The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-16
POLITICAL GOSSIP lone MORE CHANCE
Clifton Editor Takes Congress Sheriff NOrOns Report
Rees to Task. Collections Rejected.
Declares Rees Not Taft, Ought Commissioners
to Get Out. Violated the
could GET PETITION IHE REFUSES TO ITEMIzE
Rees' District COndemning Before
His Course.
The Hodges and Jackson Row Busy
Commissioners Say He Has
Violated the Law.
He REFUSES TO ITEMIzE
Has Been Warned Before for
DereIictiOn.
This Time He Must Get Busy or
Face Custer Suit.

If the laws of the state Of Kansas
were enforced rigidly, ]. ID. Norton,
sheriff of Shawnee county, could be
elected from office today. The board
of county commissioners and the coun-
ty attorney have decided to be lenients
however and the sheriff will be given
one more chance to make his fee re-
ports according to law. In a letter
written to the sheriff Monday the com
rnissioners severely reprimanded Nor
ton for not making a detailed report
and warned him that unless he obeyed
the law at once the matter would be
placed in the hands of the county at
torney for prosecution
For the first and second quarters
of 1912 Sheriff Norton has made only
general reports on his Zee coilecIions
nothing in detail was submitted TO
the county auditor, say the commits
sioners. The law says that every case
title. number, payee and all shall De
used with the report Thls IS 10 shoM
the taxpayers that the sherin has not
heen holding up any of the collected
fees
The statutes say that an officer neg
Iectine or refusing to make TINS report
shall forfeit his Office after 10 days
and the county commissioners shal Ds
fined S1OO each if they pay out any
money without the sheriff's details on
hand for auditing.
The county commissioners ADMIT To-
day that Sheriff Norton has not suo-
mitted a report according to law this
year The first quarterly Statement
sent in to the commissioners in April
contained no details. The commission
ers raved and paved the air at this
time and informed the sherin OF the
laws Nothing was done, they say.
THE quarterly report for April. May
and JIne sent to the commissioners
Monday and published in the state
Journal last evening was without de-
tails for the information of the county
auditor.
This time the county commissioners
dictated a letter to Sheriff Norton quot
ing the law and ending with the state-
ment:
..Thfs is the last time we feel that
you should be warned on this fee re-
pert. Unless you take Immediate steps
TO send the detailed report to the coun-
ty auditor we will place the case in the
hands of the county attorney for prose-
cution''
Not only is the sheriff liable to the
forfeiture of his Office but the county
commissioners each are subject to d.
800 fine for paying out money without
the detailed report on hand.
In looking over the records today 1t Is
found that all of the other county OFF,
GERS have submitted detailed state
ments of their offices. They obeyed the
law.
In the report sent to the county COM
missioners Monday. Sheriff Norton
wrote the following postscript;
"Details sent to the county auditor"
County Auditor Larimer denied en-
the details mentioned. He took it Up
with Sheriff Norton at once and from
reports around the court house today "A
stormy interview followed.