The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1937-10-21
Grond Jury Returns
Three Indictments
Continued from page II

appraised and sold certain tax deed
lands on which was timber for
small sums when in fact the value
of the land sold was far in excess
of the prices received.
These matters will be brought out
in detail in the trials that are to
follow.
The grand jury was careful to
state that no corruption could be
found against any county official.
The three county commissioners
are cited to appear on November 8
to answer the complaint filed against
them. If convicted of the charges
the penalty Will be removal from
office
Both Trip and Gath were ar.
rested, they provided bail and were
released TO appear for trial later.
Complete Report of Grand Jury
Following is the complete report
Of the grand jury as submitted to
Judge J. f. lockwood:
Libby. Montana, October Is, 1887.
To the Honorable j. K. lockwood,
Judge of the District Court in
Lincoln County, Montana.
The grand jury impaneled by you
September 80, 1887, for Lincoln
County. submits the following re-
port:
Leland (. Trip
ID Leland E. Trip of Eureka
presented to the grand jury over
forty cases which he said should be
Investigated. Mr.. Trip had no per-
sonal knowledge of most of the
charges and little personal. knowl-
edge Of any of them. He was re-
quested to give the names of every
one who could testify toSfhe facts Of
his own personal knowledge. He
gave list of about seventy persons.
AS he said the testimony of many
of the witnesses would be the same,
the Jury thought about fifty wit
nesses would be sufficient to de-
velop the truth or falsity of his
charges. They were subpoenaed and
they testified. In only two cases,
each misdemeanor, did the wit
nesses sustain Mr.. Trips charges.
and then only in part, and in those
two cases indictments were returned.
The members of the grand jury are
thoroughly convinced by the testi-
mony, including that given by Mr..
Trip, that his forty and more
charges had little foundation ex-
cept in rumor and in his own inn
agination, and that he was acting
in a spirit of malice rather than with
"a desire to be Of public service.
Practically all of the expense in
Cured by the grand jury was in
the investigation of his unsubstan-
tiated charges.
termination OF Claims
~ The grand jury is convinced
that most of the claims that are
presented against Lincoln County
are not properly itemized, and that
many of them do not even give the
date when the labor or supplies were
furnished or expenses incurred. The
claims of the county commissioners
for road and bridge inspection are
very insufficient as it cannot be
told therefrom what bridge or what
road or part of road was inspected
The grand jury is advised that a
county auditor is not allowed in
counties of the seventh class and
that Lincoln County is in that class
Therefore the grand jury suggests
that the county clerk should audit
each claim and that if it is not
properly dated and itemized that il
be returned to the claimant, and
that no claim be presented to the
board by the county clerk or acted
upon by the board of county com
missioners unless it is clearly item.
lied
County Clerk
~ The grand jury suggests that
a better filing system be devised fol-
papers which are not recorded but
are simply filed in the office of the
county clerk and recorder. AT pres.
ent it takes too much time to fine
them.
County Treasurer
(4) The grand jury suggests that
hereafter when any money is paic
to the county treasurer as money
owed to the county the purpose fol
which it is paid and the authority
under which it is paid be explicitly
understood before receipt is giver
| for it SO that the record of the
transaction may be correctly en-
tered and easily found. This sug.
gestion is prompted beca1se of the
| difficulty experienced in finding
certain important facts in that of
flee relating to two of Mr.. Trips
charges, and which when founc
completely refuted the charges.