The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-08-29
HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY
BY d. MACKLEY.
Two weeks ago the Jackson Herald had
the following editorial


| attentlOn Ofthe people OF jackson County from
the events of the day, is in the habit of refer
| ring to q transaction which occurred some
Democratic County commissioners. He does
not charge them with stealing money out of the
plundered the Treasury by allowing illegal fees
TO any officer. He does not tell The truth, be-
the County lost some thousands of dollars when
Democratic Commissioners managed its affairs,
without without telling HOW, or by WHOM, leaving
| that Democratic County Commissioners had
stolen that amount. But what are the facts?
We have inquired some into this transaction,
which is such favorite theme for our high
minded, honest neighbour and we under
stand them the facts are about as follows:
Some fifteen or twenty years, there had ac-
| cumulated in the County treasury, under Dem
more thousands of dollars, and it was thought
by the people that instead of that large amount
and benefiting nobody, it would be wise to put
it in circulation on good ,'o1tga9ed secu,ty for
| loaned it out upon what they and everybody
else at the time considered good security, but
which proved not to be SO, and the County lost
the interest and a part of the principal, we be
lieve! And this is the transaction about which
Mackiey annually and semi-annually and
enthusiastically raises such dolorous howls !!
1t was no thieving operation-it was no "Sota1y
9rd6"-It was simple business transaction
which did not result as was expected and in
tended, and who of our readers in business has
not had a similar experience in his life in loan
ing money? Who has not been deceived in
regard TO the value of securities And who
would like to have Mackley by stating part
of the truth only, leave the people to infer that
he was dishonest or had stolen, when in good
| faith and with view to benefit the people he
had entered into transaction which resulted
disastrously?
These are briefly the facts of this affair, which
has every year furnished Bro Mackley sub
| ject of lamentation and refuge behind which
to hide events of daily occurrence. But what
Sl469 80 that Patterson over-drew from the
| County Treasury? What has it to do with the
$3.50 paid by the Com missioners to our neighbor
for 5000 tax receipts? What has it to do with
| the $500 John I. Wilson did not pay as Dlach-
mail? What has it to do with Charley Atkin-
sons failure to discharge his duty? What mas
1t to do with $4,000 legal opinion of Hon. John
r. Moore? What has it to do with the trans
actions of to-day? 1t is past and gone, and on
ly remembered by every one but Maekley, aft as
ment, but Mackley keeps it fresh in his mind
for a scare-crow to frighten voters to support
Republican candidates for County offices. But
| the people have seen that ghost of Mackley's SO
often that it has terrors any longer, and
think at the ballot boxes in October, the voters
of Jackson County will say by their ballots,
| that the raw head and bloody bones of our
neighbor, and the only one he can concoct with
which to frighten voters, has lost its virtue,
Mr.. Atkinson and one or two other ring candi-
dates, by whose election our neighbor expects
still longer to get good pickinss from the Coun-
The men whom Maclzley charge by inuendo,
| with crookedness, are Peter Pickrel, John san
ders and Newell Braley, all old citizens OF the
County, now living and as much respected 1or
! any men in the County. He dare not openly
make a charge ofmalfeasance, but ike sneak
do, what he dare not openly charge!
The man who wrote the above has been
| in Jackson county over three years, at
| tempting to dictate to the people how
they ought to vote He has never yet
been permitted to vote in tLis county,
and has never paid a cent of tax into the
county treasury. l will post him little
county, and let the people judge whether
1 am liar and scoundrel.
will say in advance, that l have called
no Democratic official thief. l am not
in the habit of doing that unless have
the proof l leave that for the Chris
tian C) gentleman q y who carries on his
shoulders one of the churches and Sab
bath Schools of this place. | will say fur
ther, that the men whom he names, to-
gether with the late Jacob Westfall, were
| far above the average of Democrats for
sense, honesty and integrity; but if such
superior men in that party could manage
| public affairs no better than they did,
what would the carpet-bagger and scala
the green tree, what would be done in the
dry?
Now desire the reader particularly to
bear in mind the dates of the several
transactions to which shall refer. Dates
become quite material in most of these
transactions.
| At the October election, in the year
1857 Jacob Westfall was elected treasur-
er of Jackson county on the Democratic
ticket. On the 18th day of March, 1858,
on page SO Of the journal, in the Audi
tors Office, can be found the followin 6
entry
MARCH Is.
The Commissioners met to-day same as
yesterday the Honorable Peter Pickrel
and John Sanders constituted the Board.
They then proceeded to make some
disposition of the Sinking Fund of the
/, railroad.
To which they loaned out to Jacob
Westfall Four thousand Five hundred
dollars of said Funds.
RAILROAD FUNDS.
4145. Jacob Westfall allowed Four
thousand Five hundred dollars of Rail
Road Funds by order of Commissioners.
Mr.. Westfall, to secure this loan, gave
a mortgage on his residence in Jackson,
and some outlots. The records in the
Court of Common Pleas show that Mr..
Westfall failed to pay, the mortgage was
foreclosed. and the property had so de-
preciated in value under the Democratic
administrations of Pierce and Buchanan,
that it only sold for enough to pay about
half of the original sum loaned and the
following appeared in the half yearly
statement during a long series OF years,
as part of the assets Of the county -
James Trips receipt for Westfali S
note, balance in judgment, $2,2o7,7 76,"
You will observe that here is more than
half of the money which this Democratic
treasurer borrowed from himself, of the
public money, which never could be, and
has not to this day, and never will be
collected And all the interest and at
torney's fees for collection must be added.
On the 25th day of March, 1858, on
page "a of the record book in the Audi
tors office, will be found the following
entry:
MARCH 25.
Meeting of the Commissioners of Jack
son county. Peter Pickrel and Newell
Bralev, Commissioners, being organized
proceeded to business, and passed the
following order, that J. R. Booth have an
order on the County Treasurer of Rail
| Fupdc Of ono tboi,coo6 H.