Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-02

to the County.
The fact has been presented and prov
en- by the records that Geo. W. Gamble,
the present candidate on the republican
ticket for circuit clerk, was unable to
satisfactorily perform the duties assigned
to him by his superior officer. Circuit
Clerk Bowman; that in the three years
and a-half he was deputy clerk, which is
recorder of deeds, he fell behind in re-
cording two hundred instruments
something unknown to the circuit
clerks Office beforehand that in order to
have the Office work Strengthened up by
the time Mr.. Bowman is to turn it over
to successor, he was obliged to dis
charge Gamble and hire more compe-
tent person in his own son. A months
time only was spent in recording these
two hundred instruments that it took
Gamble three years and a-half to accumu
keep up with his routine work besides.
But now for another evidence of Gam
ble's incompetency, perhaps more seri-
Gus one. but like the many that have
heretofore been presented, its accuracy is
established by the office records.
The following is copied from the pro-
ceedings of the hoard of supervisors
book J. pages 1877 and 1853. report of
finance committee, Sept. Is, 1888:
Your committee would also report that
they have examined the accounts of the
| following named officers for the half year
ending May 81, 1888. We find the semi
annual report of Z. H. Bowman, Jr.,
circuit clerk, to correspond with his fee
register, with the following exceptions,
to-wit: Gates VS. Whiteside, S21O; Dor
rance vs. Whiteside, $2.l0; Peasants &
Hurst VS. Lowry. 500; Coe VS. Hauberg,
81 70; total, ga
In fee book Is, page 1928. Gates VS.
Whitesides, clerks costs paid Dec. Z,
1887; page 329, Dorrance VS. Whitesiies,
clerks costs paid Dec. Z, 1887; page 447,
Peasants and Hurst VS. Lowry, clerks
costs paid Dec. Z, 1887; page $40. Coe VS.
Hsuberg clerks costs paid Sept. 9, 1886
These costs were paid to G. W. Gam
Bile and receipts are signed by him as fol-
lows: e. II. Bowman, Jr., by E. W
Gamble. deputy" After the finance COM
mittee found the errors the shortage of
Sl4 is accounted for on cash book of Z.
H. Bowman, Jr., on page 1924. Juue i.
1888, six months after the costs were paid
and collected on The same OF Gamble
In other words, Gamble collected
this money in December, 1887 and
kept il without accounting for il
until 1t was discovered by the board OF
supervisors, and there is no reason to be,
lieve he would then have made it good
had not the discrepancies been discovered
and Mr.. Bowman demanded of him the
amount he (Bowman) as custodian of the
Office was obliged to pay the finance COM
mittee. Bowman, therefore, in order tC
protec; the reputation of his office, pait
the finance committee and Gamble paid
him.
( 1t is not the purpose here to sccus'
Gamble of wilfully attempting to swindl
the county out of funds placed in hi
: hands, but if his action does not SHOW
dishonesty, it furnishes ground for th
, more charitable charge of incompetency
t and fresh evidence of this failing il
3 CANDLES composition. He received the
t fees in these cases cited and did not dis
{ pose of them properly, keeping them him
e self until traced to him by official invest
: CATION. This statement of facts of courst
casts no imputstions OF reflections upol
l Circuit Clerk Bowman and only leaves hir
S open to criticism in so far as be trusted
d portion of the highly responsible dutie
Y of the circuit clerks office to man o
t CANDLES unitness and incompetency.
v So much for Mr.. CANDLES inefficienc
d and loose methods as q public official
But there is something of public interes
e concerning his dealings as a bushes
e man, where again we find traces of il
. competency, and reckless and careles
= dealings. Gamble was at one time gro
J, Ger in Moline. He failed in bushes.
II This was unfortunate as it left him wit
II heavy liabilities upon his hands. One c
1t his creditors, Mai, NJ L. Marks, of tn
IS wholesale grocery firm of VanPatten
Ne Marks of Davenport, entered suit in tn
l. circuit court of Rock Island against Gan
Is BILE for the amount due, nearly $l,0Ot
10 Maj. Marks obtained judgment, but
/, failed to recover the amount of the iudg
Is ment. Furthermore. Gamble failed to pa
is the court costs in the case. In the Yer
10 Office in which Gamble showed his grea
Iy est incompetency there is in fee boo
* No. 10, on page $50, the followiu
Of under date of July 80. 1877:
az Nj. L. Marks vs. G. W Gamble, verdict 4
plaintiff 1857. Costs not paid.
il Then upon sheriff's execution docket
LII page 20, appears the following entry;
~ M L. Marks VS. G. W. Gamble Execution
Id | sued.
al cannot IN my county find any property helon
Az ing to defendant whereon 10 levy thereto
We | return this writ not satisfied. Oct. IS, 1877.
j. L. PERKINS, Sheriff,
Since the entry of these judgmen
u against Gamble in the summer of 1877
No he has had employment in the circl
~ clerks Office for three years and aha
drawing from the tax payers of Il
county at the rate of $1,000 per annu
w and yet owing to the same tax payers t
., costs in q judgment rendered against b
=, and failing to pay it.
OIL Is such man fit to be trusted with t
responsibilities of the office of circr
.e clerk? 1t issfor the tax payers and ,
voters to decide,
lid High School Literary Society.
ng The High School Literary society he
zen its regular weekly meeting this aft