aldermen
In connection with the recent graft
did not arrive until
after the grand jury matter was dis
posed of. Aid. Gilman, also accused
OF graft, and a member of the CON-
mittee, was not present.
The ways and means committee ran
up against a snag when IL offered q
resolution, Tuesday morning, to allow
the auditors to transfer moneys from
one fund TO another. in case OF, de-
hClcnCiCC, uuIluS the year. super
visor Lynch wanted to know how far
the committee could go on such a
Prosecutor Shepherd said he
thought the recommendation OF the
was within the law, but
wasn't sure Supervisor Lynch, there
fore, asked that the matter be laid
over until Wednesday, when the
might be able to give a
definite opinion.
Supervisor Vernon explained that
the same kind of resolution had been
passed twice before, In past years,
and said that its import was merely
to allow the auditors, on the sanction
of the ways and means committee, TO
take money from one fund and trans
fer IL to another 10 meet running ex-
penses. This system obviated the
necessity OF calling the board together
in case of an emergency. Mr.. Vernon
further explained.
Supervisor Lynch said that the
ways and means committee had been
too liberal In the past. especially to-
ward Prosecutor Shepherd.
The matter was finally tabled until
Wednesday.
A motion to ask the legislature to
change the law so as TO provide for
the restoration of the former fees in
the Offices of the county clerlcSand cir
cult court commissioner OF Wayne
county. was carried, as was also