The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1862-02-13
Treasury Frauds Aeain--Mr. Rosa Com.
rsaua.froatnn.

Of the abstract from the tax duplicate for 1859, by
E. A. higgins. II will be observed at once, by |
those who take the trouble to read Mr. Ross article
that he dcvotes the greater part Of it to criticism
upon the names of the different lists upon books a,
the Auditors oilioe. Never having been an ex-
Auditor ourselves, Il cannot be expected that we
shcald show the same familiarity with this sub
jsct that Mr.. Ross does-indeed we are willing to
sdmh that the tsrm Abstract of Duplicate ;"
should have been employed by US instead Of Tax
Duplicate. But this dwelling upon names and
terms, although It may serve the purpose Of dis
tracing the attention for a moment from the point
At issue, is not decisive nor candid manner of
gument Neither Mr.. Ross, nor any one else, who
reaG cur article can have bad any difficulty in dis
covering what wo meant We Eesde the charge
distinctly and openly that Mr. Higgins Charged anc
received payment for the publication of the ae'
sract from the tax duplicate TOR six weeks, when in
point Of fact said abstract was only published four
weeks in his paper,
The question whether the law allowed its publ.
catsn four OF six weeks is not now material. 1t is
q fact that Higgins charged for six weeks, publ
cation in his paper filed his account in the Auditors
Office, and received payment accordingly. The
bound volume Of his paper clearly shows that it
was continued in the paper only four weeks. We
are told that it was published two weeks in sup
plement. This will not do. The law says it must
be published IN a newspaper. Again, no such sup
pement after the most thorough and diiigent search
can be found. For all legal purposes then, such
publication was useless. 1t is easy 10 say that a
supplement issued, but the proof is another
thing. Again, this Office sent out supplements con-
tanning the said abstract. These supplements
were posted in the form of handbils all over the
County. But the law says this abstract must be
inserted IN a newspaper, not put in handbil, not
published in supplement, but inserted in the
paper. (See Swann's Revised Statutes, Page l0l7
The same statute provides for supplements, or
handbills posted through the country, and makes it
obligatory, to employ both forms of advertisement.
The claim then set up by Mr. Ross is the baldest of
pefogging, resored to for the purpose Of shielding
Mr.. Higgins from public r1probation.
Again. since this subject has been canvassed, we
have carefully examined the abstract published by
Higgins, and counted the lines and squares. In our
article Of last week, we allowed that gentleman
credit that did not belong to him. The tax abstract
published by him contains only 30 squares, instead
of 1902, as was accidentally stated in our paper !;
Higgins. Adopting his own manner of counting
squares his advertisement contained only 66 Squares
for which he should have received eighty t,ro dol
lars and fifty cents, instead Of Sl8l Gj Almost one
hundred dollars Of fraud The Statute expressly
provides in reference to the delinquent list, for the
compensation for printing the headings, certificate,
etc. and fixes 'he to be paid TO printers at $ 90
per square for the first three insertions, and twenty
five cents for each subsequent insertion. This stat
usory rule has been universally followed by coun-
try officers so far as aware. Analogy
would certainly lead any unprejudiced person to
adopt ii in similar cases. Indeed such is the force
of this analogy, that the Attorney General in an
opinion, communicated to this paper some time ago,
treated the subject of compel ton in these cases
as no longer an open far as the maximum
price is concerned. 1t will not do to attempt TO
shift the responsibility of this nous overcharge
upon the County Commissioners. We know that
since the failure Of Higgins to cajole and wheedle
the Commissioners into illegal cotrs, for his
special benefit, that they have fallen deeply under
his ban, So far relates to these advert sements,
they come pcculiar y under the supervision o. the
Auditor copy Of The paper is sent to his office,
at the expense Of The coruty, for The express puT-
pose of IN lblng him 20 judge Of their suiiicency,
and the proper compensation The Commi 5sioners
knowing this, are guided III great measure by in
formation conveyed to them by him. Ii this is not
so why is il that the Independent, which we certain
ly supposed enjoyed the favor and approval of Mr.
Ross, when falsely accusing us of having received
a compensation greater than allowed by law for
publishing this very abstract, attributes blame and
Ia A. ,,,I t..i
tor Smith stand charged with responsibilities which
Auditor Ross may shoulder upon the Commission
ers? Is this fair? Is it just? We confess ito the
greatest surprise on hearing that Mr.. Ross had no
interest in the Independent. From authority, which
we did not discredit, we had learned that large
share of the capital stock of that concern was fur
nished and owned by him. We are glad to learn
from his communication that this statement is in
correct for it certainly be no honor to hold any
connection, however remote with that shameless
sheet. We find that even in the bill of advertis-
ing, the delinquent sale list Of 1859, Mr.. Higgins
was mulcted in the sum of S5,S7 for alleged err
rors in account This detected overcharge should
at least have pat the Auditor IN his guard. We
have no desire to misrepresent injure Mr.. Ross.
For this reason we give him full scope for ustfca-
ton in our columns We certainly should have
preferred to See plain statement of his case,
without attempting to smooth over the denquen-
cies Of Higgins. AS to the moral lecture in Mr..
Ross last paragraph, We have only to say, that we
have submitted in silence To the fasehoods, SLAM
ders, and misrepresentation heapcd upon US by the
Editor Of the Independent, until forbearauce has
ceased to be a virtue. When self respect obliges
us to notice him, we must use terms expressive of
the character of the man and his charges. We
call STICK stick, lie, lie and shall continue to
do so when it becomes necessary to characterize
them at all.