Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-04-17
ANOTHER DEMOCRATIC FRAUD

/ W mere inc OsS Sc- tAciI
The citizens of Indianapolis have recent
ly been no little excited by fraud perpe
tsatei on that corporation by a Mr.. Skeen,
afellow who bet largely on the late cleo
ton. The indianapolis Journal, Of the.
26th ut, gives the following relation of
the affair:
On the eighteenth day of last August,
the Democratic Council, on the recommcn-
dation of the Finance Committee, compos-
ell OF Mcssrs. Palmer, Pitts, AMI Durham,
all Democrats having ordered the negotia-
ton OF a loan of S25, 600 on the cily's
bonds, Mr.. Mcguire, Republican offered
resolution to appoint-- agent to take
charge of the business, This blank, Mr..
Palmer, chairman Of the Finance Commit
tee, and Democrat, and a very intimate
friend of Mr.. Skeea's novel to fill with
the name ofJercmiah Skeen. The motion
carried by assent, without division. OF
course nobody believes chat Mr. Palmer
thought it possible that his pet" would
cheat the city, but the responsibility of that
selection is his He was chairman of the
committee having supervision ofthe matter,
and tie Council deferred to his suggestion.
Besides, it was understood by the Finance
! COMMITTEES, and the Democratic majority
of the Council, that Skeen should have the
place, SO had there been any resistance to
the appointment, it would have been USE
/ less.
The Agent was appointed on the motion
OF a Democratic majority, to carry ont a
project devised by Democratic Commit
tee. 4 bond Of $4,000 was required of
the agent. with security to the satisfaction
of Mr. Mayor West, a Democrat. The
bond was executed with the following named
gentlemen as securities: Henry Achcy, a
Democrat; DR.. Barbour, Democrat; JAS
/ =. Drake, Democrat; and John p. Dunn,
a DEMOCRAT The agent didn't ask or get
any Republicans to help him. He knew
better what party owned his friends
Thus appointed and qualified, he went to
New Y ork and procured the $4,000, which
he has got yet, and so far as anybody can
see, seems likely to keep. So Ear the whole
business was in Democratic hands. The
bonds had been pledged for $4,000, and
the city bound for the debt, but nobody
knew syllable of the matter. This was
the fix in which the Democratic financiering
had placed us. Bat after few months a
Republican Mayor gets hold Of these facts .
A Republican Banker. from whom the mo-
ney had been procured by false statements,
first tells the truth about the matter. The
Republican officers go at once to work to
have an investigation. The Sentinel tells
the story TINS:
''Mr. Mcguire, on the information of Mr..
Lanier, the New York Blac'S Republican
Broker and holder Of the twenty thousand
dollars worth of bonds pledged by Skeen
for FIVE thousand dollars, met in several Sc
crct semi official conferences, the result of
which was suggestion to the Council, on
the part ofMr. Mcguire, that the matter
Ebe kept for the time Icing from the public
in order that, by private and quiet ar
rangcment with the individual implicated,
the city might be saved the expense ofliti-
cation and from the risk Of possibly losing
ultimately the whole amount involved"
SO according to the admission Of the or
gan itself, the first effort to bring the fraud
to light and secure the money was made
by Republican Councilman The truth
comes out from Republicans, not from
Democrats. Why was it that nothing was
known OF this defalcation till the Republic
cans got hold of it? Why did not Demo
Gratis learn it as soon, and goto work as
promptly to save the city from loss? The
answer is easy,-they didn't want to expose
a friend--and the public will be apt to make
it in way that viii be better appreciated
than liked by the organ.