Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-02-12
A Card From Mr.. Cook.

To the Tar Payers of Barber COUNTY:
In the matter of the action of the
county commissioners in 1887, In desig-
mating the First National Bank of Med
lclne Lodge as depository for the
county funds, l had thought best in this.
as IN all other matters, to do do what.
In my Judgment, seemed TO be right and
duty, and not make any public expla-
nation, knowing full well that there is
difference of opinion on most cues
tons of Importance. But, as am told
this has again been mentioned in
meeting held in this city few days ago,
and as the public is liable to get wrong
impression, have thought best to give
all the facts and circumstances, and
leave it with the taxpayers of the coun-
ty to form their opinions.
When Capt. Rogers was elected coun-
ty treasurer. he made arrangements
with the First National Bank of this
city to fill his bond, and in considera-
ton, Mr.. Rogers agreed to deposit the
county money III said bank. After this
arrangement had been made. the legis-
lature passed the act authorizing the
county commissioners to designate the
depository for the county funds. It was
then that the matter came before the
board, OF which was member. Capt.
Rogers came before the commissioners,
stating the arrangements he had made
with the First National Bank, and re-
quested the order to be made so as to
make no change. The officers of the
First National Bank had stated that
they would not pay more than one per
cent. on the deposit. The evening be-
fore we made our decision public, the
three commissioners met in private,
with no one else present, and we rea-
soned as follows: If we received bids,
the Citizens National Bank might bid
two per cent, and possibly three per
cent. According to our knowledge and
information we did not think any bank
would pay more than that amount for
money subject to sight check. While
we did not question but that the Citi-
zens National Bank could give a good
bond, although the majority of the stock
was owned by one man, a nonresident,
who resided IN Kansas City, we felt
quite confident the county's money was
safe, and the bond good, where it was,
and we did not feel justified in ignoring
the request made by the county treasu-
rer, (who was liable to the county for
all he was worth,) and making a total
change in place and bond for the sake
of possibly saving to the county, as we
estimated, not to exceed two hundred
or three hundred dollars so we were
unanimous in our decision to not accept
bids, but to designate the First Nation
al Bank as the depository. When we
went into public session, the next day,
L, as chairman of the board, made
statement of our decision. After this
statement was made, the president of
the Citizens National Bank stated that
he had bid of five per cent. We did
not see the bid, neither did we question
the sincerity Of it, but were all greatly
surprised. have been told since, by
two different parties, VINO were then
stockholders in the Citizens National
Bank, that they would not have paid
that amount, but ascertaining that the
First National Bank would be ordered |
as the county depository, made the bid |
OF five per cent. to create a prejudice
against the First National Bank. 1t |
may be that we erred in our Judgment,
but we did what we thought was right.
L have not written this with any Ill
feelings toward any one, but TO set forth
the facts. l have been resident of
Barber county for the past fourteen
years, and as far as know now, expect
to spend the balance of the days that
may be allotted to me, in this county.
and my best wishes are for the prosper
lty OF the county, foufs very truly,
w. w. Cow