Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1885-12-17
The signal Smut Machine aud Its
Feeder.

l -" 49, -
fairly burst his gall bladder, BY the mild dos,
Of his own medicine which was administered
TO him the week before by jackson Demo
crat." fe eF @
We have been loath to handy words with q
blaekguard, who has no regard for truth OF
decency, but as the smut machine has seer
fit to put words into tho mouth Of the editor
of this paper, and used them as text 10 out.
rageously assault him, as he has assaulted
others of our citizens within the past few
months, we feel called upon, for the honor Of
the community, to place the fellow in his
true light before the people Of Henry county
holding up TO their view the fellow who il
busy traducing the character of respectable
citizens.
Some thirteen years ago the editor brought
the fellow to Napoleon to assist him in con.
Quoting the business of the NORTHWEST office
believing that it might be possible to educate
him as Democrat and make a useful citizen
of him, but alas for human proposals, he
proved to be just the reverse. He remained
with us but short space of time, but it was
long enough to nearly prove our ruin and
bankruptcy. He was summarily gotten rid
of at quite an expense to ourselves, and from
that on he has been our enemy and an enemy
to the Democratic party of Henry county.
He then fastened his grip upon his old faith
or and mother, and in few short months
both were bankrupt and compelled to renew
the toll and battle of life for competence.
| Still seeking pastures green, this fellow,
who has set himself up as the traducer of
character and as the savior of his county,
his aged mother-in-law was the next victim
to the tune of seven or eight thousand dol
lars, money which she had judiciously invest
ed in government securities, the interest of
which was intended to keep her i'll her old
and infrm age.
| At this stage of his career the misfortunes
of one of our citizens threw him in his way,
| since which time he has been literally bleed
ing said citizen and squandering his ill gotten
gains principally at the gaming table. He
has now got his clutches upon what his better
half, and his much better half, too, has of this
worlds goods, and in her name has become
possessed of the Signal Office, which he has
converted into the aforesaid smut machine,
which is in full harmony with his diseased
mind and leprous morality. How long the
funds will last one can easily Judge from his
past record.
And now, to show how this fellow, breeder
of mischief and, strife, is conducting his
trickery, under cover of his printing office,
with the assistance of his ilk, for it is said
"birds of a feather flock together, !" we will
cite few instances for the enlightenment of
the people of the county, SO that they may be
fully conversant with his intents and pur-
poses.
He laid awake nights concocting schemes
to get his coveteous fingers upon the county
patronage, other than that which the law gave
him. The paper that has helped the Demo-
Gratis to victory in this county, is no more en-
titled to county patronage than the smut ma
chine itself, reasons this smart aleck.
To make matters plain to our readers
we will go back to three years ago, when Au-
ditor Evers made up the annual report of the
County Commissioners according as he con-
strued the meaning of the law. 1t made a
yoluminous report, so much so that the COM
missioners did not feel justified in having its
entirety published and paying to two papers
therefor full legal rates, much as they wished
to have the full report go to the people. They
then agreed to pay for its publication the sum
of $500 to each paper. This was satisfactory
to the then proprietor of the Signal and the
editor of this paper. Last year the report
was again published in its entirety and the
same amount allowed for it. But the editor
of the smut machine wished to dive deeper
into the county treasury and presented his bill
for the sum of $419, threatening to sue the
Commissioners for the $219. The Commiss-
toner's could not be bulldozed and told him to
sue ahead.
1t was then that the Commissioners came
in for their share of the smut machines
abuse. But this did notwin, and he again lay
awake nights Matching new devilment, and
this time he concluded to change tactics and
try blackmailing.
The Commissioners annual report was
again in the hands of Common Pleas Court
for the appointment of committee to assist
Prosecutor Cahill in its examination. Here
was his chance. He would get himself ap-
pointed upon the committee and his black
mailing scheme could readily be put in oper-
alton. By some subtitle manoeuvering he sue
ceeded, Judge Handy being egregiously i'm
-
posed upon. He was not long in beginning
his work; he waylaid the Commissioners at
every corner, talked honied words and gave
them hunks of molasses candy, and especially
gave them to understand he was one of the
examiners. This, of course, made little diff
ference to the Commissioners, as they arenot
afraid to have their doings scrutinized by any
one, not even their arch enemy, the manager
of the smut machine. This progressed for
some time, when the fellow took his gall in
his hand and approached Commissioner
Rohrs and requested him not to stipulate a
price for publishing the report this year He
wished to again bring in his bill of four or
five hundred dollars. with no obstacle in his
way to get the amount. This was a neat lit
tie trick, but the Commissioners saw its
drift.
Another Of his schemes is his stone road Of
fer. He is willing to do certain printing and
donate one-half or two-thirds of the amount
to stone roads. For this he is willing to give
bond. Now who in all Henry county would
be silly enough to go upon his bond? Don't
all speak at once. But, happily, the Demo-