Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1878-09-19
TREASON, sTRAEGEM AND
SPoILS!I
A Candidate fOrsSheriR Making
Timely Preparation to Evade
Probable COntingencies!!

Suppose an officer of a county-say a
Sheriff, for instance-who had never, pc
cuniarily, been worth a hundred dollars,
and who had induced his friends to sign
his official bond and make themselves liza
BILE for him in from $4,000 to $5O, 900,
should turn a speculator in real estate,
purching $40, 900 worth Of real estate,
and have the deeds for the same made in
the name Of his wife, what, in the name
Of common sense, would you think was
the object of this strange manner of do
ing business. We appeal to you to say
whether it would not bear upon the face
Of it premeditated preparation to com
nit fraud at some future time?
Honest men, who are worthy of being
entrusted with the duties, the money,
and the responsibility of important Of
fees, do not make this kind of prepara-
sion, to cover up and hide their titles to
their real estate in order to eYade the
payment of possible and probable pecu.
mary liabilities that may happen through
their own dishonesty, or incompeteney tt
perform the duties of their official posi-
tions. Everybody will agree with US
when we repeat the fact that this kind o
transactions, on the part of public Off
GERS, betrays on its face unmistakable in
tentions of perpetrating fraud upol
somebody, when the pinch comes.
We have been led to these reelection
from the fact, as we are reliably inform
ed, that the present Sheriff of Fayett
county, who is now the Democratic can
didate for reelection, and who is beggin
your votes to elect him to an Office 70
which he has, at best, very limited qual
ificatiOns to has, since his election
the Office of Sheriff, purchased the Mia
Burk property, on Fayette street, at
cost of some 81, 900; and, instead of hay
ing the property conveyed to him, takin
the deed in his own name-in order, al
psrently, to avoid perplexing pecuniar
troubles in the future-had the deed mad
to his wife; as may be seen by referenC
to the County Recorders books. An
this is not all. If we are correctly il
formed, the property was sold at Sheriff
sale, he being the Sheriff who sold, it, an
had it bid off for himself by third pa
ty, to whom the Sheriff made the dee
and the third party-in conformity wit
' the apparent understanding = made
deed, not to Mr.. Smith, but to the afOr
said SherifF7s wife. Also, two lots
) Stevens Addition, Nos. 564 and 565, we
: sold to the aforesaid Sheriff by Mr.. G.
Stewart, and the deeds to these lots ma
to the aforesaid Sherif7s wife.
This whole transaction has the appes
ance of an intention to defraud somebO
4 when the pinch comes; and that it W
s come, there can scarcely be a doubt.
> He also bought the residence of CC
White, on Fayette street. The deed
this property-strange to say-is made
Os. Smith, the Sheriff. He also, as
learn, bought house and lot in the ci
of Circleville; but whether he has be
as kind to his wife, in the distribution
his wealth in this instance, we do ]
know.
His salary, according to his own OfiC
as report, for the two years, or one "
Or and two-thirds, which he has held
OF office, has amounted to about $1,000.
rs purchases of property during the sa
d time have been, as nearly as we can asc
tain, in the neighborhood of $4,000.
q, addition to this, he is pretty fast liV
ty and these expenses have to come from
salary. Now. in view of the fact that
: came into the Office without pecuni
D means, the great wonder to the public
how he could acquire SO much real esi
in so short time. There is someth
7e- desperately rotten in the transactions
hn business operations of the Sheriff, an
is due the people of the county that t
be made known.