Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1857-03-26
PLYMOUTH, IND.
Thursday Morning, March 26th, 1857
Public Opinion.

cco " otseuiPts W uduuiaclufe puUiic Opln-
ion, both for personal aud party purposes;
hE wei have never seen a more urgent and
unreufttiug effort, nor one more unjust or
illiberal than has been preseated in our
community within the last two weeks, and
is now being made, in relation to two of
cur citizens. Last week a small article
appeared in the Republican. published here,
in these words:
I'VE understand that a couple of Old
Line leaders in this place have got them
selves into nice bit of scrape, in their
desire to Cypress Republican, by flch-
ing money out of his pocket contrary to
the Court records. As the matter will
soon undergos judicial investigation. we
forbear mentioning names or other r.ic-
ulars, at present"
At the same time all sorts of rumors,
stories and statements were ahoat and be-
ing made. We took occasion to inquire To-
to 1t, and have found out the facts, and feel
called upon to set the matter right, so far
as we can do SO by giving place TO the
facts in our paper. They are simply
these:
AT the last term of our Court, there was
case pending, in which j. W. Bennett had
appealed from an allowance of doctor bill
ofhis. by The board of Commissioners. On
the End day of the term--Feb'y 1O--the
case was tried, and Bennett got verdict
for less than the Commissioners had allow
ed.him. Section 10, page lO2, lst volume
of the Revised Statutes provides, that in
such cases unless the party gets judgment
for more than he was allowed, he shall pay
the costs. Of course by that verdict, Ben
nett was in for the costs. He made mo.
ton for a new trial, and so the matter stood
until the last of the term-Feb'y 10Th and
2Oth-when Bennett withdrew his motion
for new trial, and Judgment was entered
Oh the verdict This should have been,
judgment for Bennett for S33-what the
jury allowed him, and judgment against
him for the costs. But the Clerk in enter
ing up the judgment, entered judgment
for Bennett both fer his allowance and cost.
S. B. Corbaley was the Deputy Clerk who
made the Records, and in entering the
Judgment rendered attAe last of the term,
he turned back and entered it under the
proceedings in the same case, entered and
signed or the end day Of The term. This
the Clerk says the Court directed So it
looks on the record as though it had all
been done on that day When Court adj
journed all the records were not made and
the Court being anxious to leave on ac-
count Of sickness Of his family, signed the
record, leaving space to finish up the I'M
entered proceedings, and left the Clerk to
make them. Some time before he left lard
before he signed the record) on the last
day, he said something about leaving the
Clerk TO make up the records and coming
down afterwards to sign them; but mas
much as he had resigned 10 take effect as
soon as that Court was over, (,re suppose)
he concluded to sign before he left, and
did so. G.. Ii. Reeve was counsel for the
Commissioners, and Was not in Court when
the judgment was entered, and supposed il
stood on the motion for a new trial, and al
so supposed that the Court had gone away
aud left the records unsigned, and was to
be back and sign them. The Clerk told
him that verdict had been rendered
against the Commissi51ers-and Reeve
said it was wrong, land should be altered
before twas too late, (alluding to the sign
ing of the record by the Judge, which he
expected he would be here TO do.) The
Clerk went away Immediately after Cour
without correcting it. Sometime after, the
matter wasmentioned and Reeve asked Cor
bailey If the record had been corrected, ant
Corbaley said not, (Corbaley was deputy
Clerk, Reeve said he wished he woul(
attend to it for it would be too late soon.--
Cosbaley said he would do so, and at hi
first leisure he corrected the judgment as i
should be. Over this an attempt is mad
to charge Corbaley..and Reeve with torger!
in the estimation of public opinion, and 4
get such an impression generally abroad
Now the facts as stated will warrant NJ
such thing. and we believe that the origin
ators of the endless false reports in circu
laiion knew and still knoa0 all the facts, Blu
garble them or misstate them altogether
All that was ever said by Reeve and tn
Clerk or Corbaley, was said openly in
public Office in presence of others. Reev
wanted it corrected before it was signe
thinking the Judge was yet to sign it, an
Corba'ey corrected it because he had en-
tered it enormously, and thought it was hi
place TO do SO. We feel warranted in say
ing that the statements currently af1oat ths
Reeve advised Corbaley to alter RECORD
or that Corbaley would not haye done it la
he not been advised, and that as it is, it IS
forgery. with many others, is an unqual
fed falsehood. If the record had not bee
signed. Corbaley had right to alter it. A
il was, it was an error: aud unless Corbale
intended to defraad Bennett, it was no 70
gerry, That Reeve would openly ''advise
: him to comwit a forgery. or that Corbale
would act on that adyice-given in Il
presence of others tn a public office, and
relation to public Record. is sheer moi