The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1885-11-27
Allen the Defaulter.
He TURNS UP IN PASTURES NEW IN
( DAKOTA, AS CANDIDATE FOR
REPRESENTATIVE
(Neillsville Cwis.) Times.)

fishes below, for the benefit of its read
ers, shows the whereabouts of a man
we'll and unfayorably known in this
county The residents of Groton APP
pear to be poorly versed in the facts of
the case in question. BY referring to
the records we find that w. G. Allen
| first became connected with the office
of county treasurer as deputy under S.
@. Boardman In 1872 he was a candi-
date for the Office of county treasurer
against Richard Dewhurst. On the
face of the returns Mr. Dewhurst was
elected by small majority. But after
the returns were all in, a precinct in
the town of Weston was found to have
given Allen large majority. This pre-
cinct was never heard of or known to
exist until this time, and on the strength
of these returns, which changed the re-
suit of the election, he was installed in
the office by S. G. Boardman. then
treasurer Proceedings were mime
diately commenced against him by Mr.
Dewhurst to gain control of the office;
| but the action Yves dismissed upon
mere technicalities. AS the term would
| have expired before Mr. Dewhurst
could have commenced another case,
and decision be reached, the usurpre
was allowed to remain in Office In 1874
he was again candidate, and although
at that time charges were freely made
against him as being defaulter- as it
was impossible for the board to secure
satisfactory settlement with him--he
was elected treasurer after one of the
most heated and unprincipled cam
paigns that ever disgraced the annals
of Clark countys history. When the
county board assembled in January,
1875, the bonds presented by Mr.. Allen
were rejected, and as he could not pre-
sent satisfactory ones he held the Of
| fee during the summer without bonds.
At the November election in 1876 VIM
/ T. Hutchinson was elected his successor,
as the Office had become vacant and the
sheriff had given due notice of the
election Allen refused to surrender
the office, claiming the action was un-
authorized Proceedings were institu-
ted against him by the treasurer elect,
on Nov. 27, 1875, to compel him to sur
render the Office. The case came up at
special term of the circuit court held
at Sparta, Monroe county, in January,
1875, and writ was issued ordering
him to vacate the office, but he refused
to comply with the order. Consequent.
ly on Jan. 20, 1875, papers were served
on him by deputy sheriff McIntire, who
placed him under arrest. The office
was turned oyer by force The only
thing that resembled money that re-.
mained in the office at that date was
the corner Of a So bin which was picked
off the floor by resident of this city,
and which the writer of this article was
shown on Saturday last. The owner is
keeping it as memento of Aliens ad-
ministration.
| The county board after examining
the accounts reported "a shortage of
$28, 600 in them. Actions were brought
against Allen and his bondsmen to re-
cover the amount and damages, and a
| verdict was rendered giving the county
| $40, 900 damages and $474 costs. This
i judgment to-day stands on record in
| the Office of the clerk of the circuit
court as unpaid The Judgment was
docketed Oct 6, 1876.
i Mr.. C.. Blakeslee, one of the bonds
men Of the first term, was released up
on building poor-house for the county
and notes amounting to 50, ,503.75, prin-
cipal and interest, were surrendered.
4 Upon the completion of the Jail and
sheriff's residence the notes OF James
i Hewett and James. O'Neil,. Sr., the
other bondsmen, amounting to; SIS, 730. AZ
and 81, ,9S2.66 respectively, were sur
rendered.
Now q word as to the criminal prose
Il cutlon. He was arrested March 15,
1876, for embezzlement. The case was
tried at the April term in 1877. In the
meantime emmissaries had been
through the county working up sympa-
thy for this notorious swindler, and
were paid for their work out of the
money he had stolen from the people.
4 A Jury was empannelled and the case
tried. After one of the most severe
Il charges ever given a jury by that hon
orable jurist, Judge Bum, they retired
y and soon brought in q verdict of not
Il guilty" which was entirely contrary
80 the law and evidence in the case, and
Il directly contrary to the Judges charge.
i Allen is man who is shrewd and no.
toriOusly dishonest. When he left
i Wisconsin everyone hoped he would
j try. to reform bis ways in his new home,
n and recommends life on an honest basis.
But for him this seems impossible. II
he had done so this re-airing Of his
transactions would not have been made.
But from the facts set forth in the cir.