The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-08-08
HIS OATH NOGOOD.
How an Attorney Duped the Citi.
Gems Of Butler, in Bates
County.

About the first of last March, Henry P.
McGindley, an attorney, arrived at Butler,
Bates county, from st. Louis, and hung out
his shingle for the practice of his pro-
fession. He appeared to be about fifty
years Of age, had with him his wife, and
made his boasts of how he would revolu-
tionize things in the legal line after he be-
came acquainted. He told of the immense
practice he had enjoyed in st. Louis, and
said it was emily question of few weeks
until he would secure large share of the
litigation Of Bates county, when he W ould
make it exceedingly interesting for all
| rivals who dared measure swords with him.
His cheek was unlimited, and soon he
had run numerous bills throughout the city,
promising that all should be liquidared on
the first of each month but such did not
prove to be the case, he giving a stand-off
in each instance.
Some weeks ago he gave it out
that he had been requested to
give his legal opinion as to whether
the manner in which saloon licenses were
granted in Butler was in conformity with
the law, and he set about making every
preparation for the work before him
1t had been the custom in granting such
licenses to procure the signatures of more
than one-halt of the property owners in
the block where the saloon was to be
opened up, asking that license be grant
ed, and McGindley decided that such man.
ner of procedure was not legal, but q ma
jority of the voters of the township must
sign such q petition. His decision vast
not accepted, however, as majority of the
people Of Butler were positive the request
L. l. - L L.
gotten up by himself.
In the meantime he was getting deeper
in debt each day, and bills, drafts, ETC.,
from St. Louis, his former home, came
pouring in thick and fast, but were treated
with silent contempt. In this manner
things wagged along until last week, when.
unknown to his creditors, McGindley
packed up his household and Office
effects and skipped the town, going, it is
said, to Moberly, where, in all probability,
he will endeavor to dupe the citizens of
that thriving city also.
That he is fraud, there is no doubt,
although he had the ability, had he ap-
piled himself, to have acquired both fame
and fortune. His love for low associates,
though, made him q doomed man, and
success impossible.
In this connection, the deposition OF a
witness in St. Louis in regard to McGind-
ley will prove to the people of Butler the
kind of man they have been dealing
with, the following being only one OF
many.
John Engel testified that he kept a sa-
loon and boarding. house. Heknew Henry
A. McGindley, and he knew he had no
character; he swindled him. McGindley
conducted lawsuit for witness and took
$50, which he said was security for
costs" He marked a cross on the envel-
ope and said 1t would be returned. After
wards Mrs. Engel took $50 to McGindley
for the rent. McGindley kept all the
money and S25 besides for fees. The wit
ness knew that McGindley never paid the
costs, for witness held the circuit clerks
receipt for costs, having paid them him
self. Another time McGindley took wit
ness claim on the Resl Estate bank and
collected the dividend 1t was the chill
dren's money. McGindley kept it all.
When witness found out the kind OF man
McGindley was, he dropped him. He
vould not believe him under oath