Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 95, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 March 1910 — THE COURT HOUSE [ARTICLE]

THE COURT HOUSE

Items Picked Up About the County Capitol. The March term of the Newton circuit court will convene Monday. —o— New suits filed: No. 7317. Ray D. Thompson vs. Milton D. Noble, et al; action'to foreclose tax lein and quiet title. Arrangements are being made in Kentland to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the organization of Newton county, which falls on April 21. —o— The transfer of Geo. P. Ketchum’s 160 acre farm just east of town, to John Q. Puffer of Livingston county, 111., was placed on record a few days ago. The deed was executed Nov. 30, and the consideration stated in the deed is $16,000, or SIOO per acre. George’s mother, who had a lile estate in the farm, joins in the deed. —o— All this talk about Bader having been “Jasper county’s benefactor,” because we have been getting bridges for less price since his company entered the field, is the veriest rot. If they had cheapened their bridges another one-third they could have “benefacted” us some more, and still have made a greater profit than any firm could that complied with the contract and specifications.

Field examiners Davis and Salmon have completed their work in this county, so far as the township trustees’ offices ate cencerned, we understand, and up to date have filed the following expense vouchers which have been reported to the auditor, who draws warrants for same and charges the amount up to the respective townships. The amounts given include all expense and per diem of the accountants : Barkley tp t $2025 Marion 61.25 Jordan ... 50.75 Hanging Grove 25.75 Wheatfield 40.75 Kankakee 40.75 Walker 103.40 Gillam 40.75 Newton 40.75 Milroy 40.75 Keener 50.75 —o—- * F° r y ear ending Dec. 31', 1909, Jasper county expended $15,876.53 for new bridges, and $2,070.27 for bridge repairs, outside of township expense. Most of the contracts went to the Winamac Bridge Co., the head of which is now in the penitentiary at Michigan City for his part in the graft game that has been played on the tax-payers in bridge deals. If the scaling down process has been practiced all along by this company—(with or without the consent of the board of county commisioners—in the manner that the few bridges inspected have shown, the county has been robbed of a great many thousands of dollars. As heretofore urged by The Democrat, the tax-payers should take this bridge graft matter up and sift it to the bottom.. Every bridge erected in the county for the past several years should be inspected by a competent engineer, one whom the people are confident can neither be bought off or scared off, and the bridges as erected be compared with the original specifications, and a complete report be made of the findings. This matter can only be done by the taxpayers themselves to have any' assurance of corectness, and The Democrat suggests that the matter be taken up in each township and the necessary money be subscribed to pay the cost of such an investigation'—it need not be Very expensive—and The Democrat will head a subscription list of this kind with a $5.00 contribution. It would seem to us that one man should be selected from each township, on a sort of taxpayers’ league, and let

such committee meet in Rensselaer and formulate plans for going ahead with the investigation. If there are others connected with Mr. Bader who are as guilty or more so than he, let them be ferreted out and punished. To-day is the last day of the February term of court, and a number of cases will have to go over to the April term because of several cases taking up more time than anticipated. The Lawler case against the C. & E. I. railroad for some SB,OOO damages by fire from defendant’s road done to the Lawler lands south of Fair Oaks a couple of years ago, was taken up Tuesday and was still grinding yesterday, and it was intimated that the jury would be asked to go out to the ground burned over, which, if correct, the case will still be on to-day. The out-of-town attorneys in this case are ex-Appellate Judge Wiley, and Darroch of Kentland for the railroad company, and Sellers of Monticello for the plaintiff. Other proceedings of the court since our last report follows :

Harvey J. Dexter ditch; cause remanded to drainage commissioners with directions to make certain changes in assessments, etc., and report first day of April term. State, ex rel. Benjamin F. Alter, et al. vs. Barney D. Comer, et al; submitted to the court by agreement and judgment for plaintiff rendered in sum of $220.03 and costs. Wm. Darroch special judge. George E. Kessi vs. Samuel M. Laßue; affidavit filed for change of venue from county. D. R. Miller vs. The Home Insurance Co.; demurrer to complaint sustained, and plaintiff granted leave to amend same. Joseph C. Borntrager, et al. ditch; commlssionera granted until last Friday of next term to make report. H. Berry, et al. ditch; cause referred to W. F. Osborne, W. V. Porter, and M B. Price in place of D. W. Waymire, to report first day of April term. Following is a report of the proceedings of the county commissionersj later than that given in Wednesday’s Democrat: Notice ordered for letting contract for new bridges in Walker tp., on first day next term. Bonds ordered issued for $5,300 in C. J. Fox stone roads in Carpenter tp., denominations of $265 each and to bear 5 per cent interest. Tunis Snip petition for highway in Keener tp.; John O’Connor, John E. Myers and Asa Brown appointed viewers. W. J. Reed ditch; final report approved and superintendent discharged. Lewis Dunker ditch; ordered established; Frank Osborne appointed superintendent; atty fee of $35 allowed. Tilden J. Prouty ditch; D. W. Waymire declines to act as drainage commissioner and A. K. Yeoman appointed in his stead. Stephen Kohley appointed third commissioner, Frank Osborne engineer. Directed to meet March 14. E. C. Maxwell ditch; same entry as above. Contract for stationery supplies for 1910 in classes not heretofore awarded te made with the BurtHaywood Co. of Lafayette. The following fees collected for the quarter ending Feb. 28 wars reported: Auditor, $93.30; Recorder, $684.45; Sheriff, $304.74; Clerk, $253.15. Chas. Henderson was appointed supt. of the Gillam gravel road. Interest on public funds for the month of February was reported as follows: Trust ft S. Bank, Rensselaer.s34.3o Firet Nat. Bank, Rensselaer. 89.54 State Bank, Rensselaer 43.89 State Bank, Remington 20.77 Bank of Wheatfield 6.81 ' Transcript- from the circuit court in the Thomas Davis ditch; amended report referred to M. B. Price and Daniel Waymire to insert land and assessments and corrections and file report pn or before first day of April term, and that notice be given new parties.