The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1876-08-11

here TO mention. Suffice il TO say tina: a
member Of one Of the families charged |
a member or two in another family with |
stealing watch Warrants were Issued !,
for the arrest Of the supposed offenders
by Roswell Mills, and they were brought
before the said Justice, who recognized |
them to court. Previous TO the sitting !
of the court, the complainant directed |
Mills TO retain the recognizances. he be-
ing satisfied that the proof was not suth-
cient to support the charge, and Mills
complied with the request. Here was
another grand opening for Mills enc
mics. They charged, that as he had is
sued the warrant for the arrest of the
parties, he made no provision for sum-
moning witnesses, and when the parties
appeared for a preliminary hearing,
there we're no witnesses against them, and
thereupon the prisoners were discharged
As Offset TO this charge Mills brought up
the parties who had been arrested, before
Esquire Petty, and they testified under
oath that Mills did not discharge them,
but recognized all of them TO appear at
court, but that the charges were after
wards dropped by the complainant
Next came a charge against Mills by
Jonathan Babb, who made oath (they
we're death on oaths and affidavits in
those days. that he had suit before
Roswell Mills, Esq, Justice Of the
Peace of Reading township, wherein he
was plaintiff and David s. Rice, defend
ant; that said Rice was protected and
befriended by said Mills; that he thought
the judgment of Mills unjust, and that
sometime after the rendition of said
judgment Mills acknowledged to the de-
ponent that he had not done him justice
in the suit; that he had taken the part
of scoundrel in befriending the said
Rice"
To this charge Mills makes counter
charge that bis opponents in getting up
their sworn statements had them SO
worded as to avoid the necessity of tell
ing the uhoLe truth; that they were er-
parte and not worthy Of belief
Month after month this war waged
affidavit was piled upon affidavit till
half Of the residents of the county be
came involved in the quarrel. Mills had
the faculty of werfare largely'developed
in his very mature, and in every moye
ment his enemies made upon him, h'
spiked their guns and put them to flight
In the address to the citizens of th'
county (there we're few to address il
those days compared to now which
Mills published on the 22d of August
1921, in his defence, there are some re
marks which are history now, and whicl
| here reproduce. He says:
"Many of the citizens of Perry count.
will recollect DIR. Rice, and still remem
Der with pleasure the important medica
E services he rendered to the community
! and the low charges he made therefor
, They also remember the extreme quar-
rel which took place between Mr.. Babl
: and few others, on one side, and Dl
g Rice and few others, on the other side
o People always took sides in quarrel
q in those days.. In the heat of tn
quarrel, when the passions were q
the highest pitch, Mr.. Babb commences
t suit against DR.. Rice on an unsettled aC
count. On the 21st of September, 1914
l.. after full investigation, Mr.. Mills er
tered Judgment against Rice for 81 g
{ On the 24th of the same month Ric
n paid the money, and on the Goth Bah
Is received the same. Let me ask, VIII
did Mr.. Babb receive the money if h
4 thought injustice had been done hin
!" Was not the law open for him to appea
IS As to the assertion that Mr.. Mills ha
J. acknowledged he had taken the part Of
, scoundrel, it is so unreasonable that r
person will believe it, unless he believe
l. that Mr. Mills had lost his senses. 1t
n of piece with the rest of the testimon
d To prove a negative is always diflicul
g. and when conversation is stated it is in
possible. Wherever the club have a
- tempted to bring forward any proof
L transactions they have been prompt
& met and repelled.
10 "But why have these things been
long kept from the world, and now on
~ brought to light? If Mr.. Mills has bet
a' guilty of dereliction of duty at all,
Mt has been of such nature as would mi
a. tate against him as a Justice of Il
!, Peace. Why, then, did not Readir
townshipihurl him from that office in Il
II fall of 1919? On the contrary, Mr.. Nil
k. lost but 81 votes out of 2l9.
ID "Fellow citizens, the subject is nc
=, before you. Will you, can you belle
40 the statements of the Lords, after rea
III ing the above? (including affidavits al
o. address.)
he "Mr. Mills has now resided with "
10 ar II years. You are mostly a
quainted with him in person. Read t
~ above; judge for yourselves, and on t
rit I'd Tuesday in October, vote as Y,
at think proper, and as you judge best"
lie With all the severe opposition tn
nd was hurled against Mills, his fellow C
ed izens had confidence in him, and he W
lg. sent to the Legislature.
id We learn from the closing portion
tn the address above quoted, that Readi
ng township cast in the fall of 1919, 2
1te votes, of which Mills received 1872.
I'D The same year, Edward Adams r
Ter for County Auditor, and Peter Odl
'p- then a resident of Somerset, and but
ad, Gently from Washington City, was {
ng mitted as Counsellor and Attorney
I'VE Law" at the sitting of the Supreme Coz
in Somerset in September, 1919, and
as gan the practice of law in Perry and
up adjoining counties. As remarked i
eu! former paper, Mr.. Odlin is still livi
ish at Dayton, Ohio. He has arrived
on quite an old age, but retains his men
OF faculties as well as ever, and he knc
ave great deal more about the early hist,
Die. Of Somerset than does the writer.
' In few papers more l may ask
privilege of taking up one entire ch
ine ter with the whole inside issue of
"Politicdl Ticker" in relation to
nav mills War;" in order to show y
-, readers the real nature of the 6G
'"' There is no impropriety in bringing
was these old conflicts at this late day,