The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1878-08-15
FAIRFIELD COUNTY.

teney, the disregard OF law, and the
actual stealing, by members OF the Of
fetal Ring which has had control OF
county financial affairs for twelve
years past
Loss on Railroad bond .Sl3,7IT 81
road imprOvement..............3 49, ,O39 q
a, ass 81
Total .5I5 n
All this is square stealing.
Suit was commenced against the
Treasurer, Jacob Baker, for the
amount OF his default, claimed to be
about $50, 600. After pending three or
four years, this was compromised by
accepting his obligations for $1,000,
enough of which but no more, has
been paid to settle the lawyers fees
and cCst OF suit
No criminal prosecutions have ever
been had, and the county will prOba-
bly, be q permanent loser of about
$125, 900! Such is Fairfield Demo-
cracy.
HANCOCK COUNTY.
Wall, Treasurer, Of Hancock coun-
ty, was in default about So, 900. He
was tried and allowed to get away.
He is now reported to be at large in
Iowa. The citizens Of Hancock are
permanent losers OF this large
amount with the added loss OF heavy
expenses for legal proceedings.
HENRY COUNTY.
1t is claimed here that the total
amount taken is from $50, ,0OO to $751;
900, Of which about SIS, 900 have been
recovered, and other cases are pend
ing,
This is one of the counties from
which it has been exceedingly diff
cult to get the facts.
The above meager statement was
the answer to the fifth letter.
HOLMES COUNTY.
No reply received from Holmes,
notwithstanding five or six letters,
each enclosing q stamp, have been
sent to various gentlemen there.
LICKING COUNTY.
In this county a heavy default was
concealed, by burning the Court
House and the records.
MERCER COUNTY.
The Treasurer, William Hunter,
was q defaulter to the extent of ST.
900. He fled to Indiana, but judg-
ment for the amount was recovered
against his bOndsmen, who got hold
ofsome OF Hunters property, aud paid
up the loss.
OTTAWA COUNTY.
The defalcations OF Ottawa present
q slight variation from the others.
They are as follows
In 1874. Godfrey Jeager, Treasurer,
deposited with banking firm in To-
ledo, $1,000 OF county fudds. The
bank failed, paying its depOsitOrs on
Iy q small per cent, and the county
lost S, ,924. By a vote taken at the
election in the spring OF 1875, the
bOndsmen and Jaeger were relieved
from paying the amount back to the
Treasury, snd the county sustained
the whole loss. No measures ever
taken to punish him.
During the fall of 1875, John H. Ma
gee, Treasurer, was dealing very
heavily in pork and as he had not OF
his own, such an amount OF money
as he was doing business with, 1t was
suspected that he was using county
funds. An examiner was appointed
by the Auditor of the State, to go to
the Treasury and see into the condi-
ton Of things the appointment being
made by telegraph. When the exam
iner demanded the keys, the Treasur-
er was away, and for q time the depu-
ty refused to give them up, but finally
he did give them 10 the examiner, who
took possession OF the office. The
denuty then claimed that he did not
know the combination to the inner
safe, where he said the most OF the
money was kept. The examiner then
had to await the return OF Magee, Who
came about nine o'clock the next eve
ming, and with q writ OF replevin for
the office keys, issued by a Democratic
Justice OF the Peace, who was also
one Of the Democratic ring OF which
Magee Is q member. Magee, backed
by q posse of Democrats, demanded
admission and the keys to the office,
which the examiner, who was inside,
refused. They then broke in the door
and by force, got the keys, and the
Treasurer entered the vault alone, with
q satchel. and, by his own testimony,
placed S25, 600 in the safe, which the
examiner counted the next morning,
finding the amount some Il DO short.
Magee was taken before the only Re-
publican Justice of the Peace in the
county. who bound him over to court.
The Grand Jury failed to find an in
dictment, in face Of Msgee's sworn
testimony, that he put 5000 in the
safe, between the time the examiner
demanded admission to the Treasury
and the time he got the money count
ed, still leaving shortage OF 81 do.
Magee was reelected at the expira-
ton Of his term, and no further meas
ures were ever taken to have the case
re-opened. The Jury that whiteWash'
ed him was composed OF twelve Dem
ocrsts to three Republicans, with
Democratic Prosecuting Attorney.
STARK COUNTY.
This is the most recent Democratic
defalcation that has cropped out, when
! further cencealment became impOssi-
ble. The circumstances are fresh iI
the memory Of all, and they are a.
follows
Mr. Fessler, Democratic Treasurer
Of Stark county, was in default abOu
SO, 600, and retired to Canada, Wher.
| he deposited about $4,000 in Cansdi
banks; near 5000 were also fOunC
concealed in his house, and known L
his family.
/ He, however, consented To return
induced by the expectation, that as b,
was q Democrat he would prOOabl!
soon be pardoned out Of the penitenti
ary by q Democratic Governor.
In consequence Of the large amour
recovered In Canada, the defalcatiOI
is reduced by official report to S45,
$1,000.
\ In default OF bail, Fessler Is now il