Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1871-07-14

ITSELF TO De VerlLaUIe history. The
truth is, as the record shows, that there
was no meeting Of the Board of Su.
pervisors after May 10Th, 1858, until
November 18th, 1858, long before which
last date the bonds had been signed and
delivered to the r. r. Co., and large
Number Of them had been used as secu.
rity for loans, so that it was impossible
that opposition to their issue" could
have been carried into the Co. Board. !"
NOTICES PUBLISHED BY SUPERVISORS.
I have taken very great-pains-to OBJ,
tain copies of the notices over the sig
natures of some members of the Board
of Supervisors, said to have been pub
lished IN the New York papers, in rela-
ton to the validity Of the county bonds;
but I regret to say, that I have not as
yet been able to find them, can there.
fore only speak OF them from recoilec.
ton.
There was some kind of paper
signed by some of the Supervisors, my
recollection is that there was not a ma
iority, but of this may be mistaken, to
the effect that there were frauds in the
election, and expressing their opinions,
that the county would not pay the
bonds. "a4 ~ Is "2'!t# .-4--,!
On the other hand, paper was pre-
pared which 1vaS signed by a majority Of
the Supervisors, the tenor of which
was to recommend the bonds to the ia
vorable consideration of capitalists.
If each was signed by a ma ority, then
some of the Supervisors must have
Signed both. These papers were both
published in New York, but neither
produced any effect as The last neutral.
lied the first. But in any event they
are very weak evidences to sustain the
charge of fraud and misrepresenta-
ton. ss..a- .--y ..
But if any of the Supervisors, or
any other person had really believed
that it could be shown that these bonds
were obtained by fraud they could, if
they had tried, have readily obtained
an injunction, and brought the ques-
ton of fraud to a judicial test, while
all the facts connected with the election
were fresh in the knowledge of all. in.
terested in the matter. Nothing of
the kind was done or ATTEMPTED, and is
it not a legitimate and unavoidable con-
clusion, that it was we'll known at the
time that there was no such fraud or
misrepresentation in obtaining the
bonds as could affect their legality p?
THE CRY OF FRAUD AN AFTER THOUGHT.
: AS strange as, 1T may now appear,
when almost every one appears to take
it for granted tbs the bonds were OBJ
tanned by fraud and Misrepresentation
the real truth is that there was never
any serious imputatlon Of fraud until
after the road was completed; nor I'm.
til about the time suits were commenc-
ed or threatened against the county.
AS an evidence l again refer to the
resolutions of the County Board al
ready quoted passed Nov. 23d, 1853.
Subsequently November 18th, 1856,
the Board passed the following resolu.
ton :: -|Get t.r. ,.l Y.gn =
s'That the chairman of this board be hereby
ordered and requested to call upon the person or
persons having the bonds of the Mineral Point
Railroad Company as given to said county, and
if he considers said bonds to be legally in posses
sion of this county to take them in his possession
to be kept by him or under his care, and his sue
cessors in office" .~. + $50. l. .. .
On the 18th of January, 1857, the
bonds were deposited for safe keeping
with G. G. Washburne & Co., Bank
ers, who gave their receipt for the
same, which was given to G. NJ. Ash
more, chairman Of the county board,
who delivered it to the attorneys of
the county. ~''a.'''' i-
This action Of the chairman was soon
after ratified by the county board, which
on the Doth Of April, 1857, passed the
following resolution: @ahGo1 T949IH ia
s.Fhat G.. M. Ashmore be allowed six dollars
for services in attending TO the depositing of the
Railroad Bonds to Iowa County" I'll
Previous to this time, John M. Keep
claiming to be the holder; Of $4,000
of. the Schuyler first mortgage Bonds
which he. alledg2d were all that were
then outstanding, commenced an action
in Iowa County against the Railroad
Company to foreclose the 1Schuy ler
Mortga and made thee county, as
cestui que trust; under the JANSEN Mort
gageaa party, and also Martin & Com
AN ,ctrustees. in the third mortgage. =.
p This action raised the question in a
direct and, legitimate manner, as to the
validity andsvalue of, the, security held
by the county under the. Jansen Mort.
gage. Thereupon, the County Board
on the same 18th Of April, passed the
following resolution = ''2j e Esd "Hi '2
.asThat if the Mineral Point Railroad Company
shall fail to defend the suit of John M. Keep,
against the County of Iowa, to the satisfaction
of the chairman Of the Board and the Prosecut-
ing Attorney, the said chairman and Prosecuting
Attorney are authorized to retain counsel and de-
fend said suit to the best Of their ability -
The Prosecuting Attorney, J. IF.
Clary, Esq, appeared for the county in
that action and put in its answer !; set
ting up that with the exception Of the
small amount due on the Schuyler
Mortgage, The county held the para
mount lien on the railroad by virtue Of
the Jansen Mortgage, and claiming
positive relief, by demanding its fore,
closure. This was an admission by the
county some four years after. the issue
ofgGounty Bonds that they were valid,
and the assertion of claim for indem
nifty under the mortgage given to. Sc
cure their payment. Who, after the lac--.,
ton of the Board here detailed, viii
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