The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-10-25
CLEAVELAKD FORCED TO Ex-
PLAIN!
His Explanation Won't Hold
Water!
Even If It Were True it is an Adms-
sion that he Cheated the
Town!

When the fact that Cleayeland had
cheated the town was made public, con-
sternation was apparent in the ranks of
the ring. Their first idea was to restore
the money and get Krell to sign a receipt
ante-dated. But they found that would
not win, because one of the editors of THE
ARGUS had seen the town books. and Krell
had admitted to him that Cleaveland had
never paid over the money. Then they
talked about boldly paying over the money
and throwing themselves on the mercy of
the people by, claiming that cleveland
supposed he was eutitled to two per cent
on all he collected. But the love of money
was too strong for him to take this course.
Next they circulated story, through Krell,
that inasmuch as Cleaveland was elected
previous to the taking effect of the new
law he was therefore entitled to keep the
money. But that Aimsy claim was killed
dead by the publication, in THE AROUSE
that section of the law which provides that
the rule of the old law should be in force
for all work performed before the new law
took effect. Crazed by conflicting counsels
as to how to put an honest face on dis
honest transaction, they fouudered about
with confused stories, for few days, while
their organ tried to fire party feeling by
claiming that cleveland had been abused,
| md 1iA &c 10 ! ,o,,hl.o oxy,Nlapo
ton.
Finding that Cleavelands friends we're
falling off every day, and that honest men
we're determined to have an honest custo-
dian of their treasury, they started another
, theory, in Sunday mornings Union, which
is as follows:
1. As soon as Cleaveland had collected S75,0O(
he returned his books.
2, All he collected above S75,OC0 was as an agent
OF D. o. Reid the county treasurer, and not as town
coector,and therefore the town was not entitled Il
7 the per centage
! Admitting this theory to be true, they
) place their candidate in the position of per
r forming a base trick to deprive the people
t for his own private benefit, of the money
/ which, by law, belonged to the people. The
e law provides that the collectors salary
may run up to $l,50O-but not above tina
sum. A collector could do, and generally
does all the work in three months. Mos
: men would be glad of an office which CAV,
them $500 month for three months. TIL,
q people had right to expect from Cleave
! land, for $1,000. an honest and faithful
performance of the whole duties of the of
fee. According to his own showing, in hi
Organ, of Sunday morning, he evaded thu
% law for the purpose of depriving the PEG
C pie of the money which would go into thei
treasury, and thus to keep that none.
u himself. According to his own shown
II he is guilty of keeping the money by
10 trick that every honorable man should b
;" ashamed fan evasion of the plain pro
visions of the law for the benefit Of hi
I own pocket.
g His explanation is not only an admissio
N that he resorted to base act to cheat tn
W people, but it is not d true explanation
lie The books in the treasurer's Office cOnvic
OF him of resorting to a subterfuge to coyer u
e. the keeping of the money When he too
the books there was to be collected $133
1892. When he returned the book
y. there was $40, 1860 uncollected, or delir
40 quent, showing that he had collected $83
403.23. This sum he accounted for, less
=. per cent, He kept back 81 ,66SO7 for b
Il oot;k1ol 30
~ balance ($16S07) the law required him
pay into the town treasury. The subject
~ what he should do with it was discusse
9 between him and a county official at II
a time, and Cleaveland was advised that
.; belonged to the town, and that if he keI
-, it and it was ever found out it would s
a hard with him. He kept the money. Al
>. it is now for the people to say wheth'
p; they will turn out man they know to
honest and place their county funds in I'll
&c the hands of man who kept money b
at longing to them-money he was told at Il
., time belonged to the town, and that if
NO ever was found out in keeping it it would
+. hard with him if he ever came up for off
n. again.
,w This is not a question of polite
~ Politics should have nothing whatever
To- do with it. 1t is a question of publ
honesty. 1t is question of whether Il
dir people will demand economy and homes
~ and an obedience to law. or whether tn,
viii will endorse any subterfuge to cheat the
tor of their rights, and go on encouraging e
nd travagant salaries and see their taxes i
aw creased year after year to meet such d
Iot fance Of law and robbery of public fund
T. The people ought to know how to deci
~ that matter, independent of party rings
,bo party dictation, If they don't do it tht
"a ought meyer to complain, hereafter, of t
dishonesty of public officials, the robbie
of public funds, or any amount of incre;
rty ed taxation to make up for such robberit
its -------
,es Theodore Tilton lectures in Burtis Ope
to House Wednesday evening Referring
ow his lecture IN Brooklyn the Brooklyn Eat
tes says:
oe. 1t is pleasant to see that Mr.. Tilton h
;.L lost none of his old-time skill, and til
An Ill 60 L