The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-04-17

Milton C. Keenan,, the absconding
Jackson County Treasurer, was
brought here on last Thursday after
noon, by Sheriff Cherington, and
lodged in Jail. Of course his arrival
caused quite a stir in the community,
and several individuals were very anx-
ious to see and interview him, as soon
as possible. But intervieWers gener-
ally were excluded until his bondsmen
and other interested parties were Civ
en- an opportunity to consult with
him.
There had been so much wild talk
about Keenan,, his condition, his
drunkenness, and so on, that our peo-
pie expected to see broken and shat
tered wreck of what he once was.
They were somewhat surprised when
he stepped lightly out Of the bus,
wearing the same style Of clothing he
had worn before his departure, and
looking as familiar as though he had
left but yesterday, if we except the
fact that the half-drunken look which
had been so long noted, with appre-
hension, by his friends, was gone.
The story that he has been drunk al
most constantly since his departure.
is utterly without foundation in fact.
Most of the time he has been where
he could not purchase liquor with his
scanty means. He looks far more
like the upright, sober, healthy man
now, than he did when he went away.
In conversation with a citizen of
this place, coming home on the train,
Mr.. Keenan, said that, after the first
shock of his arrest was over, he was
glad that he had been caught, and on
reading the story of his hardships, we
think our readers will accord him a
spirit Of entire truthfulness in this
matter. The story reads like novel.
His wife came to see him on last
Friday morning, and remained with
him good part Of the day. The
good woman seems willing to over
look the great wrong he did his fam
lily, and to take the erring man back
again into the faithful heart which
loved him so dearly in his days of
prosperity and upright living, and
which has longed for him in all his
unfaithfulness and wandering away
from those whom he was in duty
bound to cherish and protect. This,
considering the magnitude of the
wrong done the woman, is a sublime
picture of patient suffering, and for
giveness.
On Saturday morning the Standard
called on Keenan,, and found him in
good spirits considering all the physi-
cal and mental agony through which
he has passed. Our business was to
get the correct story Of his wander
ings, which he gave us from memo
randa which he had iotted down as it
transpired. And we give his story, as
taken from his own notes:
On the 9th of September he left
Jackson for Cincinnati. He had been
frequent visits to Cincinnati
and other points and nothing was
thought Of this by citizens generally.
A prominent Republican who knew
pretty much all about Court House
affairs, stopped the junior editor Of
the Standard on the street, shortly
after Keenan's departure, and declared
that there was going to be trouble in
The Treasury, as Keenan, and several
names it will hardly
be necessary to mention, had been
running a kind Of Jug grocery" in
5he Treasury, keeping a bottle Of
whisky in the Office, and being in a
half drunken condition most of the
lime. We reminded our friend that
;he Republican party allowed no gull
y man to escape, and if anything
was wrong, the offender should be
hown up in bis true colors. AS was
anticipated, keenan, did not return.
On the Sth Of September he, in
with Jennie Melvin, who
lad been his mistress for years, left