The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1872-09-12

We have herctoforc shown how Carl
SchpYz managed to do a year's work as
Minister to Spain, in FIVE months, and
to gel, several thousand, dollars extra
pay. for neglecting Ills, duty which
established, his, tight to, be Greeley
Rcformer., We have now an made
view Of some Of bis 4inaacial opera
'tions which show how easily he could
Inislsad poor men to their ruin. The
sMlw4Sik ce Ssconsin says:
Carl Schurz came to Watertown in
1865, accompanied by his wife and Sc
veral Of his wife's relatives, who were
destined to be only too conspicuous in
the community. He bought eighty
four acres ofiand, outside Of the towl,
for SIC, 600. paying, however, only $500
Of the amount down; and ON it Il
tempted to enact the role of o gentle
man farmer. stEs0
In 1856, Schurz subdividcd certain
tract Of land known as " Schura' Ad-
dition to Watertown," and sold lots in
it to certain parties, fraudulently con-
cealing from them the fact that, con-
trary to law, his plat was unrecorded,
and the fact that his whole tract was
subject to an incumbrancc consitlera-
bly, exceeding its value when sold un-
der foreclosure. He had first mort
gagged his property for $500, and then
put . second mortgage on top of this
for 1920. He sold lots in his addi-
ton, the plat of which was unrecord-
ed, to George w. Perry, John Spicgel-
berg, q. Hildeman, John Mcdonald
and Ferdinand Mueller, all persons in
humble circumstances. Schurz war
ranted Perry's lot free and clear from
all membranes whatever yet nine
months after Perry had to buy a re-
lease of the Remembrance from Schurz'
creditor at IA cost of $3.50. Hildeman
in like manner bought a lot, suppos-
ing he had got clear title, but had TO
buy, by Perry's aid, his release from
the mortgage. +. Mueller, bought a
$l40 lot, but after puttinga house upon
it had to abandon the whole on account
Of the title. Tho lot bought by John
Mcdonald for $3.50, on the understand
ing that it was clear of incumbrancc,
was embraced in the same foreclosure,
and would have been lost TO the own
er-an invalid with wife and five chill
dren-had not the neighbors made up
the amount necessary. A man named
Thielman, who had bought eight lots
from Schurz for 81 600, lost his proper
ty by the same foreclosure. But the
worst case in q bad list was that of
Speigelberg. Spiegelberg was an ig-
nOrant German, with the largest faith
in Schnrz, the gentleman farmer. On
the $3.50 lot he bought of Schurz he put
up house worth $3.50. The house and
lot were sold under foreclosure and
exit Spiegelberg. utterly wiped out
financially, thanks to the talent of the
great Liberal Reformer. The Chicago
aud North western Railroad Company
were also victims Of Schurz to the tune
Of $500.
These relations are SO minute, cir
cumstantial and we'll attested that they
stamp Schurz as an extravegant and a
slip-shod financicr. No language can
be too strong to condemn the conduct
by which his poor and ignorant coun-
trymen were victimized by this windy
critic. Well paid himself he could not
do even justice TO men beneath him,
while he would exact far more than
Justice for the administration of tile
government. He is a fit co laborer OF
the sanguinc, tctchy and slip-sh0!
whitc-hatted philosopher to which lie
has joined himself The developments
of Carl Schurz' life in Wisconsin prove
beyond ali doubt his untrustwortlli-
ness rs practical refcrner in the adj
ministration of financial affairs. The
people do not want profession regard
ing reiorm, for that is nothing but lip
service, but they demand realization.