Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1873-08-08
The New Barn.

disregarded, Mandarin of the new party
of innocence is charged with building
barn with public school money The de-
fence of his attorney is so unique and
throws SO much light on the animas of
the new movement that it deserves to be
universally known He says: "The Bull
LETIN says the barn was built l, for
one, am glad Of it," One is left in doubt
whether this mouthpiece is most glad be-
canse the peoples money is thus improp-
erly diverted from its legitimate use, or
because the treasurer has rendered him
self liable to prosecution. He is glad and
that is enough for us to know. The
trifling fact that the act was in violation
of the express provisions of the statue is
a matter too insignificant to be seen by
the lofty star gazer, "ex-R Republican," be-
sides it is a law passed and continued by
the corrupt Republican party and ere
former" has right to ride over it until
such time as he can secure its repeal;
who can hinder him And thus reads
Sec. 4,243, Of that old fogy book known
as Revision of 1860; Laws of Iowa."
'1f any officer within this State, charged
with the collection, safe keeping, transfer,
or disbursement, of public money, unlaw-
fully conuert to has oson use, in any aoGy
sohatecer, or use by way of investment in
any kind of property, or loan without the
authority of law any portion of the pub
lie money entrusted to him for collection,
safe keeping, transfer, or disbursement,
every such act is an embezzlement of so
much of said money as is thus taken, con.
vcrted, invested, used, loaned, or unac-
counted for, and upon conviction thereof
he shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary
not exceeding five years, and fined in
sum equal to the amount cmbezzled, and,
moreover, he is forever afterwards dis
qualified from holding any Office under
the laws or constitution of this State"
From which it will be seen that
First. The act of converting to his
own use, "in any way whatever" consti-
tutes the crime of embezzlement, punish
able with Imprisonment
Second. This law regards only the
criminal act of the en5ezzler-if he has
given bonds for million dollars it does
not reduce his crime
Third. His ability on account of
friends or property to make good the
amount embezzled Is not taken into &C.
count-the crime is committed when he
uses the money. 1t the new barn should
burn down, and the owners wheat crop
should rot, and the frost should destroy
his corn, and he should be unable to re-
fund when called upon, that would be his
misfortune and not his crime. His bonds
men might feel interested in the matter,
!, ,In Do s,,3o
sisted in losing money on his Investments
or on lis school furniture, but in using
money that belongs to the public in his oOn
business.
The immense and windy EEK Republi-
can" has been made "glad" by one embez-
element, how supremely happy will he be
when by his appreciation of this crime he
can induce all the school treasurers in the
county to turn criminals. And not one
peep of dissent or disapprobation of this
embezzlement comes up from this party
Of great promises. The only voice we
hear is or of approval, and we are forced
to conclude that the new party believe in
individuals building new barns with the
peoples money, and if we were inclined
to initiate their facility for nicknaming
they would be fifty named the New Barn
Party.
When Rankin was charged with en-
bezzlement the Republican House of Rep.
resentatives passed resolution instruct
ing the States attorney to prosecute said
Rankin. A corner stone of the "reform"
party is charged with embezzlement and
an apostle of the new dispensation says,
II am glad of it," Note the contrast.
Now if any Republican contemplates
exchanging his party for this new thing,
because his party is not perfect, let him
remember that he will thereby Jump out
of tho frying pan into the fire." The
shrewd men who are getting up the con-
Germ have succeeded in toasting their
cheese to such delicate turn that it has
attracted the olfactories Of the sly old
rats in the Republican party, and those
are leaving, and when the corruption is
all drawn out it will be nice place to |
stay in, and will become more than ever
the party OF equal rights, and of progress,
for, as in times past, reliable Democrat
will join it for every shaky Republican |
who leaves it. And what, with the sham |
bridge builder, and the man who builds |
his own barn with the money of the |
school district, and the man who is "glad |
of it," and the man who VIGOROUSLY sold |
his vote for forty dollars, for leaders, in
point of corruption, the little finger of
this new party of perfection promises to |
be bigger than the thigh of the Republi-
can party in its c0rruptest days. Then |
why should an honest man want to swap? |
Ex-DEMoCRAT.