The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1880-05-28
THE DEFALCATTON CASE OF
MARTIN THOMAS.

Treasurer for Kenosha county NOvem-
Der, 1876. His term of office commenced
on the first Monday in January, 1877.
He received from his predecessor, Mr..
English, the sum Of $1,709.27, and he
personally received all taxes and mon
eys due the county from that time to
May Fl, 1879, as is shown by his sever
al reports to the County Board Of SUI
pervisors on file in the office of the
County Clerk. and published by him in
the proceedings Of the County Board of
Supervisors, and distributed among the
taxpayers of the county. 1t was first
suspected by the County Clerk and the
chairman that everything was not
right in the county treasury on or
about the first day of May, 1879. Up
to this time there was no suspicion of
crookedness; but the fact that several
Of the jurors serving during the April
term of the Circuit Court had consider
able difficulty in getting their pay, led
the County Clerk to believe that some
thing was wrong somewhere, and he
communicated his suspicious to sever
al members of the County Board, who
instructed him to keep a sharp look
out, and upon sufficient proof to call a
special meeting of said Board. The
County Clerks suspicious were some
what confirmed when he ascertained
that ex-Sheriff McDermott had in his
possession and unpaid some two thou
sand dollars of county orders, upon
which he had demanded payment from
the County Treasurer, and had been
told that the county money had not all
been paid in. The County Clerk ascer-
tanned that all moneys due from the
Thomas in person, and he forthwith
proceeded to call a special meeting Of
the County Board. Upon investiga-
ton it was shown that the Treasurer
was a defaulter to the sum of five
thousand eight hundred dollars. We
here call the attention of our readers
to the published proceedings of the
County Board for 1879. AS rumors
have been circulated through the
county, rejecting upon the reputation
Of some of our best citizens in connec-
ton with this matter, we here state
positively that Mr.. Thomas conducted
and performed the several duties of
the office OF County Treasurer in per-
son; that he received all the moneys
due the county personally, and gave
his receipts for the same, as is shown
by duplicate receipts in his own hand
writing now OH file in the County
Clerks Office. These, together with
bonds of office, reports, qualifications,
and all papers required by law to be
filed there, may be seen at any time.
From a careful investigation we are
able to state that no blame attaches to
any person other than Mr.. Thomas,
the defaulting Treasurer. The case
came up in the Circuit Court November.
1879, and was referred to a referee
and upon petition of bondsmen's coun-
sci was adjourned twice. The attor-
neys for bOndsmen finally asked for a
settlement, and the County Clerk, upon
request signed by majority of the
County Board of Supervisors, called a
special session of that honorable bodv
on May 13,at which meeting the County
Board settled with the bondsmen, re
ceiving into the county treasury with
in 10 days the sum of $4,OOO-the bonds
men paying all taxable costs made in
the case. The $4,000 received was paid
to Il. E. Sutherland, County Treasurer
on the 22d day of May, 1880. We are
OF the opinion that every just man
will say that the County Board acted
wisely in the case. The county could
undoubtedly have secured Judgment
against the bondsmen for from five tc
SIX thousand dollars; but it would
PROBABLY have cost the county in court
expenses and attorneys fees somewhere
IN the neighborhood of two thousand
dollars.
Aenosha was once the second CITY ir
the state. Does any one know WHY il
is the twentieth now?