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

|
BELMONT COUNTY.
About 1e7O-7I, the County Treasur.
er became unable longer to conceal
the fact that he was short Sl3, 72l. As.
Suit was brought and q verdict was
recovered fer this amount; I'm the last
resort, a Democratic Judge set il
aside.
In 1875 the cause was again tried,
and judgment for g, 400 and costs OBJ
tanned. Including interest, lawyers
fees and other expenses, the citizens
lose over $4,000.
No criminal prosecutions and no.
body hurt, but few Republicans for
presuming to object to systematic
Democratic robbery.
BROWN COUNTY.
The Democratic defsIeation in this
county, occurred in 1874 or 5, and
was $4,000.
The Treasurer, Alfred Parker, was
sentenced to one year in the peniten-
tisry, by q Democratic Judge, who,
at the same term of court sent to the
penitentiary for three years, some
smoke-hOuse thieves, who had stolen
property to the amount of seven dol
lars.
Since the robbery, the defaulter
Parker's brother has been sent to the
Legislature, where he is expected to
introduce bill for the release of his
brothers. Democratic securities.
BUTLER COUNTY.
The Auditor of State, Gen. God
man, in March, 1870, appointed
Charles R8mlin, Esq, of Cincinnati,
/ to examine the Treasury OF this cOun-
ty, and defalcation ofSl02, ,O74 % was
| discovered.
The Treasurer, John G.. Lindley, was
indicted, but after two or three terms
OF court, the indictment was ROllied,
and that was the end of it.
To secure the county against loss
/ from defslcRtiOn, mortgages were
given to the county commissioners by
two prominent Democrats and these
mortgages, the commissioners after
wards cancelled without cOnsidera-
tion.
The result is that not only every
dollar of the defalcstiOn was lost to the
people, but in addition, they were
robbed of a very large sum for attor-
ney's fees, costs, &c, &c.
Nor is this all to provide revenue
| for current expenses, the General AS
sembIy, by 8 special law, authorized
the issue Of $4,000 Of bonds, under
which law 100000 were issued and
the local court, in defiance Of law, has
Iegalized this over issue.
In 1873, the Auditor of State, Hon.
James Williams, appointed Ex-State
auditor, Gen. Goldman, to examine
the Auditors Office, and 1t was found
that he had taken illegal fees amount
ing to Sl9, 1926.
Criminal and civil prosecution were
commenced, but nothing ever came of
them, nor was a single cent OF the
money ever recovered.
In the spring of 1875, State school
commissioner Smart, appointed an ex-
aminer to investigate the accounts
connected with the building Of a ward
school house, in the city of Hamilton.
The contract price for the school
house, was S3S, 500. 1t was found TO
have cost 500, 733, So, being nearly
SIS, 600 i'm excess of what the law al
lowed, while the bonds, as q matter of
course, were sold contrary to law,
heavily below par, in some cases
amounting to sixteen per cent, thus
making the house cost the citizens at
least SO, 600 above the contract price.
In all cases, not a cent OF loss re-
covered, not q person punished, and
| the loss to the citizens increased by
extravagsnt lawyers fees, and heavy
legal costs.
CLERMONT COUNTY.
This county seems to have been
particularly troubled with shortages.
Some time ago, B. Archer, a Demo-
cratic Treasurer, lost 81 900, which he
afterwards made good.
In IS70-7l. J. II. COrbIy was elected
Treasurer, and during the second year
OF his second term he was found To be
a defaulter in the sum OF Sl3, 600, and
was made to vacate by the Probate
Judge. His sureties compelled the
surrender OF his property, and the
amount was made good. No punish
ment, no arrests, prosecutions or other
legal steps taken.
A. n. Robinson was appointed to
lin the unexpIred term OF COrbly, and
in 1876 was elected for the next term,
and was found to be q deiaulter In the
sum OF SIS, 600. The Treasurer was
arrested and brought before q Demo-
cratic Grand Jury, specially packed
for the occasion, and no Indictment
was found.
The Deputy Auditor was arrested
for the theft, but no part of the money
has been replaced there has been 8
suit against the securities, but thus far
without results. No conviction nor
any apparent danger OF any.
In 1875, w. A. Wood, Democratic
Treasurer Of Union Township, was al
so in default s., 900. But no arrests,
lor any recovery OF the money.
D. G.. Dustin, Democratic Treasurer
Of Batavia township, also short s. 900.
No arrests, and the only trouble be-
ing experienced is, trouble taken to
save him from the penitentiaTy.
/ Thus the lUsses in ClermOnt, under
Democratic reformers, amount tC
SS6, 900, and nobody hurt but the peO'
pie.
COSHOCTON COUNTY.
In January, 1859, Samuel Ketehum
then County Treasurer, was supposed
{ TO have been robbed OF about So, 900
, and several thousand dollars were ex
/ pended in fruitless attempts to trace
: and catch the robbers. This was the
, first dodge ever played in Ohio, Of 6
: Treasurer being found bound anC
!, helpless and his safe robbed.
/. About ten years afterward, Ketch
e um confessed that he and one jane
4 M. Brown did the stealing and boil
p were sentenced to three years in tn