The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1915-06-08
Commissioners are Considering
Plans But No Definite Decision
is Reached - Estimated
Cost SIS, 900 to $4,000
yFRlENDLY SUIT In
The KILC0RE CASE
County Attorney to Start Action to
Settle Dispute Dr.. Dawson
Asks Lake East Of City
Be Drained

Shall or shall not the county buy and
maintain county poor farm and coun-
~ty convict farm, was one OF the ques-
tions discussed at some length by the
county commissioners in session yes
terday and today No action was taken
in the matter, but Investigations are
being made.
1t was stated that while the pur-
chase and equipment of poor farm
would incur the expenditure of some
$4,000 to $4,000, the county would
eventually be the winner, as several
thousand dollars are spent annually
for the maintenance of the poor ia
Grady county, with no chance OF being
in any way reimbursed.
With a county poor farm in opera
tion, the county charges could in most
cases assist in their maintenance by
raising food and saleable crops on the
farm and could be cared for to a far
greater advantage and convenience to
all parties concerned than under the
present system. we're some Of the ar
guments for the proposition.
Also, some discussion was evident
regarding tract of land to be farmed
by the convlcts OF the county for the
county's profit instead of the prisoners
being dead expense to the county as
prisoners in the county Jail where thei:
board costs in the neighborhood Of 80
gents per day per man. A suggestion
that funds for the purchase Of two
teams. wagons and scrapers for road
building. be included in the estimate
was made, with the idea of putting
the county convicts on the roads in.
stead OF holding them in the counts
Jail in absolute idleness.
kiIeore Matter Up.
The controversy between the pres
ent commissioners and W. s. Kilgore,
former county treasurer, was up for
discussion at the meeting. the ulti-
mate action being the instruction of
the county attorneys office to pro
ceed with suit against Mr.. Kilgore
for the collection of $i9S. which claim
the county commissioners make
against him.
The action, however, is to be strict
ly a friendly one, as the former county
treasurer does not deny the debt, iut
in turn has claim of $i2i against the
county. lie offered to pay the county
the difference between the two
amounts, but upon the advice of Allan
X. Swan. assistant county attorney,
the commissioners refused on the
grounds that his claim against the
county was thrown out under the stat
tute of limitations, which in turn had no
effect on the claim held by the county.
AS brought out at the meeting, the
facts we're substantially as follows:
When Mr. Kilgore was county treas
urer he collected s19S from the Puli-
man company as taxes, receipting the
company for that amount, but upon
investigation. found that no tax assess
ment had been made against the com
pany. He stated that he deposited the
money in his name as trustee. pending
a final settlement OF the matter
Later, upon an order of the state
examiner and inspector a man was
hired to revise the system of book
keeping in the treasurer's office. This
was done BY the county commission
ers. and thenohsrges, 1921. were de
Quoted from thH salary Of Mr. Kilgore,
without his Iconsent. He claims that
they had no right to appropriate this
8mount from his salary and stated that
when the county refunded him the
1921 he would make the settlement on
the $19S. Mr. Swan advised the com
missioners that. however unjust the
action of the former county commits
sioners might have been the present
board according to law, could not set
tie with Mr. Kilgore except by accept
ing the full amount. thereby rejecting
his offer to pay the difference Of the
amounts. The friendly suit will ter