The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1874-12-14
An Appeal to the People of
the United States,
from the Outraged Citizens
of Vicksburg.
They Have Been Robbed by
Corrupt Officials,
And their County Govern
inent Prostituted to
Personal Ends.
Ihe Iustin cts CT Self-pres-
eTvatton
Causes them to Expose and
Punish the .2iunderers.

ment OF the late dlfhcutleS. The stat,
ment is signed by b. &. Humphreys, el
: Governor John A. Klein, President ,
L. the Mississippi Valley Bank; Il. Gordon
Adams Express; the United States Di.
trlct Attorney and United States Commi.
sioner; Charles E. Furlong, Republica
| State Senator; John d. Beard; Fredel
lex Speed John d. Finney. ext. S, A
officer; {, X. Marshall, d. D.; and othe
prominent citizens. After recountng tha
the Warren county officials of 1873 wer
nearly all negroes, the statement show
that |. ". CORDOBA, Circuit Clerk, wa
elected State Superintendent of Educa
ton. Ames thcreupon, contrary to explici
law and the State Constitution, appointed
A. W. Dorsey his successor In August
1874, upon affidavit of the State Auditor
of Public Accounts, Dorsey was arrested
for issuing
FALSE AND FORGED CERTIFICATES.
Dorsey was committed to jail, and resigned
Again the vacancy was filled by appoint
ment by Ames, contrary to law, and the
appointee still holds possession of the of
fee. An investigation of Dorsey frauds
discovered that CORDOBA was guilty of sim.
liar otfenses
| George W. Davenport, negro. was
elected Chancery Clerk, and was the sole
custodian of the county seat and public
records. 1t being discovered that large
amount of forged warrants were in circu-
latlon, Davenport was repeatedly called
upon to make report to the Board of
Supervisors, and persistently refused to DO
so. lie refused the committee OF tax pay
ers permission to examine the records,
and, 1t may be added here, after his flight,
1t was discovered he had no bond Of rec.
ord At the November term of the Cir
cult Court, Dorsey. Davenport. and Cor
doza were indicted by the Grand Jury,
composed of ten blacks and seven whites.
During the inquiry into the offense, the
books of the county treasurer and other
valuable records bearing evidence of the
guilt OF the parties were stolen. Other
records used in the investigation, put in
charge of sheriff Crosby, were also stolen.
The sheriff is also tax collector and re
quired to give bond in 100000. lie
gave
WORTHLESS BOND,
and when its worthlessness was brought to
light the several sureties withdrew, thus
making the instrument Illegal The Su-
pervisor's attorney Republican, declared
the bond illegal, but the board refused to
order the sheriff to give new one. 1t
was generally understood that the board
acted under the influence of the sheriff
and indited officials who were interested in
keeping him in office.
In November the Sheriff published a !
card calling on the tax payers to pay up, |
and saying he would hold the Sheriff"
Office until ousted by the supreme court. |
la this condition OF affairs. taxes amount |
ing to per cent of the values were due. |
The Sheriff, to whom the taxes were pay
able, was insolvent and bondless The |
board Of supervisors, although importuned |
to do 50, had failed to take the measures
required by law for the protection of the
public. Valuable public records and pa
pers necessary as evidence to convict Cor
doza, Davenport, and Dorsey on indict- |
mcnts found against them, had been stolen |
from the court house, of which the Sheriff |
is by law the keeper. Sheriff Crosby was
known to be the intimate personal and po- |
litical friend OF these criminals and, be- |
sides being charged with the important
duty of summoning juries by whom they
should be tried, was the custodian of the |
records furnishing evidence of their guilt |
and had failed to protect the same from
LARCENY AND spoLIATION.
TO all appearances these officers seemed |
banded together for mutual protection, and |
on the strength of numbers and mutual |
were deiying the laws of the
state and
PR0sTITuTING THEIR OFFICES TO THEIR |
PRIVATE ENDS.
In this condition of affairs the taxpayers
had a meeting, and, as already known, de
manded the resignation of the officials.
Crosby resigned, and others fed. Crosby
then went to Jackson to consult Gov. Ames.
Ames issued a proclamation commanding
he Xpayers to disperse. Contempora-
leously with Ames proclamation, a card
signed Peter Crosby was circulated
among the cOiored people, denouDcing the
Shites as rutfians aud barbarians, calling
~ friends to come to the aid OF the Sheriff
md support him. On the same day
Ames Adiutant-General and an aid ar
lived ia Nicksburg, and about the same
ime Hall, Captain Of negro company Of
militia, received orders to hold himself in
eadiness for orders, which orders were
lirect to Hail. aud not through his superior
iicer. On Sunday the tax payers, con-
emplating no violent measures themselves.
ndi gnorant of any contemplated by Crosby
nd his confederates, presented to Chancel-
Or Hill, a Republican, till of injunction !
gainst Crosby acting Sheriff until he
hOuld give bond. The Chancellor pre-
.ared an order on Sunday night granting
he injunction, which would have been
erved On Monday morning. While con l
ultation was being had with Hill, \ J.
'acker, Ames Adiuiani- eneral, aad
'rosby, came in together, aui Crosby was
nformed that it was rumored that the ne
roes Of the county would.
ATTEMPT TO INVADE THE CITY
pom the following morning. He disclaim-
4 any knowledge on the subject, but said
e had the power to disperse them, though !
e saw no objection 10 their coming if they ,
esired. Upon this he was earnestly be- =
ought by Chancellor Hill and the citizens
resent to send oul orders TO them that
ight to return to their homes, since, if.
hey made such attempt, much blood would
e shed. Crosby promised to do so New !
rtheless, early on Monday morning the :