The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-01-02
How the Town Property of Martins
Ferry Came 70 be Levied ON. gll

r.. SAANAS ~ US ASNACu Oue
tRfom the News Of Yesterday ? =
The Municipal regulations Of future
metropolis OF the Ohio Valley have beer
running at loose ends for some time past
This TACT Is made manifest by the in
creasing amount Of drunkenness, disorder
and rowdyism, growing more glaring and
open every day. Evidently there d
something rotten" not only "in Dem
mark" but in Martins Ferry. After a
long and careful investigation Of the mat.
ter, we feel able to "rise and explain"
about as follows: One year ago last spring,
Robert Hanson was elected Marshal of the
incorporated village Of Martins Ferry ;
at that time he was hired for one month
as policeman, at the rate Of IS per week.
At the end Of themonth he presented his
bill which was accepted and paid. No
further action was taken by the council
until the end Of the second month at
which time Hanson presented q bill for
services as policeman for the month. This
bill was ordered paid by the council, but
on what authority we are unable TO say.
30 they continued to pay the bills as they
were presented at the end Of each month
without any apparent authority, until
in July, 1872, when an ordinance was
passed relative 10 the duties of the Mar.
shal which was, in briei, that he should
pay ooer 10 the Mayor, all monies collected
BY Am, belonging 70 the corporation, as soon
as IL came into his hands that he should
arrest on sight, any person found violating
any ordinance Of The village, and that he
should TecttUe a compensation of $40 psr
wseS for such services rendered. Upon
the strength OF the latter section of the
ordinance of July, 1879, Robert Hanson
has been regularly drawing a salary of
$40 per week out Of the corporation funds.
the council accepting his bills and ordered
them paid at the end Of each month. We
think in this connection the council mani.
tested the most palpable ignorance, a
criminal neglect Of duty, or determined
intention to defraud the corporation. Our
reasons for thinking this Is from the fact
that the Municipal Code plainly states in
Bee. 80, that "the emoluments Of no officer
whose election or appointment is re-
quired by this act, shall not be increased
or diminished during the term for which
ne may have been elected or appointed"
II the council bases their authority for
paying the Marshal $40 per week on the
ordinance cited, they have grossly erred,
as 1t has no more effect on him than it has
on private citizen. II they have any
other authority for paying such sum each
week, we have failed to discover it.
Thus matters continued until the 9th
OF August, 1873, at which time the fre.
quent neglect OF duty on the part Of the
Marshal awakened some OF the members
OF the council to q sense Of their duty,
and when he presented his bill for the
previous month they refused to accept Ii,
wherupon the Marshal brings suit against
the corporation and obtains judgment,
The case Is appealed to the Court Of
Common Pleas. Another month passes
around, and again Robert Hanson brings
suit against the corporation for his month.
y fees. The case Is tried TO a Jury be-
lore Esq. Gill in Bridgeport, and the
decision is rendered in favor OF plaintiff,
Immediately the defendant gives notice
81 appeal, and orders transcript OF the
Ease. That there might be no delay, the |
Mayor, who appeared for the defense,
paid for the transcript. A bond was
Also ordered. In the ten DAYS fol.
owing the trial Of the case the Mayor
made three trips to Bridgeport for The
.xpress purpose Of getting the transcript
md giving security on the bond. Three
lines he was put off by the excuses Of
Jill, and the faithful promise that it would
% ready next time, and was also assured
hat # 1t was not ready on time he would
consider the case appealed at any rate.
The last time the Mayor called for the
transcript he was on his way to St. Glars.
lille. Esq. Gill then promised to send it
o him on the following day, which Of
,ourse he failed to do. But at the same
ime that he made the last promise he
lad Issued an execution on the property
i the corporation of Martins Ferry in
GVor of Robt. Hanson, and now some
ocust posts, couple Of desks and other
urniture, belonging to our thriving village
re offered at constable sale. Such 10
he best ot our knowledge is fair and
andid explanation Of "How Ohio Citv
|ecame tackled Tor debit