Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1886-11-30
Communicated.

communication of Capt. Baker L
find the mountain has been in labor
and brought forth a very small mouse,
who only uttered one squeak q de-
nounce Grantham's article) ndthen
gave up the ghost. AS to the politi-
cal portion of his article my reply
will be very brief. l have only to
say I have always voted directly or
indirectly for Capt. BIS interest,
knowing at the same time that the
trainers of our constitution never in
intended that one set of sheriffs
should serve longer than four years
without an intermission, yet / cared
but little who was sheriff, and Capt.
B. is a pleasant gentleman to trans
act business with and Col. Morgan is
one of the best friends / have ever
had. Now to business: Capt. B.
says ! am untruthful, &c. Well it is
said that figures will not lie, so as far
as possible I resort to them. First,
permit me to state that the Bank of
CharIestown is a State depository,
where the State tax is paid, and the
Bank pays the State interest on quar-
terly balances. In September, 1882,
two of the County Commissioners
Zone of them a bank directory waited
on the board of directors and urged
us to buy ten thousand dollars worth
of the county five per cent. bonds,
stating that they could not commence
funding the the six per cent. bonds
without some cash, as some persons
would not be willing to exchange six
for five per cent, and in such cases
the bonds must be paid. After a
time the board agreed, knowing it
would be to the interest of the tax
payers-it could not be a benefit to
the Bank, as we could loan all the
funds we had at six per cent and get
the interest in advance, while the
bonds paid but five at the end of each
year. 1t is true there was about two
per cent. interest due at the time,
which was not deducted, but that
would only make the bonds pay six
per cent. for two years, while,if l re-
member right, they had twenty years
to run. On the 22nd of September,
1882, the Board took the ten thousand
dollars worth of five per cent. county
bonds and placed that amount to the
credit of Capt. Baker, the county
agent. Eight days after, on the 30th,
the whole amount to Capt. Bakers
credit was SlO,2C8.G 3. On that day
he (Bakcr) drew his check for $4,000
and placed that amount to the credit
of the State, for, L suppose, taxes
he owed the State. This may have
been a Misrepresentation of funds
which was placed to his credit to re-
deem county bonds, yet he had given
n bond, and if he chose to appro-
pirate the money in that way he may
have had the right to do so. When
he paid this money into the State
treasury, interest on that sum against
him ceased, and the Bank commenced
paying interest to the state. He Of
course continued to charge interest
on taxes due him, and the question L
asked, did he pay the county interest
on this $4,000 until he refunded it:
Capt. Baker answers, I positively de-
ounce Grantham's whole article as a
falsehood and untrue. For the truth
of my statement l refer to the books
of the Bank of Charlestown, from
which 1 have taken the foregoing fig
ures, which will not lie.
Before proceeding farther it be-
comes necessary to again quote the Sd
section of the act empowering the
board of county Commissioners to
fund u county bonds. 1t is as fol-
lows: The county court of said coun-
ty is hereby authorized to appoint an
agent, whose compensation shall not
exceed one-third Of one per cent, who,
after executing bond in such penalty,
and with such condition rs said court
may prescribe, shall sell said bonds
at not less than par and accrued in
interest, &C.
The Capt. refers me to the County
Clerk for further information. On
examining the record there,I find the
Passing over former set
Elements 1 come down to November
term, 1885, where I find the follow
ing statement: One hundred eighteen
seven hundred six dollars
and seventy four cents worth of five
per cent. bonds issued. Commission
same / of one per cent. S395.69.
Amount of six per cent. bonds taken
up 13.SS6.33. Commission on
same / of one per cent. S379.62. 1t
will be seen that the act is here cor
strued into a two edged sword to cut
both ways. Under said act he was
only entitled to commission on five
per cent. bonds issued. Then it APP
pears he took several trips at the ex-
of the taxpayers to Baltimore.
and other places, amounting
to eighty four dollars and ninety-tive
cents (hope he had q good time).-
Next follows report made by a COM
on 21st May, 1886, as follows:
Amount of five per cent.
bonds iSsued........ SIG. 5000 90
Interest on same...... 1,19l.51
Sl16,O91.51
Six per cent. bonds
taken slO3, $4,000
Interest paid. 4,194.79
Amount of coupons one
per cent. bonds paid
by Mr.. Baker....... 100000
Commission ] of | per
can't on S11S O01 81 393 63