The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1888-03-17
the appointment Of the number Of assistsnts


thus far by your acts controlled and reRu.
lated the number Of assistants in the probate
clerks office. and thereby, for the last year
at least, have become responsible for the
condition OF the records In which they are
at this time, can no longer afford to permit
this condition Of affairs TO exist, that is, IL
you wish to be fair with me and do Justice
to the public, to whom you are accountable
as we'll as am, and as l think your iuten-
ton is to be fair, hope you will grant the
request herein asked. am, very respect
iuiiy yours, HENRY HALwI0,
Probate Clerk.
On motion, Co. Atty Moloney said: "Gen.
tlemen: Having been engaged for consid-
cradle time, during the investigation. in ex.
aiming the records and books Of the probate
clerk, have had chances of observation,
which would not otherwise have come in
my way. My office is just across the hall
from the probate clerk, and have reason to
know that from morning until night, one
clerk is kept busy answering questions of
the people Of La Sale county. heartily
concur with Mr.. Helmig In his request for
two extra clerks, knowing as do the par
ticulars of the case.
On motion the communication was referr-
ed to the committee on fees and salaries
Mr.. NORTON DowNED,
Mr.. Armstrong, of Brookield, introduced
a resolution, at this stage of the proceedings,
which acted as hand grenade upon mob
of strikers. 1t was couched in terse and
expressive language, and demanded that
the county attorney be instructed to make
statement, TO the board, Of how much each
of the bondsmeh of Mr.. Raymond, during
the entire seventeen years II his term was
responsible for, giving date and exact amt.
In explaining this move, Mr.. Armstrong
said that the bondsmen had been sued with.
out any demand being made upon Thorn in
the beginning, and that it was unreasonable
and unjust to make them pay costs and a.
torney's fees for trial. or to hire attorneys
for trial, if they were responsible for only a
small amount, or If they were not response.
BILE at all. The force of this resolution If
passed would allow each one to see what he
was responsible for, if liable at all, and give
them chance to settle, if they go desired
Mr.. Norton, in his usual style of debate
at once made violent assault upon what he
termed " an attempt to block the wheels of
Justice by giving the snap away. He said
that the cases had been given over to the
county attorney to settle or try, as he found
expedient; and furthermore, the county at
torney had already made statement OF
each bondsman' s liability, to his (the bonds.
man's) attorney. ut savors' said the will
ey "Doc" " of an attempt to belitte and ma
lign the motives Of this committee and the
county attorney in these suits, and to throw
the blame of their not going to trial. upon
the county attorney and his associates
Such has been the pressure Of this element
that the bondsmen, their relatives and
friends, with the immense power their mon.
ey and influence yields, that every one of
distance of them, is canvassed in favor Of
not returning US TO this board. And these
bondsmen: Are they deserving of pity and
mercy? Are they deserving of clemency
when they force poor old grsy-haired Sam
Raymond to the death bed of his son-n.law
with the request to turn over his property to
hem! These crihging old money sharks
shaking his fist at r. D. Lyman, who sat in
the audience) who would rob the widow and
The orphan and dig the very shroud from the
lead need no mercy and should receive none
These civil suits we're to be tried before the
criminal cases, but by the manipulations of
The court and the attorneys, the latter came
first, when the county attorney was not pre-.
pared to try them.
Mr.. Armstrong:--If after q whole years
Investigation and research, the county st
.orney cannot try these cases, Great God.
when will he be ready? Is it possible, after
, years work at "a cost to this county Of over
s5, 900, that all the evidence in these o.
,es was contained in yellow envelope which
Is alleged to have been lost. Did the gain
ing of their contents involve an expense of
81, 900, or was there any evidence at all. II
he evidence introduced in the cases Of Mil
gan was all that could be found against
him, and was 9 sample Of the evidence
against the others. who is to be blamed for
he lack of confidence in the county attorney
md his associates" When the gentleman
rom Earl states that these civil cases were
% have been tried before the criminal, and
we're manipulated by the court and the
attorneys" he speaks IN untruth, and gees
beyond the record of the Circuit Court.
These cases were continued by the people,
and when the indicted men demanded trial
il was granted them Their trial showed up
the weakness of these cases, and this Is
what the prosecution has fought against.
A gain, the statement that these cases haze
passed out Of the hands of the board, mas