Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-05


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 n 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-
late, and young Bowman managed to
keep up with his routine work besides
But now for another evidence of Gam
ble's incompetency. perhaps a 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 board of supervisors
ook 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 E H. Bowman, Jr.,
circuit clerk, to correspond with his fee
register, with the following exceptions.
to-wit: Gates VS. Whiteside, So 10: Dor
rance VS. Whiteside So 10; Peasants &
Hurst VS. Lowry, $40; Coe VS. Hauberg,
"a 70; total, $14
In fee book 49, page 32S. Gates VS.
Whitesdes. clerks costs paid Dec. Z,
1887; page 329 Dorrance vs. Whitesi1es,
clerks costs paid Dec. Z, 1887 page AT,
Peasants and Hurst VS. Lowry, clerks
costs paid Dec. T. 1887; page $40, Coe VS.
Hauberg, clerks costs paid Sept. 6,1ss6.
These costs were paid to G. W. Cans
BILE and receipts are signed By him as fol-
lows: "E. H. Bowman, Jr., by E. W.
Gamble, deputy" After the finance COM
mittee found the errors the shortage of
S14 is accounted for on cash book of E.
H. Bowman, Jr., on page 324, Juue i,
1885, 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 it without accounting for it
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 to
protect the reputation of his office, paid
the finance committee and Gamble paid
him.
1t is not the purpose here to accuse
Gamble of wilfully attempting to swindle
the county out of funds placed in his
hands, but if his action does not show
dishonesty, it furnishes ground for the
more charitable charge of incompetency
and fresh evidence of this failing in
| CANDLES composition. He received the
fees in these cases cited and did not dis
pose of them properly, keeping them him
self until traced to him by official investi-
cation. This statement of facts of course
casts no imputations or reflections upon
Circuit Clerk Bowman and only leaves hin
open to criticism in so far as he trusted 6
portion of the highly responsible duties
of the circuit clerks Office to man o.
CANDLES unftness and incompetency.
So much for Mr.. CANDLES inefficiency
and loose methods as public official.
But there is something of public interes
concerning his dealings as a business
man, where again we find traces of in
competency, and reckless and careles
dealings. Gamble was at one time gro
Ger in Moline. He failed in business
This was unfortunate as it left him will
heavy liabilities upon his hands One o
his creditors, Maj, NJ L. Marks, of tn
wholesale grocery firm of VanPatten
Marks of Davenport, entered suit in tn
circuit court of Rock Island against Gam
BILE for the amount due, nearly $1,000
Maj. Marks obtained judgment, but h
} failed to recover the amount of the iudg
ment Furthermore, Gamble failed to pa
4 the court costs in the case. In the yer
r Office in which Gamble showed his greai
: est incompetency there is in fee boo
No. 10, on page 552, the followin
n under date Of July 80, 1877;
NJ. L. Marks vs. G. ". Gamble, verdict I,
plaintiff 1857. Costs not paid.
Then upon sherff's execution docket 4
S page &c, appears the following entry:
r NIL Marks vs. G. W Gamble. Execution
= sned.
q cannot in my county find any property belonl
| inU IN dafpudanf yIhp tn law 7
{ return this writ not satisfied. Oct %, 1877.
e j. L. PERKINS, Sheriff.
Since the entry of these judgmen
's against Gamble in the summer of 1877
;. he has had employment in the circu
n clerks office for three years and aha
1t drawing from the tax payers of th
county at the rate of $1,000 per annui
and yet owing to the same tax payers Il
lie costs in judgment rendered against hi
" and failing to pay it.
u Is such man fit to be trusted with u
. responsibilities of the office of circu
Is clerk? 1t is for the tax payers and
e voters to decide,
Il 'As often as the democrats nominate such m
e as Sharp Siivis and John Schafer for county Off
NJ they will be able to elect them as long as they