Year: 1866

Tiet Of Washington Territory
We, the Grand Jury, having. completed our
labors, beg leave to submit the following report


The Jury have found eight Indictments, as
fo1lowss-


| for murder; l for drawing deadly weapon
in crowd of two or more persons; for hign-
way robbery; for perjury l for resisting an
officer in the discharge of his duty, by force OF
arms; for assault with intent to kill, and TWO
for embezzlement


FINANCIAL AFFAIRS OF THE COUNTY.


In accordance with our instructions, we have
examined into the affairs ofthe County, and find
them in such a shape as to render US unable to
make Aky definite report in regard to the, hpan-
cial condition of the County. On account of
the absence Of the Treasurer, we have found it
difficult to PROPERLY review his books; but from
an unofficial report furnished us by Auditor
Blewett, we hdd that the debt of the County has
decreased about six thousand dollars duriRg the
year ending Feb. 1st, 1868, and that there is a
remaining debt Of, or about, fourteen thousand
dollars still hanging over the County 1t has
been suggested that the Jury recommend that
the County Commissioners be required ny law
to make an annual report of the financial condi-
ton aud business transactions. of the County;
but u bon inquiry into the matter, we h0d that
Receipts and Representatives, ESQ Of tie COUNT ana "a
as this report shopld embrace a full list of all
the items ofreceipts and expenditures, together
with statement of the amount of deinquent
taxes, we deem that If this Law is strictly com
piled with it will be satisfactory to the people.
Here it Becomes our duty to mention ttat there
has been an evident oversight neglect in ref
ereuce to this requirement of the law, and there
appears no record, except in single instance,
of there ever having been any such report made
since the Equalization of the County. We
would therefore call the especial attention Of the
County Commissicners to this matter and would
recommend that they authorize the publication
of the Auditors report in the county paper for a
sufficient number of weeks to give it publicity.
Complaints have been made to this Jury that
the business of the Probate Court, in the admin
istiaton of Estates, in past years, has been
loosely managed. Upon examining the records
we find that there has been reasonable grornds
for such complaints, and especially so in cases
where the moneys due from estates of deceased
persons should have accrued to the County;
and while we would not be understood as saw
ing that there has been general and wilful fraud
practiced by those having the control of such
affairs, it is our opinion that they have in GER
tain cases, laid themselves liable TO sound CEN
sure. We would recommend that the Prosecu-
ting Attorney, whose duty it is, give closer at
tention to those matters iu the future, and have
them made plain to all interested.


SCHOOL LANDS.


We have been instructed by the Court to in
quire into the matter of the sale of School Lands
by the County Commissioners. So far as the
validity Of the law Authorizing County Commits
sioners to sell school lands is concerned this
jury pretend to no legal knowledge; but mas
much as the Supreme Court of the Territory has
given an opinion adversely to it, and as there
seems to be some difference of opinion among
lawyers in regard to the matter. we would re-
commend that-ia order to avoid probable fu-
ture litigation-the Commissioners; before sell
linz ~.


counsel to give an opinion, aud, if necessary, to
have the validity of the Law tested.
EsTrAY LAWS.


Cur attention has been called to the fact that
there have been frequent violations Of the estray
laws by residents ofSthe county. Iudeed, it
would seem that great many persons have
fallen into the habit Of taking Up estrays, keep
ing and using them, without giving any notice
OF their having been SO taken up; and charges
are even made that id some cases these "estray-
catchers' have sold estrays without giving the
required public notice, and converted the pro-
ceeds of such sales solely to their own use and
Benefit No cases sufficiently deiaite to Justify
finding indictments have been presented to US
though we have grounds for believing that there
have been frequent aud plain cases of violation
of these laws. We would therefore call the at
tentlou Of the people of the county to this grow
ing eyil-for such it certainly is-and would ad





these cases that offenders may be presented to
future Grand Juries and dealt with accc.dint
to law.


COUNTY JAIL.


The Jury have examined into the condition of
the County Jail, and are gratHed that for once
Grand Jury of the County can report this in
stitutiOn in tolerable condition fer the safe
keeping of priscners. The cells present cleanly
appearance. We are Informed by the Sheriff
and keeper that no prisoners have escaped from
the jail since the enclosure of tie grounds last
yeat. We find seven prisoners in the jail, three
Territorial cOnvicts and four others awaiting
trial for various ofTenses. The prisoners report
themselves as well satisfied With their PLACE and
treatment as could be expected of persons in
their peculiar situation.


ROAD sUPERyIsCFs


Complaints are made, and we think Justly.
too, that Road Supervisors in some of the DIS
tricts have failed to give satisfactory accounts
of their transactions as such Supervisors The
remedy for this is in the hands of the people of
the districts. The law re9tires the election of
Supervisors annually, and it is the duty of the
people OF the districts to attend such elections
and see that competent and homes: men are
placed in these positions. Supervisors are re-
quired TO render an annual report to the County
Commissioners, and in the event of their prov
ing guilty of malfeasance it is the duty Of the
Ccpt1issioners to prosecute them according to
| law. The Commissioners have not perhaps,
been so stringent in these matters heretofore as
the law requires, and we would recommend that
they hereafter compel Supervisors to comply
with the full intent and meaning of the law.
DELINQUENT TAXES.


We find on examination of the Auditors
books that there was 50, ,687, ,65 of delinoueut
tax for the year 1865, due the County on the Ist
| of February lse6. This, contrasting it with
. the delinquent lists of previous years, seems to
US to be much larger list than should be
shown, and, in our opinion, the Sheriff should
give satisfactory reasons to the people of the
County for this large delinquency, or rest under
the imputation of not having exercised due dill
igence in the collection of taxes.


COUNTY. OFFICERS


Before closing our report, we would call at
tentiou to the fact that our county officers are
In the hahil Of dennfinn Oh al =. -. u