The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-03-13
THE COUNTY.
Supervisors and the Porter
Suit.
Amdayits Made by Those
Interested.
FRIDAY.
SPECIAL MARCH TERM,
MARCH 10th, 1882.
STATE OF ILInoIs

STATE OF ILLINOIS GO
Rock ISLAND COUNTY. 81
Samuel r. Portor first being duly sworn on oath,
says that during the whole of the time the com
mittee to which was referred the investigation o.
his accounts late county treasurer OF sad county
was in session. examining said accounts, he was
resident of Rock Island county and could have been
sons of said committee; that at no time save and
except the single time hereinafter named, was ne
notified of the time and place session OF SAID
committee, he notified invited to be pres
ent appear before the same.
That same time about the month of January A. d.
1884, this aiant met James W. Ballard the chairman
of said committee in the city of Rock Island. ana
asked him how ne was getting aong r W5f
the matter of the bank account lmeanng the oank
stock abatements.} He asked me if could give
him information to the bank stock abatement
/ told him II could if down at the books" |
told him would be down the next week and would
meet him any matter he wanted to learn; thaI
would notify him by postal card the day that
would be down. / notified him that would meet
him on Tuesday of next week and for that purpose
came to Rock island and called at the room OF the
committee where Mr.. Pummer and Mr. Bnrgh were
at work was then wiling ana oftsrvd TO give any
so stated to Mr. Plummer at the same time telling
him that had notified Mr.. Ballard that wonld
meet him on that day for that purpose. Mr. Plum
mer and there informed me that he did not think
that Mr.. Ballard wanted TO see me and if he did
bank embellishments. L then told Mr. Plummer
how those abatements We're :. made en, at the he
fairer to allow explain to all the accounts
rather than SIS to simply one item His reply as to
that there no for me to be there. That the
foregoing instance is the only time this afant was
only explanations then and there given was the only
given or allowed on the part OF this affIanI
its report this afiant requested Messrs Sturgeon
Olsen to apply said committee for the privilege
of being heard before It, before it made its report
informed and believes that such application WAS
made by his attorneys in his behalf but that the
same refused and that at no time during the
whole of said investigation was this afnant afowed
to be heard represented either by himself his
attorneys before said committee save and except
the solitary time above mentioned and was wholly
ignorant of each and every act OF said committee
and of each and every charge made against him by
the same until said committee made and published
it's report and he is fully satisfied thatif he had been
given a chance to be heard before said report was
made it never would have been made and further
atiant sayeth not
Subscribed and sworn before me this 9Th day of
March A. d. 1882 JOHN 4. KENwoRTHY, -
Notary Public.
To James B. Mcconnell, 4. T. Ro5lister and John
LipbGF9t, Committee Of Board OF Supervisors 81
Rock Island County Illinois:
GENTLEMEN: The undersigned respectfully sub
ms the following statement of facts relative to the
matter of the suits recently brought against Samuel
r. Porter by this County growing out OF purported
urer of said County to-wit: Some five six weeks
before the Committee made its report upon which
said suits brought the undersigned as the at
torney for said Porter, applied to the Chairman of
the Committee investigating such accounts asking
mtee before they made their report the Board of
Supervisors, that the said Chairman, James W. Bal
lord stated to the undersigned that he would lay the
request before the Committee and let the underslgn
ed know their decision That afterwards, and with
in three four days of the time when said Commit
tee published its said report, he again made applica
ton said Chairman of said Committee to be allow
ed to examine said work of said Commute. Thatthe
only object for such request to prevent publica
ton of any supposed shortage in said Porter's acs
counts, and to correct any error if any should be
found in the report of said Committee That at the
time of making this application, the undersigned
was Informed by said Ballord that the Committee
had considered such request and had decided not to
a11o nor I'm formation Is q
ceedings of said Committee, and gave as reason
privilege Mr.. Reid, and would not for that
allow il to Mr.. Porter. That within two three
DAYS after last said interview with said Balord said
Committee submitted its reports in the premises to
the then Board Of Supervisors, erronnously finding
Mr.. Porter to be a defaulter to said County in
isrl u T liast' said report was imme s-
diately authorized to be published in the
That then and there only, for the first time was it
suggested or proposed by said committee any
check through said Porters accounts in connection
with him or his attorneys. That at that time the
employ of the county of one Vim. H. Plummer, the
expe accountant, who had conducted said investi-
CATION TO check through Mr.. Porters accounts in
connection with Mr.. Porter or his attorneys to ver
ify his report. That the attorneys of Mr.. Porter
were utterly unable at that TINS to give immediate
attention to sach investigation, ana so informed said
committee; besides they regarded the retention of
said Plummer at such time. as a work of superroga
tion fnasmuch as 1t involved an expenditure on the
part of the county of ten dollars day for his
vices for indefinite length of time, and inasnuch
further that said attorneys knew that said commit
tee had made certain LETS tabuated statements
that Were the basis of their report. which were
taken or supposed to be taken az abstracts from the
face of Mr. Porters books That the whole question
TO the accuracy Of said report could be determin
ed bv a simple comparison OF sush lists with the
face of said hooks and for such purpose all that
required copy of such lists or abstracts the
ORIGINALS ana the presence or aid of Mr. Plummer
wholly useless and unnecessary in the prem
ises That said attorneys informed said commit
tee and asked to be allowed to examine said alb
way that they could be referred to by Mr. Porter and
his attorneys in making examination of his said
accounts so repnrted upon by said committee. That
said request was wholly refused both on the part of
said committee and the attorneys representing the
torney for said Porter, went before the Board of
Supervisors, in open session, and requested said
Board for the purpose aforesaid TO order said com
mittee file said abstracts lists with the county
clerk of said county or to make such order as
would allow Mr.. Porter to have copy of them at
his expense, which was wholly refused and the rea-
stated therefor in open session of said board
was ''That do would be giving the county case
away, and shat Mr. Porter could make his own
lists in his own way, as the county had done
That il then and there stated in behalf of Mr..
Porter in good faith had always been stated that
his only object in making such request, was to find
out if there was in fact any mistake in his accounts
the least expense to himself possible.
That after having been refused all access to the |
figures or abstracts of said committee upon which
its said report was based, Mr. Porter in connection
with his attorneys, commenced the examination of
his said accounts and had proceeded Herewith to !
a.
the investigation of his accounts for said year, it
was ascertained by Mr. Porter that the report of
said committee as to that year was wholly errone
Gus, and his attorneys publicly stated. That |
thereupon Mr., William Jackson and Charles Osborn, |
who had been instructed To bring suit against Mr. I
Porter, sought an interview with the undersigned
in the office of the sheriff of said county, and asked
10 then check through with Mr.. Porter and his at
orneys, his accounts for said for the purpose
Of finding out where the discrepancy between |
our examination and that of MI. Plummer. They |
were then and there informed that then in |
the accounts of the 1874 and that Ii might be
The difficulty in the year 1873 arose from the COM
pieatons existing in the bank stock ATTACHMENTS for
That year which aid not exist III Lac year 1874 and
which had Seen examined by US at that time, |
md that If they would wait before bringing suit |
against Mr. Porter until finished the accounts |
1t the same time telling them that we would be |
lone with said year in ample time to bring suit
against Mr.. Porter at the next ensuing term of |
court, II he was found to he in arrears. That said
attorneys did not wait but thereafar brought suit
against Mr.. Porter the result of which Is known to
1ou. And it is here respectfully submitted and /
affirmed that the foregoing offers propositions
pertaining or pointing to an amicabe settlement or
investigation OF the accounts reported upon by said
investigating committee all that offer
ID OF rendered to Mr.. Porter his attorneys the
part OF said committee the attorneys for said
,oun ~ and that there was no alternative for Mr.
Porter but 70 submit to suit by the county in their
premises against his will and without his fault
All OF which Is respectfully submitted,
d, NJ, sTuRsEos.
STATE OF ILLINOIS &C
Rock Island County 90
NJ NJ Sturgeon being duly sworn on oath says
he foregoing statement was written by him and
hat facts therein stated true,
Subscribed and sworn to before me this 9th day of