The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-27
GOBBIED The MONEY.
And they Laugh at the People
And Keep the Steal

Justice Pinkley had good deal to say
to an ARGUS reporter last evening, in re-
lation to articles we have published con-
corning the robbery of the township treas
ury by the auditing board, of which he is
one. Among other things, he said that
next time the board met he was going to
bring up the law and have it read. This
was certainly very brave determination.
Going to have the law read! That's
something the members of the town board
are SO unaccustomed to that startling re-
selts may be expected.
The reporter, when favorable oppor.
tunity offered, remarked that, as the board
was now informed in regard to the law the
people would expect the wrong the board
had committed upon them to be made
right, and he. asked if the board would
meet and correct the wrong. and if they
would return to the treasury the money
they had illegally taken.
AT this, Pinkley placed his left hand in
dex finger under the lid of his left eye,
and, pulling the lower eye lid as wide open
as possible gave peculiar side leer and
smile, as much as to say: do you see
anything green there?, We've got the
/ money 10 our pockets and we mean to keep
it." And this is true. Our reporter was
directed to call on Sup'r Krell and ask if
he had done so. The people who have
had illegal sums allowed them have taken
mighty good care to ge: the money into their
pockets as quickly as possible, Krell ad.
mitted that he didn't know the law, and
said be supposed the justices of the peace
ought to know it. And both justices ad.
mitted that they didn't know the law, and
said Krell and Jim managed the town bus.
mess and they ought to know if the bills
were right or wrong
| Krell also excused himself by saying
that he didn't think the bills were any tot
high, In the name of all the gods at once
is it of any sort Of consequence what he
thinks..about it? Can he use any discretion
about it? Has his or any other man.
opinion anything to do with the matter
: 1t is simply question of legal right Hi
business was, |. to know the law, 2, t.
know if the articles furnished or servic'
/ performed were authorized by any law II
} be furnished or performed, 3. to know i
they were furnished a performed a
charged, 4. to know if the sums charged
were according to law, and. 5. to know i
the bills were correctly extended ant
footed. That's all the board had to d
about the matter. Whether the pay i
too much or not enough is beyond thei
) sJntrol.
What have they done? Got togethe
and allowed everything as presented, an
they probably think to this hour, that the
had right to Judge whether the charge
were reasonable or not. They had no sue
+ right. They had Only to inquire what tn
law was and apply the law to the bills.
Their action has illegally taken sou
four hundred dollars out Of the people
pockets,-an is no better. than out-an'
out robbery of the people. 1t is not on
e an illegal and unlawful use of the people
l. money, but they took mighty good care
get the cash as soon as the bills were 9
lowed, for fear an injunction would
served on Krell to restrain him from pa
ing more than the law permitted.
IN The outrage is SO palpable, so plain tn
even the Union has not dared to defend
but prndently refrains from letting
readers know anything about ii.