Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1914-03-05
TO ELECTORATE
Sam ]. Wood Declares he Has Been
Wrongfully Accused and Invites
An Investigation.

--SB
there appeared an article calling atten-
ton to the extravaganza of the Office of
the register of deeds, and in another
article in the same paper, the accusa-
! ton was made that / have done nothing
since my election to office. Will you
please read this carefully and decide for
yourself, or better still call at the Office
and see for yourself.
Six years ago the County Commits
sioners had their attention called to the
fact that the old town lot index was
worn out; a new n was started five
years before / was elected to office, but
for some reason was only partly COM
pleted. When | entered the office, the
old book vas in such condition that it
was almost out of question to use it.
One hundred leaves or more were en-
tirely loose, some of them would drop
it been rebound? Yes, time after time,
but thirty years of constant use by
thousands of people put it in such shape
that it was no longer a matter of choice,
it simply had to be replaced. The com
missioners ordered the work on the new
index to be completed. What was the
first thing to do, Bring these new in.
dexes up to date. How was this to
be done? 1t was to be taken
and moreover was, from the instru-
ments of record in the office and not
from the old indexes What was the
next thing to do? Certify to the new
index-note the way this was done.
The new index was made from the in
struments of record in the Office, which
means that each and every deed book
and every miscellaneous book and
every instrument in those books
were read and distracted for the
index. Each book averages between
five and six hundred pages, and there
were upwards of m hundred books to
be so examined and distracted. Now
comes the checking of all FIVE indexes.
Was this any work? Well, if that pin
headed fellow will step in the office and
make himself known it will not take me
long to convince him that the register
has been on the job.
There is something like forty seven
thousand town lots; some of them have
had hundreds of transfers while others
have had less. Every one of these have
been carefully checked and pencil mark
ed. In the new index. just a small dot
at the top of each and every index in
two of the old ones a red ink check.
The old original town lot book was
checked but not marked. What was
the results of the checking of the old
and new index books together? Here
it is: There was 1896 indexes in the
new book that were not to be found in
the old n or instruments indexed in
the new book. They were not to be
found in the old one. / have a record of
each instrument that was missing, and
can show it to the parties that have said
| have done nothing since my election to
Office. l wish to say to the voters of
Hughes county that it is up to you to
thank and honor the commissioners that
started the work Of the new index and
also the men who had it completed.
just think of 1896 indexes in the old
original town lot books that were miss
ing.
Now, I wish to state right here that
this was not due to neglect Of former
registers altogether, but a great deal
Of it was due to worn out leaves of the
old town lot books. I can point out a
number Of these places to you,-page
ID, in book No. 1. If you will call at
the Office I will also point out many
other places.
In Blunt, in mi addition, there were
sixteen town lots which have had elev-
en- transfers each or n hundred and
seventy-six indexes that should have
been made but have not been made up
to the time the book was checked by
me in 1918. Another addition in Blunt
had two transfers against the whole
addition that were dug out of the rec
ords and placed OF the old book in red
ink by me. In Pierre and Harold
there was many like instances.
Do you not think that 1 have done my
duty. Is it fair to charge up such work
on worn out books to the first year in
Office Of any register Of deeds. If it
is. there will be a lot of registers charg-
ed up in the future, as there are three
more index books-index books to
lands, mortgage index, and mortgage
index on town lots. You may rs we'll
prepare yourself TO meet this work, as
some of these books will be entirely
worn out before six years elapse.
The recording Of instruments has
only been Asmall porttca Of the work
in the Office during the past year.
Enquire Of other counties and you
will fnd that this same work had to
be done,
now challenge Mr. Wheelon, who
has his name signed rs COMMITTEES
man, to An open discussion to the