Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1871-07-12

4 Prssecutisa Agai1se II Cennittee that
Distributed tAe ee0,O00 Fire Relief
Fund.
1t has been rumored for weeks. that
private meetings have been held By Ger
tain parties. to devise ways and means BY
which q prosecution might be brought
against the Committee, for the manner
in which the $4,000 was discussed
Arrangements have been so far perfected
by those moving in the matter that the
case has been put into the hands of B.
F. Junkin, ESQ.,, Of Bloomfield. The
Bloomfield Times of this week publishes
the following in regard to the case:
A "bill in equity" was fled against
the Committee appointed to distribute
the $4,000. donated to the destitute and
needy suffering by the great fire at Milf
aintown. The bill has been prepared by
Hon. B. F. Junkin, counsel for James
Robinson, of Miflintown, who is the
! Plaintiff, and will be filed to- day or 20
morrow After quoting the Act of the
Legislature. the bill makes the follow
ing averment:
THAT under the provisions of said
Act, the said named committee, who are
the Defendants in this proceeding. re-
ceived the said twenty thousand dollars.
SO as aforesaid appropriated by said Act,
and accepted the said trust of distribu-
ting the same amongst the destitute and
needy, and proceeded to pay out as sta
ted in the Cd column of |" Schedule A. "
which shows the payment of SIG 500 not
objected to, to the persons in said Sched-
ule named. and leaving in their own
hands $500 either not paid out at all,
or if paid out in part. was paid out as fol-
lows, to wit: To Edmund S Doty, a
man of large means, believed to be worth
over 100000, said Defendants as said
Committee paid the sum of $500: to
James NJ. Sellers, believed to be worth
over $4,000 and is a man of large
means. they paid $1,000; to W. ". VIII
son. man worth over $4,000. and a
man Of large means, they paid 500; to
George 'acobs. a man believed to be
worth 100000, and is a man of large
means. they paid $3.50; and to Mrs.
Samuel Bell, who lost nothing by the
fire of the 3lst December. 1870. whose
property was destroyed by another fire
and was situated in Fermanagh town
ship, Juuiata county. Pa. three miles
distant from the borough of Miff1intown,
they gave $3.50.
! And your Orator believes and 60 be-
lieving AYERS that the last five specified
payments were made by Defendants az
Committee aforesaid either through fraud
or gross negligence on their part. they
the defendants at the time of 80 doing,
well knowing that the said last mention
ed five persons were not the objects Of
the bounty of the State. and were in no
wise entitled to any part of the said
$4,000.
And your Orator believes and believ-
ing AYERS that the said Committee, the
Defendants, retained each the sum of
sIO6 90 lin all S5O0.OO.) for their ser
vices in paying out said s2O,OOO.OO,
thus subtracting from the objects of the
bounty the sum of s5OOO0. in addition
to the misrayments before mentioned.
a*
The prayer for relief is:
1st That said Defendants COMMITTEE
as aforesaid) be enjoined from paying
out any part of said s2O,OO0.OO. to
Edmund s. Doty, George Jacobs. Mrs.
Samuel Bell, James NJ. Sellers and
William w Wilson.
I'd. That said Defendants be compell-
ed by a decree of this Court, to pay out
of the said $4,000. so as aforesaid ap
propriated by the State, to James Rob
inson, the Plaintiff, the sum appearing
to be due to him to wit five hundred and
thirteen dollars and ninety two cents as
his pro rata share of the said $500 90,
either remaining in the hands of said
Defendants, or by their gross negligence
and fraud illegally paid out in whole,
or in part. t. the said Doty. Wilson,
Jacobs. Sellers and Mrs. Samuel Bell.
Sd. That such other relief may be
given as may be, or become necessary or
proper.
James Robinson. Plaintiff, B. F. Jun
kin, Solicitor for Plaintiff.