Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-10-21
Mcmahon and His Traducers.
PLATTEvILLE, Wis, Oct. IS. 1885,

| PLATTEvILLE, Wis, Oct. IS, 1886.
EDITOR HERALD:-Ma of the citi-
zens of this locality, regardless of party,
are pleased with the stand the HERALD
has taken with reference to the Repub-
lican candidate for the office of county
treasurer. Those of us here who are
familiar with all the facts relative to the
depositing of the money. the failure of
the bank, etc, feel that great injustice
has been done Mr. Mcmahon, both by
false insinuations made by newspapers
which are interested in his defeat, and
by his competitor, if we are rightly in
formed. We know little of Mr.. Bart
ley and have nothing to say in deroga-
ton of him. We do not blame him for
desiring the position; engaged as he is
in the business of banking in a small
way and loaning money, of course the
use of the county's money for two years
would inure greatly to his benefit finan-
cially; nor do we blame those papers
interested in his election if they conduct
the canvass in an honorable manner.
On November 10, 1885, the Teller
says: ''On the assumption that Mr.. Nc
Mahon used ordinary intelligence and
entire good faith in the care of the
county's money it should seem that the
loss ought to fall upon the county,"
That Mr.. Mcmahon was receiving no
compensation for depositing the money
in the Platteyille Bank, that it was not
for his own convenience but for the ac-
commodation of our own and neighbor-
ing towns, the affidavit of the cashier
of the bank and the statements of the
several town treasurerS settles beyond
question. The fact that he but followed
precedent established by almost
every one of his predecessors in deposit
ing in this and other banks in the
county, and the further fact that many
of our own business men of this city
and vicinity who had better opportuni-
ties for knowing the condition of the
bank, regarded it as perfectly safe, and
to the number of about 400 thus trusted
the bank to over S150,000, shows con-
clusively that he acted in centre good
faith
1t is a fact known to all that the
county furnishes no place suitable for
keeping the money; that the treasurer
must deposit it in some bank for safe
keeping. Ordinary prudence would
suggest that 1t was not wise to have 1t
all in one bank, for fear of accident.
Our neighboring county of Iowa has
had an accident somewhat similar, yet
not just like ours. There they have
furnished fire and burglar-proof safe
at an expense of over thousand dol
lars, in which to keep tho county's
money. AT or near the same time of
our loss the county treasurer of that
county deposited large part of the
! funds of his county in one of the banks
of that county, and the bank failed and
the money was lost. Notwithstanding
the fact that the county had furnished
him safe place to keep the county's
funds, yet the county board relieved
him from all loss.
We understand Mr.. BARLEY claims that
his nomination was made with the UNI
Outstanding thati he is elected the action
of the county board is condemned so far
as 1t acted upon Mr.. McMahon's case.
Those members who took an active
part in doing what the board did were
returned by their constituents almost
without opposition. while we are in
formed that Mr.. B., who voted with the
minority of tho county board, only got
through in the absence of his opponent.
by a majorityof three or four votes at last
springs election. The people honored
those men who chose to do right rather
than achieve little cheap notoriety.
Several of those gentlemen are now
candidates for office, and the election
will show that, no matter on what
ticket man may run, the honest cleo.
tors of this county cannot be duped
nor persuaded to forsake an honest
officer for misfortune for which he is
not to blame, nor those gentlemen who
had the courage of their conviction
when the matter of his relief was before
the county board.
Some of us knew Mcmahon when be
was small boy working on his father.
timber farm. helping to support the
family. We knew him later. when the
country called in its extremity for de.
Tenders; We saw him in his early man.
hood with beardless face, leave behind
him home. friends and all that was dear
and respond to that dread summons
we saw him transformed into the citi.
zen soldier and march away to the
front. We soon lost sight of him. he
being sent one way and we another
After Sherman had swept to the sea. ;,
after Grant had rendered Lee harmless
it was our privilege to see at Whining.
ton a large number of Union soldiers
who had been confined in the loathsome
prison pen at Florence Never shall
forget that awful scene. Pen and brush
are impotent to portray the suffering