The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1886-09-29
u.r a st. Clair County Judge
Cludes a Marshal'S Posse.
s,,using to Levy Tax to Pay Fraud
,leut Bonds. lie is Hunted Night
and Day for Eight Months by
Party of Nine Men.
JENNINGS BIZ NEIGHBORS.
xs.sss City Times.


| p Willis, who for three months has
ken securing the wilds OF St. Clair
| county IN search OF Thomas Scott,
the refractory judge of the county
court who refuses to recognize an
order OF the United States court to
make a tax levy for the payment of
the interest and portion of the
pinclpal of the fraudulent Kan sas
| City, Memphis and Mobile railroad
bonds, arrived in the city yesterday
Tor bret vacation.
Old residents OF this city will re
member the great railroad swindlc
| by which Jackson county was robbed
Of S3oo, 600 and interest along with
/ st. Clair and a halt dozen other
COUNTIES. All the counties have
compromised their bonds, except
St. Clair, the people of which have
sleadfastly refused to pay any part
Of the debt, which now, with the
interest, amounts to some 5000, 900.
Accordingly when the United States
circuit court rendered Judgment IN
favor OF the bondholdcrs for part
Of the principal and interest, the
Judges could nowhere be found.
Service was finally got on them,
however, and the court at Jefferson
n City issueda mandamus ordering the
county court to make tax levy to
nhsfy the judgment. Service was
easily got on presiding Judge Phil
lips, VINO was perfectly wiling to
make the levy, and Judge Copen-
haver, after hiding several weeks,
vas arrested in February and taken
10 Jefferson City and placed under
bond to appear at toe Septenbel
Term. He did so few days ago
and refusing to Sign the order max
ing the levy, he was sent to Jail toi
contempt OF court.
Judge Scott has been more fortu
rate. Though Deputy Marsha
] Willis and posse of eight men have
been securing the county since III,
middle of June, they have not sue
eeedet IN getting service on him.
The posse has been within a stone
throw Of the fugitive Judge a numbe
j of times, but so jealous have hi
nends been, IN secreting him tina
ihe officers have beea baffled on al
OCCASIONS. Early IN the hunt Deput
Marshal Willis employed a man L
eothroug! the county in the guis
3aramp seeking work, in the hop
Of Tuning Scott down. The farmer
caught on" to the ruse III a fe,
0ays and notified Mr.. Tramp that
& valued whole skin he had bette
cave the county, which he d.,
Without further admonition. Th
eputy was not dlsheartened at thi,
WI continued the chase with re
oouoled vigilance. and for the pa
wo months has scarcely slept unde
afoof. Sunday night of last wee
aDeruty Marshal Willis was lyin
oy'he roadside waiting for his poss
"eome up, man passed. who'
e atterward learned to be Judg
Seoa' The following Wednesda
a'ght the posse located Scott in
arm house near the Usage rive
oemountng they crept to with
ioo wards OF tie house when I.
aogs gave the alarm and Scott =
0ped IN the darkness. crossing {!
"ser, which was wais, deep.
Mr. Willis will return 10 ST Cla
eounty today and will renew Il
aun'. at is deucedlv unpopular
~a deputy marshal down thers
Aesaid yesterday. Every body wi
not known is suspected OF beii
my service. An old eastern ge'