The Andrew County Republican. [volume] (Savannah, Mo.) 1871-1876, 1872-11-01
Special Correspondence of the st. Louis Glol
SuLAS WOODSON.

zWffaT~E
Isu.ciai Correspondence of the st. Louis Globe.l
suAs wOODSON.
Moro Aboutths Buchanan County
Bond Business.
The mystery which has sbrouded the
WoOds0n- Buchansn-cOunty bond mat
ter has, until recently, been n impene-
trabe here in st. Joseph Is in other por-
lions Of the State; even now, a complete
cannot be made, owing to the
care with which the friends OF
Mr.. Woodson guard every avenue Of ap-.
proach to the truth. Enough is known,
however, to politically damn Mr.. Wood
son in the estimation of many who have
been his warmest supporters.
The record published in the Globe
weeks since was correct, save 8 to
the minor and imniaterial matter OF the
time at which Mr.. Woodson entered
into a contract with the st. Louis and
St. Joseph Railroad Company TO obtain
the 100000 Of county bonds. by legal
means or otherwise" This contract
bears date of August IA, instead Of Au-
gust 9, as at first stated. l mention this
IN Justice to Mr.. Woodson, as l have no
desire to misrepresent him; and, further
more. the actual facts are dark enough
to completely overshadow him, without
resort to Misrepresentation.
On the 7th Of August, 1869, Silas
Woodson was appointed by the Buchan-
an County Court, one ofthe three Com
missioners "to confer with the Directory
Of the st. Louis and st. Joseph railroad
to ascertain If the conditions Ofthe sub.
scription of stock by the county to said
corporation have been complied with; If
the company are entitled to any OF the
bonds Of the county, and how many,
&C." On the l4th Of August be resigned
the appointment, and on the same day
entered into o contract with the railroad
to obtain these bonds "by legal
means or otherwise" The Commission
ers reported that ACCORDING ~ Inc teIuis
Of the subscription the railroad company
was not entitled to any portion OF the
bonds. Now what did Woodson do?
On the 18th Of August, 1863, it was
ordered BY the County Court of Buchan-
an county that $3OO,O0O Of county bonds
be delivered to NJ. L. Lawson, President
Of the st. Louis and st. Joseph railroad:
and that the said Lawson be appointed
an agent to negotiate these bonds. he
giving . bond of 5000 for the faithful
Ofhis duty
On the same day. Mr.. Lawson filed the
required bond. with Silas Woodson as
security.
Is. 1869. shows the following entry /:
.Now comes WIN. NJ. Albin, agent for
county, in the matter Of the
st. Louis g. St. Joseph Railroad Compa-
and presents to the Court certificate
3,OO0 shares of full paid-up stock, duly
signed BY the President and Secretary OF
said company, which is received BY the
Court and placed in charge OF the
County Clerk for safe keeping
Thus it appears that, despite the re-
mort of the Commissioners, MIR. Wood
son had succeeded in illegally obtaining
$3O0,O 900 Of the bonds.
But how were the remaining $lOO,0OO
of the bonds obtained, and at what
time This il the blacklist part Of THE
whole proceeding, and u on which Mr..
Woodsou and his apologists are profound
" silent. The only information to be
had must be verbal, as on the county
record there appears no order from the
Court to deliver these bonds, neither Is
there to be found a word relating to the
final disposition Of them. That they
we're delivered about this time, and that
certificates Of stock were received IN re:
turp, are we'll known facts, rs the railroad
company's books clearly show.
The facts are these For two q, sh.se
DAYS Silas Woodson was i. consuita''o"
v;th the .Jnduc, Of the County Court
h. xh;ch tune he strenuously en-
to induce them to deliver the
entire StOO,OOO bonds to the railroad
co,nnanv. and enable him to secure his
SsOJ6OO fee. At length the Court ON
sented to order the issue OF SaoV,OOV,
and the order was recorded. Here were
$4,000 made for Woodson, but he
wanted the remaining 5000. To this
end he redoubled bis efforts, and at
length induced the Court to tacitly con
sent to the, delivery ofthe entire $4OO,O0
at the same time.
Verbal instructions were accordingly
given to Willis n. Sherwood, the county
clerk, to deposit the entire amount IN the
State National Bank, in care OF l.. NJ.
Lawson, cashier, and they were SO depos-
ited-vithout any official action having
been taken by the court. This accounts
for the absence Of any record regarding
the delivery Of the last $lOO,OO0, n e.
tablishes the fact that Silas Woodson
labored only too successfully to defraud
Buchanan county by securing this illegal
issue Of bonds.
Another question for investigation
and serious consideration here arises.
MI. Woodson, in his notorious attempt
at explanation, frankly acknowledges
that he received $2O,OOO for his services
in this bond matter. At that time the
law firm with which be was connected
was Woodson, Vineyard and Young
The terms Of the copartnersEip were that
Woodson should receive one halfthe pro
fits and Vineyard and Young one-fourth
each. Therefore Vineyard and Young
we're each entitled to 5000 ofthe pro-
ceeds oftbe bond swindle. But Vine
| yard and Young swear that they only re
ceiyed $2.0OO each. and are anxi0usl,
searching for the balance Of $4,000 t.
which they arc entitled. Thus it appear
that Mr.. Woodson not only swindied The
county, but swindled his partners!
Agsip, Mr.. Woodson's profits from
| the transaction were evidently $l5.OUO
though they should have been but 80.
600. or course the Assessors book
for 1869 should show large income re
turns from Mr.. Woodson. But what il
| the fact? Silas Woodson returned 20
one cent of income for the year 1869, ant
but a very small one for 1870. To TIM
statement Capt. Charles F. Ernst, Asses
sor for this district. will take affidavit
Judge Woodson dares not come out ant