The Weekly Kansas chief. [volume] (Troy, Kan.) 1872-1918, 1883-03-15

A BOLD SwISDLE-Among the proceedings Of the
County Board will be found order requiring the
County Attorney to proceed to collect from the
Township Trustees all moneys recepted for by them
as railroad bridge road tax, that have not been
turned into the Treasury, or worked out. To the
reader unacquanted with the facts this may appear
il the Trustees had been pOcketng money belong
ing to the public. Such is not the case. Il simply
means that several of the Trustees and Township
Read Oversecrs made the victims Of n swim
die, during last year, chiefly by putting too much
confidence in the word of person who was former
ly citizen and trusted officer of the County. The
facts are, in substance, these:
There is a road tax levied on all property in the
County, including railroads and the 81. Joseph
bridge. This tax may be worked out at much
per day, NAV be paid in money. Last year, a
man giving his name as Warren, presented himself
to the Trustees and Road Overseers saying that he
had contract from the railroads to work out their
tax; but he proposed to them that if they would
receipt in full the of the railroads. he would
pay them q in money for every s. receipted for and
they could then, with the q, hire men to do
work the roads than could be got with g. in the
way Of working out n tax. There was law for
such transaction; but the Trustees and Road
Overseers thought that the Townships would lose
nothing by it, and they might, perhaps, be enabled
TO turn some advantageous bargains. He struck up
bargain with Henry Swinney, Trustee Of Iowa
Township, J. o. Larzelere, Trustee of washipstoa
Township; George S. Harris and Moses Colpriest,
Trustee and Road Overseer of Centre Township,
and John S. Miller, Road Oyerseer of Wayne Town
ship. lie then asked that they give him receipts in
full for the tax which he would need as vouchers
before he could draw the money from the railroad
companies, and soon be could send the
ceipts to the Auditors of the roads, the accounts
would be allowed, and he would send checks for the
money. As TO several of the men named, we do not
know whether they readily fell into the trap not;
but Mr. Harris refused to deliver any receipt until
he had the money; and Mr.. Swinney, Of Iowa Town
ship, also refused. but made out and signed his
cept placed it in the hands Of County Clerk Morse,
and told him to hold on to it until the money was
forthcoming, when he should deliver it. The
amount reeepted for by Mr.. Larzelere was about
600; by Mr.. Swinney, almost much: by John s.
Miller, perhaps 500, more; by Mr.. Collipriest,
about $50; and by Mr.. Harris. $50. the amount of
the read tax Of the Atchison and Nebraska Road in
this Tow nship. As the game now stood, Mr.. War
Lad yet got the receipts into his fingers, and
could not get them until the money was fcrthcom-
ing. At this juncture, comes upon the scene Mr.. W.
ID. Webb Of AtehisOn formerly County Attorney of
this County and the favorite candidate Of the Re
form" party Of the County for District Judge. He
went TO Dir. Morse, pledged his word of honor that
he knew Warren to be all right, and worth $4,000
aud that he would send the checks soon as the
receipts could be forwarded 20 the railroad officers
and be also pledged himself to be personally respon
sible for the payment Of the money. Morse allowed
himself TO be wheedled into giving up Swinneys re-
ceipt Webb then went TO Harris, with the same
assurance. and pledges, and bamboozled him ont
of his receipt. AZ tn the others, do not know.
bat be probably used the same arguments with
them As result, Mr.. Warren and his friend and
voucher, Webb got away with 5000 or 800 of mon
from this County. Warren at disappeared,
and a dollar in return for the receipts,
except TO Harris and one to William Ward, of Wolf
River Township, early in the game, a bait. The
Union Pacific Railroad set about hunting up War
ren, bring him punishment, and finally arrest
ell him. Somewhere out West. We have been told
that when caught, he working mining
claim belonging TO Webb, in Colorado, but We can
not vouch for this. The victims began TO besiege
Webb ON the subject. saving they considered him
responsible for the whole thing. lie then assessed
several Of them IS or 80, to bear his expenses to
Omaha to compel Warren to disgorge; but they
after received another eye-opener by seeing il
announced that Webb was employ we'd to defend War
rem The latter, believe, is still in jail but il
would he at least as safe prediction that of
Virgins, to prophecy that he will be got clear by
hOcuspocus and iron-clad swearing, without
paying the money back to those whom he swindled.
Whether the victims can be further bamboozled in
to paying the expenses of bringing him ont of roub
le remains to be seen. We think Webb could get
il out Of them, if he tried very hard.