The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1873-05-08
EMBEzZLEMENT,
Alledged Delinquency Of our late
County Clerk-Some Of the Facts
in the Case.

Alledged Delinquency of our lat
County Clerk-Some of the Fact
in the Case.
Thus far In our brief and circum
scribed experience as chronicles
from week to week of the events of in
terest or importance to the citizens o
this county, no duty so unpleasant OIL
50 reluctantly entered upon as the
one indicated by the above caption has
fallen to our lot. Mention of the mat.
ter last week was withheld because OF
the danger that the imperfect knowl-
edge of the facts, then obtainabie
chiefly from acknowledgement rumol
alone, might cause injustice to be done;
and while we would keep back, cover
up or varnish nothing in which the
public have so vital an interest as the
conduct of its trusted officials, neither
would we under any consideration
awaken or promote an unjust Gus pi-
cion or prejudice against any man.
Mr.. VIM. Elliott, than whom nc
man in this county has more thor
oughly enjoyed the confidence and re-
spect of friends and acquaintances, as
well as Of the party at large, was elect
ed Clerk of the District Court to sue
coed s. Yates In 1868, and re, elected
in ls70-thus having possession Of the
office for four consecutive years, from
Jan. lst, 1869 to Jan. 1st, 1878. During
all this time no reflection, so far as we
are aware, was ever cast upon his pri-
vate character or official conduct
save an idle gossip connecting him
with burglary by which the vault of
his Office was robbed in the fall of the
second year of his service, and this we
do not think was given or will ever
receive serious moments credence
by any number Of rejecting persons.
Now, however, as is well known all
over the county, statements derogato-
ry to his character as a man and an
officer are rife. So far as we are able
to learn, these have been given rise to
by the following facts, which became
known in q manner to be indicated as
we pass along:
When the retiring Clerk, Mr.. Eli
oft, turned over the Office to his sue
cessor. Mr.. VanNess, about the first Of
January last, as Is customary on such
occasions, he made up a statement of
money for which he was responsible
and to whom it belonged. This
amount, of course, was to be paid over
to his successor that it might be APP
propriated as intended; and should
have comprehended every cent of
funds coming into Mr.. Elliott's
hands in virtue Of his Office during the
four years Of his term which he had
not already paid out, as by vouchers,
or reported as fees belonging to the
county. The amount thus reported
and turned over to Mr.. Elliott by
his predecessor, Mr.. Yates, was S4,514-
IA. Mr.. Elliott reported to Mr.. Van
Ness about ST 500, Of which he paid
over about $500, desiring to give his
note for the remainder which he could
not then raise. VanNess could not
assent to that, but suspecting nothing,
receiptcd for what he received and
gave time for the raising of the bal
ance. When, however, weeks passed
without its being paid, he (VanN.) re-
qsired security, which e. gave in full,
whereupon VanN. raised the money
and placed it where it belonged.
But in the meantime, money had
been called for which was not receipt
ed for in the records nor on the list
furnished as on hand. And to make
these Developments little more per-
fectly unders TODD. we will devote a
little space to an explanation of what
moneys are received in this office and
how the records of them are kept: The
fines and costs in all criminal prose-
cutions, the judgments end costs in
civil suits in both District and Circuit
Courts, all the multitudinous fees in
probate matters and frequent large
amounts belonging to estates of decd.
ents, deposits of bail money, and per-
haps other matters which we do not
now recall, go into the hands Of the
Clerk of the Court. In court and pro-
bate business fee book is kept where
every item Of cost is separately entered
with the name Of the officer, party, or
witness to whom it belongs; aud in
this same book is a column for the pur-
pose where any person drawing the
amount due him receipts therefor by
signing his name. On the judgment
docket, whenever case is decided, the
ment or fine and the total OF the costs,
which are itemiZed as above in the fee
book. On this judgment docket the
clerk receipts for the total amount Of
judgment or fine, and costs, whenever
paid, and here he takes a receipt for
the judgment when paid out--the fees
being separately receipted for on fee
book as above. For all county fees
(Which consist in each case Of filing fee,
l.50; taxing costs, &C., in all 1925
where no execution is ordered or stay
bond put in, each of which add 81;
complete record, when ordered, from
S. to S25 according to length; and in
state cases, a District Attorneys fee Of
S. for each defendanU the matter rests
wholly upon the honor of the Clerk.
He keeps a list of these, and each
month reports the amount Of them to
the Auditor, and obtains a warrant for
sum sufficient to make up his month
ly salary of $l66 66. 1.-THE fees amount
to more than the salary, the balance is
carried to next month, and, Of course,
no warrant is needed. The Clerk also
keeps, for his own convenience, a
Clerks Ledger, in which he enters all
payments as fast as made, of judgments
oHcosts, tented and set opposite the
names Of the parties to whom they re-
spectively belong -one column hold
ing the names of payee and character
Of the payment, another the amount
of each payment, and third in which
the amount is set down only when