The Lincoln County herald., 1870-02-24
BanQuo's Ghost will not DOwE.
MR.. KNOX IN REPLY TO JUDGE INGRAM


10th lust, SEQ that another article has
appeared over the signature Of 8. T. ln
gan, Q nominal Justice Of our Lincoln
County Court, evidently prepared by
some friend of his, anxious to defend his
life and publie services, and IL this zero
Justice has NOS yet seen that article, l
commend II to his careful perusal, and
while ,nsditating on its fruitful contents.
10 ponder we'll whether it isa full snd
faithful abstract Of his public services as
the account shall'g 'gisc, collated from the
records Of the Court of which he is 9
cipher member, will differ very materially.
Nominal Justice Ingrasa, whore initials
are 8. T., which being interpreted signify
"siily tool" commenced his nominal jus.
ticeship about the year 1862 amid the
appalling throes Of the great American
rebellion by appointment Of II. r Gam.
bls, Provisional Governor Of the State
Of Missouri. For three long and terribly
bloody years be sat at the south end Of the
Judges bench in the old court house in
this place, the majority Of the Court
trausastiug the business, be sticking his
6st to the record and drawing his pay
out of che County Treasury. About
the spring A. D. 1865 q radical con.
veution assembled in St. Louis to form
. new Constitution for the State turned
him out Of Office. 1t was about this time
that shis nominal justice thirst for reap
pointmcnt became unqucuchabIe his ap.
petite for bis old position At one end Of
the bench became voracious. In order
to satisfy these cravings he found it nee.
essary to begin regimen Of egg sucking,
and BY gulching down the same kind of
egg Of which he falsly ascribed to me he
sgaip obtained his place and continued to
draw his pay and sign the records. But
these were his days of political puppy
hood, whom hankering after eggs was
virtue with him, until in 1866 an egg
of the same kind, hot and full Of red
pepper, was given him, which broke bin
of this bad babit; besides, be has now
become full grown political mastiff and
aspirant for legislative honors, and in
stead Of yearniug tor cgsa, hc growls,
suarls, and even lIowls in piteous tone for
"Cake."
But time came when this nominal
Justice was compelled to show his hand
and assume somo responsibility. The
proposition to purchase farm for poor
house was sprung before the Court. His
owner and chief had . farm for sale, a
poor one, too, At an euortnous price, as
this nominal Justice we'll knew at the
time; but his Justiceship was merged
into his chief and he could not oppose the
purchase, SO he sat at one end of the
bench, held down his head as usual and
said nothing but when the time came to
approve and sign the record he was there,
and the record conclusively shows that
he, with the majority, approved and
signed it. An officers official acts are
always adjudged by the record he makes,
aud he is preciuded from dcnying that
record. Now what does signing the re
cord of the Court mean? Simply ap
provsl, and no record Of any Court is com.
plete until signed. am informed that
more than year after this baneful par
chase, this nominal Justice declared that
he knew at the time that this vas the
poorest farm offered to the Court. consid.
} ering price, but that he saw the other
J two Justices were determined to pur-
chase this one, and that friendship for his
chief forbid him making any opposition,
so he acquiesced in their sction. Taking
his record and this declaration together
am undecided which is the grentes pf
fense, the approval Of the purchase o.
his reported explanation. What are the
public to expect from an officer WHO will
sit silently BY when he knows ereat
swindle is about to be perpetrated on the
public, aud through motives of friendship
for enc person will not raise his voict
against it? This nominal Justice car
either stand bv the record and rest unde,
the charge Of official incapsci'y, or by hi'
explanation, reported, which bears on, it
faco deliberate official villainy. But
will now corner him and make him slant
, by the record. AT the August term o
, the County Court of 1865 tho contract fo
} the building Of the poor house was let
? when only two Justices were present, on,
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