Grand Forks herald., 1922-03-11


that the amounts were in fact gratuit-
les" wrote Sam l.. Carroll. an exam
iner. in his report to Mr.. Brown.
Up to January 81, 1921, B. T. Jones
was village clerk, for which no re-
ceived $210 month. Jones also re-
ceived salary Of SIS a month as Sec
retary to the water commission, and
was manager of the King Lumber
company Of Keewatin. The lumber
company, according to Examiner Car
roll. has presented bills higher than
the charges on the books for village
accounts. This, he says, was done go
as to suffer no loss in cashing warrants
which were not cashed at face value,
but discounted.
Jones was vice president at the
bank at which the warrants we're dis
counted. according to the public e1-
aminer. AS an example, the King
the village owed the company $9,-
492.43, which was paid by Warrant
Number So Of the water commission
for $4,102.98. Mr.. Carroll reports
Hazel Cruikshank, who was deputy
village clerk, also was elected clerk
Of the water commission at 500 a
month. She received $50 month in
her other position.
Expensive Junkcts.
"Claims were allowed that were
not itemized and verified" Mr.. Carroll
reports. This is required by Sec
tions 760 and !. 800 Of the statutes Of
1913. George Matakovitch. who was
president of the council or mayor for
four terms until this year, cashed 2T
of Al pay roll warrants in one month
and was over paid 1859 in interest
which should be returned. There are
bills for automobile hire for the auto
mobile owned by Matakovitch. Car
roll cited several instances of council
members making alleged contracts
with the village which is prohibited
by law. Members of the council
were sent to the meetings Of the
Their expenses were paid. which is
contrary to law, according to Mr.. Car
roll.
In one case Mr.. Carroll said that
three persons not members of the
council were sent to the League of
cipalities meeting with their ex-
penses paid .s.
Pay Boosted Rapidly.
1.-The allowance of amounts three or
four times what the actual expenses
would be. indicates that the amounts
were in fact gratuities," Mr.. Carroll
writes. He said that in 1917, MEM
bers were allowed SIS each for ex-
penses to attend the municipalities
league meeting; in 1918, they were
allowed 500 each; in 1919. $125 each,
and in 1921, were allowed $500 each
in advance. Mr.. Carroll said that the
council members also had their ex-
penses paid to other conventions not
having to do with municipal govern
ment. such as the Minnesota Loyalty
convention, and he cited twelve items
for travelling expenses of from $125 to
$50 each for other trips of council
members.
The average monthly village pay
roll in 191s-1o was $s,5S5.44; in 1919
20, $4,971.42; in 1920-21, s5,4sS.61,
$500. Salaries were increased rapid
ly, such as the street commission in
1919 at $3.50 boosted to $40.
Unusual Items.
Some unusual 1919 items follow:
Baseball equipment. $932; furniture
and equipment for Keewatin club, ST.
$S12.25. and blowing gardens.
$597.79: and in 1920. many similar
items. with baseball at $500; Mime
sofa Fair Tax association, S100, and
Minnesota Highway association. $500.
The COW herding consisted Of en-
ploying two men part of the year to
herd cows on the streets at $l40 a
month.
Carroll cited several instances Of
council members making alleged con-
tracts with the village, which he said
is prohibited by law.
A. B. Dahl. an attorney, was paid
$1,000 to get the le;>1>sure to legal
ize" a contract. the report said.
Members of Athe village council
| were liable personally for the per-
formance OF an illegal sewer contract.
wrote Mr.. Carroll in this connection.
'sfhey paid A. B. Dahl. an attorney,
$1,000 to get the, 1921: Legislature to
legalize the illegal contract by legis-
lation and transfer the liability back
to the village as a result of Dahl's,
| services. and paid Dahl with the viii
lage funds.
"The water. light, power and build
ing commission "a village board). is
sued Warrant Number 52e for 5000
to A. B. Dahl as an advance retainer
to force the village treasurer to pay
warrants of the water commission.
Mr.. Dahl, at that time, was the viii
iage attorney: He accepted. the war
rant from the water commission a
llcom mission. that had no authority to
lsempioy him. to institute mandamus
proceedings against an officer of the
village, whom he as village attorney
should defend. No action was COM
menced. however, and the amount OF
the retainer paid should be refunded"
Village Of 05s Persons.
In this case, Mr.. Brown said, Dahl
accepted fec to bring an action
against the village for which he was
village attorney and it was his duty
to defend the village. Dahl is q resi-
dent Of Nashwauk and has been
mayor there. not being q resident Of
Keewatfn. u @f
4 Former Mayor Matakovitch. during
the time he was president Of the
council. cashed warrants totaling
S63.465.6s. Mr.. Brown said, including
$s.s0s,9s in 1913; S15,51s.o3 in 1913:
1 $22.6s6.6s In 1920. and $1s.547.95 in
\ 1891. He still has some village war
rants In his possession, Mr.. Brown re-
4 ports.
/ keewatir Is a village OF ass persons
In Itasca county, northern Minnesota.