The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-03-06
Is v: MISSOURI. Z 3&.9

|
Is l 4 ! MISSOURI. 2 ] ~ .
The Cass County Bond swIndIe. (
ST. LoUls, March 5.-The statomen
telcgraphed last night about the Cas-
county bond affair substantially agree
with the accounts published here thil
morning, but it docs not yet appear thai
any swindle has been perpetrated, nor Is
1t known what disposition Of the bonds
was intended. Whether the County
Judges and other parties concerned fled
Tor the fear ofpersonal violence or wheth.
er they actually absconded with the bonds
also remains to be seen. From tho follow.
ing special dispatch to the Democrat il
would appear that the Judges apprehend.
ed personal violence. The dispatch says
that considerable excitement prevails in
Cass county on account Of the issuance by
the County Court, composed of Judges
Stevenson and Forsyth, OF $229,000 in
bonds for the purpose oi funding the debt
of the county on account Of her subscrip.
ton to the capital stock Of the Missouri
Pacific Railroad Company, and the inter
est which has accrued thereon.
The Harrisville Democrat published an
extra on Saturday relating to the circum-
stances, accompanied by hand bill call
ing o public meeting at Pleasant Hill, on
Wednesday, of oil opposed 10 frauds.
This hand bill is OF an inccndiary charac.
ter, and appeals TO the people to take
steps TO resist the payment Of the bonds
and oust the present county court, ap-
point members Of q Committee Of Seventy
To defend the county and prosecute the
offenders, &c. Messrs. Ladue and MGR.
chants, who were arrested here yesterday,
insist that nothing criminal has been done
as will appear when the full circum-
stances in the case are made public. .,
Sheriff Bryant, of Cass county, arrived
here this morning, and has been closetcd
with the police authorities most of the
day. His statement and that OF A. Clinch-
man, who is also in connection with the
matter, is substantially as follows: The
Missouri Pacific Railroad, after holding
the original ($100O00) bonds several years
from the time they were turned over to
them by the Mayor and authorities, and
finding the people of Cass county AvGrse
TO paying them, waived their claim and
delivered them 10 the agent Of Cass coan-
ty, taking his receipt therefor. Subse.
quently the County Court made an order
to destroy the bonds which now stand on
the county records; but it appears that
they are not destroyed, and few months
ago it Is alleged that a ring was formed in
and out ofthe County Court toin some way
legalize these bonds and sell them. This
became known, and was shenuously op'
posed by the people. who regarded the
whole thing as bareiaced fraud. New
bonds were printed however, to the
amount Of the original issue, with an nc.
crued interest OF ten per cent, and last
Friday after the adjournment Of the rcgu-
lar session Of the county Court, md one
Of the Judges who was not in the ring,
had left for home, the remaining Judges,
Stevens and Forsyth, reconvened the
Court, approved the issue Of the bonds
and Judge Stevenson, James Cline, RoDt.
3. Higgins, and Ladue and Nicholas, who
were arrested here, yesterday took bonds
and Immediately lett town. Previous to
the reconvenipg of tho Court, the clerk
was invited out ostensibly on some bust.
ness by two Of tho ring, but really to get
him out OF the way, and it was. during his
absence the bonds were approved and the
record Of the Court signed by young
deputy clerk, who was persuaded TO do
so on repeated assurances that the action o.
the Court waslegal and proper. 1t is stated
that the bonds are in favor Of some land
and trust company, the exact name, how
ever, is not known. It is also stated that
they are in aid Of the st. Louis & Santa
Fe Railroad, running from Holden, or
the Missouri Pacific to Paola, Kansas
where il connects with the Missouri river,
Ft. Scott & Gulf Road. Judge Steven.
son is known to have come to Sedalia
Mo-; thenceit is believed he went on the
Missouri, KANSAS & Texas road. '.-
Cline was at Wyandotte last night, but
eluded the officers, and has probably gone
west. ]. D. Hine, another of the ring
and law partner Of Cline, has also fled
and Is supposed to have gone to Caltlor'
mia.
r. Il Higgins. who was arrested In
Kansas City last night, this morning shol
himself through the heart with Derring
er, while in the caiaboosc, and died in
stantly. e- a D d.
Judge Forsythe did not flee, as stated
in the last dispatch, and according to tcle
grams has pledged himself to remain q
home, and with Judge Copeland, rescind
the acts by which the bonds were ap'
proved. .H.g.E % 81 s-i'a.
All these parties are men Of standing,
and leave families. IIernes Cline is {
prominent lawyer in Harmonville, and
Higgins was q merchant, and has hereto
fore sustained q high reputation. 'o...'
A new school house, in Lowell, in thu
northern suburbs OF this city, burned
last night. Loss $1,000; insured fol
| 5000. -, t,.-.... ...
The Fort Scott, Kansas, Monitor, whicl
was mentioned in q telegram, last week
as one OF the Kansas papers which woult
proably Join in the Liberal Republican
movement in that State, denies any sym
pAthy for or connection with the move
mGnt. ,. ~ ..a.-S r.arn