The Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1846-1852, 1849-09-28
HOME MATTERS.

Ou tH0 SIouHu tudt lho ltoiH 0thol oSSS q"
account, running back more than year
You aud the Editor of that paper should
have mure tact than such an attempt
would exhibit. II will not affect the prop
osition we made, should the items of the
account run hack score of years. The
main charge is that you paid more than
the customary prices charged by and al
lowed to printers. Enough for this.
We now come to an explanation ot the
"Defalca,iou," Of former Treasurer ot
this county. We approach it without
fear, favor or affection. We shall con
sider it with an eye 10 justice to all con
cerned. We shall not only show, that
you have fully maintained your reputa-
ton a. blundering and inefficient officersi
but we will also endeavor t0 prove that
your predecessors and the late county
Auditors would not dshonor your sta
tions, were they To fill your places. All
of you have extravagautly expended the
funds of the county, by not understand
ing your duties, and it is our purpose to
convince the people of the fact, in order
that they may use more care and pru-
dcnce in electing men to administer
county affairs and pay less regard to the
leaders of party, Red Lodges and Cliques.
In lS41, Asa S. Spurgcon was elected,
by the people, Treasurer of Fairfield
County. With him we have nothing to
DO. He erred and has suffered. We
would rather now lend him a helping
hand than enGeavor to keep him down.
1t matters not whether lie erred iuten-
lionally or unintentonally--our purpose
is merely to show the inelficiency, not
the dishonesty, of County Officers.
IN 1913, he was deiaulter to the tune
OF 81, 1874, and the County Commits
sioners and the County Auditor, of that
day, settled with him, and did not discov-
or the error.
In 1874, he was defaulter TO the same
amount, and another settlement was made
with him, by the same officers.
nlS45, he was deraulter To the like
amount, and settlement was made III
like manner. Soon after this settlement
which was in June. 1S45, Mr.. TowsoN,
who was then Clerk in the Auditors of.
fee, discovered the deialcation, aud after
an examination, it was proved that he
was a defauller to three times the amount
above, and an additional sum of $2.o66:
76, making in all 50 ,56S:77. He deliv-
cred over sum sufficient 10 reduce the
amount to IS, ,463S7.
The history of this transaction looks
more like carelessness than crime, upon
the part of the Treasurer In his settle
mont with the Auditor Of State, II wa'
the custom to give him an abstract OF al
payments made, aud duplicate receipt
for tho amount of interest upon the Sur
plus Revenue Fund" which amounted
to the sum of $2,l6734, tho annual de
facalion. The Commissioners aud Au'
dtor, in their settlement with him, had be-
fore them this abstract, embracing the
Surplus Revenue item, and also the du
plicate receipt for the latter, and careless
ly aud ignorant|y gave him credit twice
for the amount in each annual settlement
We understand that the late Audilo
claims great credit because the discover!
was made in his day; before he propos
es himself as possessor Of much pru
donco and sagacity, he should explain
why ho made tho settlement without dis
covering 50 hagrant an error. Any Schoo
boy could have done better.
Here was an abstract. embracing amont
other items, payment Of the "Surplu
Revenue Interest" There was dupli
, cato receipt of the latter, marked so; AM
yet after crediling the whole amount O
, tho abstract, he added the amount of tn
duplicate receipt. There is much in thi
aspect of the case to excuse the Treasul
!, er as he was always indifferent to his pc
cuniary affairs; but we are not here
8 defend him. ......
So much for the laundering propens
, ties of the County Officers, most of whor
, wish to escape blameleSs in this transaC
ton; some of whom wish to lay claim
8 prudence and sugacity by claiming meri
belonging to Others.
We proceed now to the subsequent hi
tory of the transaction, Several indivit
uals were on the bond of the Treasure
For the first delalca,on, even for the fir
two years, If you please, they were mo
~ ally aud legally bound orthe payment
;" the deficit. Subsequently tho case wea
30 new phase. The people had selectt
" Commissioners and an Auditor TO NAL
" v, annual settlements with the Treasurer.
10 these public agents published him to Il
world as having promptly paid over Il