Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-12-05
FALLEN COUNTY OFFICIALS

FALLEN COUNTY OFFICIAL
The absence Of Mr.. A. Woodward,
County Trustee, and the discrepancy
discovered in his official accounts, has
caused more comment than any similar
event in several years. OF course
there are many people ready TO say II
told you so or 4" / expected as much,
and circumstances are now recalled
which at the time amounted to nothing,
lint which now become links In the
chain of circumstances which point
10 the fall Of respected citizen, and
the grief he has brought upon those
who innocently suffer for his faults. Mr..
Woodward was Trustee at the breaking
out of the war, and turned over every
cent of public money in his hands when
the Federals took possession. During
the war he made and lost fortune or
two in stocks on Wall street. where he
doubtless acquired the mania that led
TO his ruin. BE came back poor but
respected, and in the spring Of 1870 was
elected to his old office. AT the August
election in 1872 he was reelected by
large majority in the face Of strong party
opposition. Each time he gave good
bond. and when called upon to exhibit
his books to the grand jury he always
made a clean balance which defied
criticism. The gap, however, through
which he evaded the rigid inspection of
iuries occurred since the first of last
January. The law is defective in not
requiring county trustees to have their
accounts passed oftener than once a
year. while other officers settle quarterly
and some of them monthly. Since his
last settlement the Quarterly Court has
issued a large amount of warrants
to be cashed by the Trustee. The
law requires all warrants 50 cashed or
received for taxes by any other officials
TO be Cancelled from time to time, and
stamp is furnished by the county for
that purpose. 1t appears that the war
rants cashed by the Trustee have not
been cancelled, but since his last settle
ment we're held back and hypothecated on
the market for funds with which to specu-
late in Wall street. The law is severe
on this subject, making Il q felony to
loan, hypothecate or speculate in state
or county funds or evidences OF in
debtedness. Had the Wall street oP-
erations proved successful, the war
sants put up as colIaterals would
doubtless have been redeemed, cam
celed, and turned over as vouchers to
the Chairaaa of the County Court at
the end OF the year. and the public
would have been none the wiser. 1t is
astonishing that man OF shFeWdness
and Judgment, or an income of at least
eight thousand dollars year, could be
induced BY any temptation whatever to
take such terrible risk. Such, how
ever, is the force OF habit and the ambi-
ton to make fortune at atroke. Hun
dreds Of men have been ruined 10 the
same way, and no warning is sufficient
to suppress this great evil Of the times.
Men are not content to live within their
incomes or by the sweat Of their brow.
They must needs become rich and opu-
lent, and spend money with princely
prodigality and keep up with the shoddy
ideas of the times. The laws are de-
fective to some extent, and public senti-
"a ent is unsound. The world bows down
to rich man without inquiring how be
come by his money, while the poor,
honest mechanic. farmer or laborer is
shunned as a thing that bBghts by ITS
touch and breeds contamination by its
presence. Honesty alone is but poor
recommendation these times unless
backed by powerful Influences Money
was the root of all evil in the days Of
st. PaaI. and perhaps will be until the
millennium.