The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1859-03-05
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa.
knllrnlrt. 4 lasl [

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TO rHos. OFFICER, II. C. MUTT, ana j p. CASSIDY
slhs haze received from tVu COMMUNICATION
hatcd "a INST, stating that N compliance with c,I
oi number OF the Electors and Tax Payers vf potta
w1ttdn!'e County y"u have cDis ed to a,t ,un,
tee 10 examine into the condition If our s,,, r,, -
ana requesting me 10 name day and hour within
the present week, when vii! meet you al Inv o,;,
and assist You III 80 q, ing.
Now, the petition to which you reic- if c,-rectI,
COPE. by tho 8ugte c!tdlns the following rIrsgraph
mere are many atUat III tl!a t,,,pu, IL
III regard The aFirs OF County, and many charge
VI gross msmanagcment snL corruption N (ue part O.
our present County Judge"
II would further, from the whola tpi- NJ ~.
said petition, that instead Of full exlnati N Of gu
County AFFAIRS it IS the oh ect Of these pettones ct,
scrutlnlZe the oscia acts Of alone. shall there
FORE reply oy0u solely with reference touIvsclf You
VIII bear IN mind that IS cunnty Judge have given
BOND aud taken upon myself solemn oath for ID,
faithful performance Of my official duties toi
whIh am ameni5e to to the laws OF the state -
Should violate the trust confied to by the elcc-
tors aI tax payers Of tins county, majority nearl,
dJGbie lae number Of your pcttirners there l.. a cc
remedy You vii! alsU bear mud that the DIstTj
Court "AICh has the power 10 from Off o
ior official mSdemeanors. will IN this cv on
MONDAY next. Al That Gram! Jury VIII then be m
session one "t ia" spectral duties OF which enquire
p The wi'Iui amt corrupt misconduct IN On e. or al,
county "ficcrs Then why not let :hose '.ckar.e. OF
gross Encouragement and Corruption, on my part be
presented hcatd and adjudge'i in proper ~ amer?
mere Is II" official act of luine that wish u clnne,
nor DO sh!nk tu, desire to posplr al lnyestIga.
ton Of tie affairs % this county, during my al ,uj,Ta-
lion shall! be most happy at all reason able times to
n'paTt 10 any gentleman interested, any Information
respecting the books and papers, of which, i. County
Judge the law gives the control and for the safe
keeping OF winch am responsible.
Bat when Charges Vi gross and criminal n1ture are
preferred against NC shall, have right b. nsls,
upon having them investigated by legally Constituted
tribunal.
These considerations in add ton to prior and impers
tive Official and professional engagements wall prevent
my complying with your request.
Yours, respectfully,
JOHN Il. SHERMAN.
Hero will be seen that Mr. Sherman, instead of pla
cling himself upon level with lax PAYERS, and mani fest
ing disposition to satisfy the anxious enquiries OF those
who had short time prior, employed Lin their SER
want 10 protect aud take care OF their Interests as
muntty, threw himself back upon his otcla dignity and
utterly refused to have any Investigation Of bis Official
stewardship, unless it by "legrity' constituted
tribunal.
He esi!ei the attention Of these gentlemen 20 the
fact, and by them through the public press the people
were informed that the Dssrc Court would be IN session
on the following Monday and the people would have an
opportunity to bring their complaints bet.re ribu-
IA! and thea they could be presented, heard and ad
judged, in proper manner"
This refusal upon the part Of Mr. Sherman to let the
tax payers know how they stood upon the record could
in the opinion of your committee ouy have tendency
10 increase the excitement Of the public mind upon
matter IN which mankind are prorerbtay sensitive
The interference with the welfare of their pockets
Being law abiding citizens. however and wishing to
do nothing rahy, although his refusal to permit the
committee to give them the desired iaormat:on could
have ho other effect than to CONFIRM their minds tho
rumored charges preferred against Mr. Sherman as be-
ing true, they determined to the action the Grand
jury which body he had with such magnificent dis
play OF self-assurance referred them
Your committee would further state that, notwith-
standing the high state Of feeling upon the subject the
people quietly waited throughout the sitting of that
body until tho 18Th day OF the present month"; vhea the
following presen,meut was aled open court:
STATE OF Iowa, L..
Potteect'asais County.
To the Honorable, the District Court in .nd for puta-
wattanlie County, Iowa al the FeSrrr,v Torn t,.reo
A. D 1889, j. l. Fe,ter and colleagues Aolscrs against
john H. Sherman County Judge, accused mos: pea
fully charge that the said accused is guilty Of w.ifu
ma administration in Office. That IS 10 say:
That the said John H.. Sherman, present County
Judge of Pottawattauie Ccuty, Iowa as the ssd ac-
cusers verify believe has during his administration
County Judge i'll anil for said County to-utt from tho
fourth sth) day May. A. d. lsS to tia 18th day of
February, A D. 1889 issued County warrants to the
amount of Thirty-one thousand and Ninety-three :S-
100 dollars 1881 093 26} of which amount the OF
Fourteen Hundred AID Thir'y-four s6-l0o dollars
fsl 43l 35) is marked cancelled; leaving a balance
County, orders, Warrants. yet outs taadinz to the
amount of Twenty-Biae Thousand SIX Hundred aad
Fifty -etght and COL go dollars, 1929 65s so.)
The Said accusers represent also that large amounts
NJ Co,ntv Orders have been issued person for ln
bridges in where no contract verbal written,
was made with the County Judge 70 price for said
bridges Aud that large amounts Of Warrants have
been issued for greater amount than the bill rendered;
that is To say some three dollars for and
in one case four dollars for one; that in the majority OF
cases two dollars for one besides those Warrants issued
an Townahip Trustee Certificates Easx r-- ##g
The said srcusers further represent and charge that
the books and papers of the County Judge the accused
aforesaia are in very tisorderei and deranged
condition; so much So that, Owing to the limited
,,,. ,yhih the said accusers have aci they
Bile 10 make full! report en- them. bu. have found
enough to show that there has been much negligence on
the part Of the said accused IN keeping the s OF MS
Of.e tc-r. That, ID enc Place, they mud aSs2tstw9