Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1877-10-04
The Recently Robbed Democrat
ic Treasurer of Auglaize
County "SqueaIs."
And Tells How the Democratic
Auditor Stole 81, 900 Eighteen
Months Ago. u.t

4
Auditor Stole %, 900 Eighteen
Months Ago. g.i
The Democratic County Auditor and
His Mistress Under Arrest.
/ SAMPLE DEMOCRATIC RULE.
The following is tiken from the
Wdpskonta Bee of Thursday, in refer
erence TO the recent robbery of the
Treasury of Auglaize county:
"Myers made clean breast of it this
afternoon. and this is how it came
about: He waived txsminati0nrat the
preliminary hearing yesterday, there
by creating feeling of distrust on the
part OF his recognizers, and they refu-
sed to go.cn the bond for his appear
aGce at court. He therefore could not
find men willing To- assume the Obliga-
tion, which was fixed at $25, 900, and
he Was committed to Jail. In the
treasury examination Myers swors
| that he had never loaned cent, either
Of the county's money or his own, to
the several parties about whom he
was questioned, but upon examining
them they testified quite differently.
j. H. Meslosh, the eOunty's Represen-
tative, testified under oath that he had
borrowed about $4,000 from Myers at
different times during his term of Of
fee. He said, however, that he bor-
rOWed it without suspecting it was
county money, and paid it all back ex-
cept $431 so. M. Mouch testified that
he burrowed &, 900 from the Treasurer
the day after he took possession, and
81 800 several weeks afterward. Mouch
knew it came from the treasury, but
has repaid the amount, except about
81, 900.
"Twelve or thirteen thousand dol
lars thus loaned out has been traced to
prominent Democrats of the county,
but they have not yet been brought
before the Examiner. This afternoon
Detective Norris and seven of the
bOndsnen went to the Jail to persuade
him to make confession. His sons
also pressed him to tell all.
"When told of the testimony of the
men he had favored he weakened, and
told the story of his fall, which we will 3
give briefly, and for what it is worth:
One day, about eighteen months ago,
he was in his offic.- with the Auditor,
j. +. Smith. He had occasion to go
out for moment, and when he re-
turned q package of 81 900 was missing
from the safe, which he had left open.
Myers, with simplicity which seems
almost incredible, said little to Smith
about the matter, and never revealed
the loss to any one, except his son o
Lawrence. Smith said he would cover
IL up for him, and il was Planned be-
tween them to rob the treasury nine
rnnnfho onn huf Mror, o,t.Id
screw bis courage up to sticking point
until the last hour. Had they executed q,
their plan in August, haul of about
SIC, 900 would have been secured. The
Treasurersaid he had made up his mind
to be defGulter without rObbing the
treasury, but the auditor would not let
him. No one helIed him to rob the
safe on the night of the festival except
J. F. Smith. He did not intend to
peach, but when he became convinced
that the ring intended to make scape- q
goat of him his intention changed.
MeslOh still owed over 81 400 Of treas
ury money, and he (Myers) had burn
ed his note for 81 900 for fear it might se
be discovered. This places Mesloh in
an u ely position, and he will probably
be indicted for perjuryS as well as ftr Z
to rob the treasury. 1ezf;1o. IS
''On the strength of Myers confess 2
sion, and other strong evidences of
guilt, warrant for the arrest of Smith
was put in the hands of Norris. Smith
was attending Democratic rally at
Lima, and Norris went after him in. a :
buggy, bringing him here ats O'Clock
this evening. Great excitement pre-
vailed in town, and among the incen-
sed Germans there Was talk Of lynch
ing the prisoner. Threats Cf violence
were also made against his obstreper-
Gus attorney,W w. V. M. Layton. Smith z
was lodged in Jail, and will be arraign- q
ed in the morning, but he will inevita-
bly, be unable to get bail. so sio
Minnie Stripe, the woman In the
case, was also arrested aud put IN jail. =.
has been Smiths mistress for
several Years, and it is thought that she
has played no Insignificant part in the
as he has squandereds thoa- -
sands of dollars annually upon here
This feature adds to the terrible seve-
rity of the blow to his wife and family.
about twelve or fourteen Thousand =
dollars were taken from the safe ON the
night of the robbery, the rest Of the de-
ticiency having been loaned out long
before. Myers says Smith took the
ueuey, land that he (Myers) has not =
got cent OF it. The Auditors house
was searched tonight, and the sum of
81, ,795 found secreted under the carpet. p
A guard was placed around Minnie a
Stripes house, and it will be searched
10 the morning. The x-parte Treasu-
,er's examination will go on until ev-
cry man W no is suspected OF having
money from the treasury -
hunted down. iit.~s,.s .YtesIt -
In relation to this matter the next
Grand Jury will doubtless have prims
acie cases of perjury to consider
There is general feeling of relief now
hat the guilt has been fastened upon.
he right persons. Some of our cit-
,ens who have been unjustiy suspect
ID will sleep sounder tonight than sc
my time since the robbery. The brief
ness of our time and the difficulty in
getting at the facts. will prevent as
rom giving the minute details or the
exciting affair, but in our next issue
he full particulars will appear" $50
"THE husband" said Sterne, "who
behaves unkindly 10 his wife, deserves
% have the house burned over his
head" "If you think So" quietly re- 81
Garrick. l hope your house ls
Insured" r-..,.s .....,., ...trl i. =.