Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-08-12
A GRAND SKIP.
Trofatter Headed Towards the
Setting Sun.

for el.2oO-The handspring by
which He Was shot Out Of Town
-Dav. h ally the Coming Man.
Eureka was the scene Of q sensation
yesterday, such as has not stirred the
emotions of our people for many e long
day. About noon it began to be said
throughout town that Z. 7. Trofatter,
County Commissioner for the short
term, elected last Fall, had skipped the
country. 1t was not long before this was
proved to be true. 1t leaked out that Tro-
fatter left Eureka at 9 very early hour
Friday morning in q team with ]. @.
Powell, who drove him to Garden Pass, 3
point on the Eureka 4 Palisade Railroad.
The team was driven back by Mr.. Powell's
eldest son, and Mr.. Powell himself took
the train for Palisade and the West with
Trofatter. We can get nobody to swear to
these things. but We have every reason to
believe that they are facts. That Trofatter
is gone there.is no doubt; and he has gone
for good. We have excellent reason to
suspect that he is now heading for the
great Northwest. possibly for British Col
umbia. Frank Osborne. his adopted son,
took the train at the depot in Eureka and
joined him for the flight at Garden Pass.
THE REASON h
When the fact OF Trofatter's flight had
been established. the curiosity manifested
by his recent constituency in Eureka to
know why he had run away was immense.
All sorts Of speculstions were INDUCED in
as to the cause, and the widest and most
fantastic rumors were set aflOat. We do
not pretend, because it is our business to
gather news for the public qualification,
that we have been able to find out any
thingQn the matter that we can report as
absolutely true. But our guild I'M has been
on the alert and has picked up what seems
to him to be as near the correct version OF
the story IS can be had. There are two
reasons, in quid nunc's mind, why Trofat-
ter left: First, because he was afraid to
stay, and second, because he got paid. to
go away. In explanation Of the first rea-
son, the story, freely told, is that he had
been Boosting of his rascality as a County
Commissioner and Of the sums OF money
he had received to favor certain inter-
ests to the betrayal of his public trust.
He has made voluntary confessions such
as could have been used against him to
send him to State Prison. The gen.
eral impression, in explanation of reason
number two is, that he got q purse OF
81, 200 as an inducement for him to re-
sign his Office and jump the country.
As to who are the parties that made up
this purse for the benefit OF the alb
.sconding official we cannot say. Their
names are still to be guessed
The primary object in Trofatter's re-
moval is understood to be this. 1t has
been the belief that in the matter Of the
assessment of the Central Pacific Rail-
road Trofatter would vote to cut down
the figures of Assessor Wallace from
SIG, 600 a mile to $4,000, the @. P.
agreeing to stand the latter tax. 1t
has also been said that Commissioner
Smith is In the same boat; hence. in order
to get the assessment kept up to SIG, 600,
a member of the Board is needed to act
with Commissioner Arlington, who is
said to be backing the Assessor.
THE CHIEF.
1t is shrewdly surmised that @. G. Wal
lace, Assessor, is at the bottom of the
scheme, his motive being to refute in
Eureka County land in whatever other
counties hecan extend his subtle in%fiuence)
the charge that the famous Assessor Bill"
was put through in the interest Of the
Central Pacific Railroad. He has moved
heaven and earth to destroy this imputa-
ton, which has been used to bemean the
Assessors whose terms Of office have been
extended by the bill. the Legislature, and,
especially, Gov. Adams, for signing it.
This has been Black Wallace's personal
aim, the results Of which, if he is success
full, will, of course, be to the pecuniary
benefit of the taxpayers of Eureka County.
This may be safely considered the main
spring by which Trofatter was shot out of
Eureka. As to the local influences and
agencies that combined to help out the
project there is nothing but speculation.
The chances are that "Black" pulled in
some parties who had axes to grind in get
ting Trofatter put Of the way, and made
them see the beauties Of giving him q
bouncing benefit. The persuasive power
OF the Brunette ID tremendous.
We can say. however, that r. Sadler 10
innocent OF the entire programme aud was
almost ~ much surprised by the denoue-
ment a. anybody else, though his pro-
verbal ~shrewdness enabled him TO see
much further into the grindstone, after
the scheme had come to . head, than most
other men could have seen.
HI COIN.
The way the story goes IN further il,
that at Reno Trofatter handed over his
resignation, duly prepared in advance. and
in turn received the purse. 1t was not
feared that he would try to recall bis res
ignation, a., already intimated, he had
given evidence himself OF his own felony
and would not dare to return to Eureka.
THE NEW coMMIssIoNEA.
II was learned in the Assessors Office BY
telegram from j. @. Powell ct Carson yes
tesday that Gov. Adams had accepted Tro.
~fattsr's resignation and would appoint his
successor 81 once. It 10 surmised that
Dav. 3. Baily. Esq. . gentleman whose
integrity nobody questions. and who will
be = public servant acceptable to the peo-
pls, will be selected to all the place.
There are those who condemn in very
severe terms allowing Trofattsr to escape.
They think he should have been held and
tried for felony. There are those who
think his going away Is . god.send, but
deprecate paying him money to induce
him 10 give up his official trust. A for