The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1892-10-27
THE RECORDS TELL.

THE RECORDS TELL.
There is no office within the gift OF
the people of this county, which ne
cessitates more perfect records than
the office of Judge of Probate. Val
liable estates are at the mercy of the
office and wills are subject to its pow
or. Bequests are left to minors, the
testators being mandatory in making
them. But your children and their
children, or yourselves, may have be-
quests left to them or you, and
through the negligence of the Probate
Judge, may afterwards learn that you
have nothing. And now, having called
attention to the responsibilities of the
Office, and the interest that every liv-
ing person has in the proper admin
istration of the same, the GAZETTE de-
sires to call the attention of it's read
ers and voters generally to facts that
are matters of record. Let us take
the records of the office for the last
year of Mr.. Baldwin's service, 1888,
and compare it with the year 1889
and subsequent years. We will prove
to the voters very conclusively that
Judge Baldwin has shown himself I'M
fit for the office. We will show how
he has trifed with the wills and es-
tates of deceased persons, and how,
had it not been for the excellent abil-
tiles of the present incumbent,at least,
ten wills might haye been thrown to
the wind by any court of law. During
the year 1888 there were few wills and
orders recorded by Mr.. Baldwin, then
Judge of Probate, Notwithstanding
quite large number were made. But
in 1889, after five entries had been
made by Judge French, who took Of
fee on Jan. of that year, comes eight
wills and orders over the signature OF
H. D. Baldwin, dated prior to Jan. l,
1889, and every one in the handwrit-
ing of a lady OF this city lady paid
to do this work. $40 if our readers
will haye the sum, by Mr.. Baldwin,
after Judge French insisted,on behalf
of the heirs, that the records be
Strengthened.
The last entry made by Mr.. Bald
win, or his clerk, was the decree in the
will of James B. Mccormick on Nov
Is, 1887. The heading was commenced
by him and a year and half later
the young lady completed it under
Judge French's direction. Then
comes five entries by Judge French
after Jan. 1889, after which appears
the following wills and orders of Mr..
Baldvin's administration, the dates
given being the time the orders were
issued, and the wills and orders should
have been recorded in the book oil
records under his administration.
Estate of Thomas Neild, decree de-
claring heirship, in 1888.
Will of Charles Hoffman, certificate
of probate, Nov. Z, 1887.
Will of John Mead, of Underwood
Certificate of probate, April II, 1887
Will of Henry D. Chollar. Admis.
sion Oct. 81, 1887.
Will of John Dickinson, of Lam
berton. Admitted Jan. 2, 1888.
Wills and records of Andrew G
Lamb, of Hartford, Conn. Admitted
March ID, 1885.
Will of John McPhee. Admitted
June Is, 1887.
Will of Ole Anderson, Feb. Z, 1887
Some of these were valuable es
tates. They, as we'll as all estates
should have been carefully guarded
so that no court of law could have ov
erthrown them, so far as the Probate
Judge was concerned. But had i
not been for Mr.. French there is no
one of them that would haye stooc
contest. It was sheer negligenc,
on the part of Mr.. Baldwin, danger
Gus negligence, a violation of his oatl
of Office, and a voter casting vote fo
him votes an approval of that course
ool~ ~ NT, E~orol,e ,o,,.J, T.