The herald., 1893-12-21
RIGHTEOUS DECISION BANB URY
MUST PAY UP.

Judge Van Dixie yesterday rendered
decision in the case OF the County Of
Los Angeles vs. Jabez Banbucy. which
appears in full in our local columns.
The case is reviewed strictly in its legal
aspects as between the county and that
individual, and the statute OF limitations
ia allowed to run for the major portion
Of the money of which the late county
treasurer robbed the people. How ",
there is some satisfaction to tn x
payer in knowing that, by the de N
OF the court, ths sanctimoniou, 'ez
will be obliged to pay into the C, ,nty
treasury the sum Of s2,14S 05, with ac-
crued interest from the date of its alb
sor2tion by him. 1t now remains to
be seen whether the Republican Chad
band will have the gall, under q legal
technicality. to Did on to the larger sum
which he wrongfully withheld from the
county treasury. His fellow citizens
will have little regard to the legal tech
nicality by which he may retain the
moneys of the public. Unless he re-
pays them all to the last farthing,
inclusive OF interest, his moral guilt
will be apparent to all.
Our readers will remember the facts
in the case. Jabez Banbury was run
ming upon the Republican ticket ior
county treasurer, to succeed himself.
The HERALD, during the course of the
campaign, got hold Of the fact that Ban
bury was charging the county for
moneys paid for expressage and ex-
change which he never really expended,
and this journal very properly rang all
the changes on that head. With its
usual regard for fair play, the HERALD
offered the fullest use of it's columns to
the county treasurer for any explanation
he might have to make, but he was
careful to say never word in his own
defence. Instead, he brought suit
against this journal for libel, seeking to
appropriate s25 900 of our hard earned
money, thus showing himself to be an
'insatiate archer" sort of fellow. As
duty bound, finding that he tacitly
admitted his guilt, the HERALD gave
him the best roasting OF which its
virile staff was capable. He was dis
astrously beaten, as he deserved to be.
That our laws are fatally defective in
many respects the case OF Banbury con-
clusivsly proves. Why should a man
be allowed to take large sum OF the
peoples money, and hold on to it in
spite of all pretence of right? This
law, at least as to public officials, should
be amended at the next session OF the
legislature. A man who should, with
less moral obliquity, get hold OF the
property OF another in trifiing sum is
sent to the penitentiary, while this
person, who ought to bs possessed OF
a high sense OF deicacy and honor, is
permitted to walk off with thousands of
dollars. Whatever may bs the nicetes
of courts, the robust common sense of
the people goes right to the kernel of
such matters. The verdict which the
voters placed upon Banbury's conduct
at the polls has been endorsed by Judge
Van Dyke. 1t is easy to read between
the lines that that gentleman would
probably have been pleased to give this
recreant county treasurer the scoring he
SO richly deserves.
1t will be observed that Judge Van
Dyke also pays his compliments to the
board of supervisors, and shows that
that body had no right to allow these
preposterous and wrongful claims of
Banbury. His trenchant words will
doubtless not be lost upon the present
body.
1t is really hard to overestimate the
value to community of fearless and
vigilant journal like the HERALD. II it
had not been for the undaunted and
persistent fight which we made against
Banbury he would have been reelected,
and other thousands would have fol-
lowed those that had already gone.
Fraud would have bsen triumphant and
the demoralizing effects would have
been widespread. Owing to our initia-
tive, public officials have been taught
q salutary lesson, and have been i'm
pressed with the idea that it is good
thing to stay within the line OF the law,
and that even as q "policy," honesty is
very good standby.
As for Mr.. Banbury's chances Of get-
ting that $25, 900 of ours we must say
that we would not give a sou marquee
for them-nay, not even the pairing of q
finger nail. Go to, Jsbez, you positively
make US tired. We might go you two
bits" if we supposed you were really
hungry, but may the soul of the Prophet
of Mecca desert his harem in heaven il
we ante up another msravedi.