Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1884-12-03
CHERRY GROVE.
No 1Ydt,s0s Yet from, So Contractor"
~a~- Stevenson.
Contractor" Walker and His
$500 Sch0olh0use.

bonds belonging to Cherry Grove School Town
ship. His claim has been hled upon. and hts
the infniteasmal assets which he loft behind.
Ed: Walker, who also received 81 500 in bonds,
is still hammerng away at his little schoolhouse,
than two children of school ago entitled to in
struction within its walls after 1t shall bo COM
pleted. However. 1t Is said that, owing to the
Of the township, ho has somewhat modified his
views a. to the amount which he intends to grab
He now claims that he desires to make only $500
out OF the contract which was let to him by Ste
venson and himself, no chance being given 70
other bidderseome one OF whom might have
been ssti:fsd M with less than $500 profit on small
The RECORD has taken some trouble to secure
the facts In this most mysterious and bsre-faccd
robbery-the most scandalous and unblushine
crime not only embraces the stealing Of public
money but also the holding Of an illegal election,
false Lifting Of scholars "3 rs, for the Of SECURING
finally, swearing to the legality Of an election
which Walker and Stevenson knew-and it can
be proven they knew-to be illegal.
Some time last summer, in conversation with
toned the rumer that an effort was to be made to
informed us that the election had been held and
the returns were in. We then asked him il there
was no way to head of the scheme. He replied
they are worth anything" This wss s said Tins in a
! manner which led US to infer that the bonds
would not be signed third party ya. present
| the voters in Buchanan's Valley had not received
| notice of the alleged election. The next known
Of the matter was when We were informed that
| and that they were In possession of Walker and
Stevenson. The whole scheme was worked in
| the most secret and mysterious manner, and
within few miles Of Stevenson. We are in
formed that Mr. Christy; father of two Of the four
children of school age known to be reading in the
anh tour kna pf thnI
| ton. It is stated that notice was given Robert
Buchanan. This is denied by that gentleman.
No ea. gySsn the Y5ef bs
| nothing of 1t, although, II schnoi board which
called an election to bond the township for 900
considered such tSw;nship teo poor to advertise,
published as news item. Had 1t been made
public that the bonds were presented for the
County Gierk's % Signature, % we & believe protest
nine.tenths Of Cherry Groves residents attached
could have been obtained. A little delay in
that Of putting tho Hon. Mr. Stevenson to the in
| convenience of making his extended tonr during
cold weather. as the proposed schoolhouses were
not then nor are they now needed.
The bonds being issued to build schoolhouses
which there were no children to fill, the only tol-
cradle way out Of bad mess would have been
either, first, to advertise for proposals to build
and let the contract to the lowest bidder, on q
bond basis; or, second, let the school board hire
y responsible and competent man to do tho work
leave
the balance in the hands Of the Township Treas
urer. Instead Of this Stevenson and Walker met
| together and let "oontraots" TO one another to
sold for s., 400. Walker and Stevenson divided
that amount. Stevenson skipped with all of his
share, while Walker M !: building house where
| tends 10 make $780,"
| Again, the election. even II proper notice had
been given, was illegal, the scribbled pieces OF
paper posted on steyensone and Walkers shaeks
did not specify the sections townships and
| by several gentlemen aftef the alleged election
had been held. Yetin the face Of this knowledge
when Deputy Armstrong, Before he would sign
Stevenson sWoRE THAT THE ELECTION S5S
WAS A LEGAL ONE!
Again in the listing Of children Of .choel age in
| tile township, fraud was perpetrated Tho Law
requires that such list shall be made out on bar
sis of the schoolchildren residing in the township
70 IN
township. This assertion was also made by
Walker 70 q half-dozen gentlemen who will
knew it-that his boy Joe, Mr.. Goodrichs child
Mr.. Christy's two children, and possibly two oi
three Others: are tho only ones residing in the
marck for the winter. which leaves Walkers boy
the only scholar to sit in the new schoolhouse
when completed. Mr.. Christy lives in another
twenty-four miles long and six broad.
Before nickel Of the saloon license fund h paid
| over TO Chery Grove Township. an afndayit
County superintendsats 81 nsirnber Of school
children residing in the township. A
The k.SoSP w.esx nov dss5ss e ssy y few word.
night We sapposed you his victim rather than Ii,
acconpiioe. We knew YOU poesepged no quaaihs
cations for membership on 3 school board or any
other board, and that you were placed in the DO
sition because in q new country, among people
almost strangers to one another, little knowledge
| can be had as to whether proper men are being
sss
your action as to the alleged bond election and
| the building of schoolhouses not needed was pc
been imposed upon by Stevenson. We were
willing TO say nothing ifyou built the house hon.
sestly, as in two or three years It may be needed
and brazen CHECK" to claim that you would dc
| the work as contractor" with the assumed
right Of keeping al fund; remaining after you,
that you would procure vouchers for everything
purchased; that you would turn over the balance
Ito Treasurer PetefSon; then present your bill and
pensation for your work. Instead OF this, you
sible 70 no one: You claim 70 have paid 500 g,
you paid nearly double what It cost to furnish
IWilliamsport fine large building, just completed
You asked Mrs. Carpenter for two acres Of her
Hclaim on which to build a schOolhouse. Shs
Aonered them without remuneration. Instead d
I Sshe4 Pss ssa for
ssse q are hs
s'contracts" tho assets Of the township. In,tesS
of acting as faithful officer, wstchfnl Of the in
sya
Hing: When the article on this matter in les,
weeks issue Of this paper was read TO you and
your r. son Avon, s the lattsI exclaimed; We'll
hOne who steals the most is tho best man I" What