Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-08-23
SHERIFF BLYTHE SHORT
SHORTAGE, 1T rs ESTIMATED,
WILL REACH $4,000.
Having Used the Money For Private
Purpose, He is Unable, at
this Time, to Re-
place Same.

For days past the city has been rif,
with rumor of defalcation in the &C
counts of Capt. A. S. Blythe, Millel
county's well known Sherif, and tn,
very atmosphere has seemed heavy
with portentious development. TIL,
facts Of the shortage have been, NOR,
ar less, public property since Saturday
the goth inst, on which date ofiiicia
notice was received from Little Rock
by the SherifT's bondsmen in this city
of the issuance of distress warrant
from the Office Of Auditor Mills, a
the State Capital, enforcing an imme
diate settlement of the indebtedness
due from Sheriff Blythe, as collector
for Miller county, to the State of Ark
ansas. All of these facts, carefully
cleaned and fully substantiated, hav,
been in the possession of the DEMO
GRAFT for several days and have only
been withheld on grounds of strong
public expediency and knowledge
of the fact, gained after mature delib
GRAFTON, that any act, an the part Of
the local press, tending to precipitste
the approaching denouncement, would
of necessity entail great and possibly
irreparable injury upon limo.
cent sufferers by fastening
the issuance of legal process OH the
part of the state, thereby compelling
instant settlement, or, falling, that the
additional burden of 20 per cent pen.
atty and 8 per cent interest upon the
collectors bondsmen, who comprise
many of the best citizens OF Texar.
kama and Miller county. Immediately
upon receipt of notice from the Audi.
tor that a distress warrant had been
issued, meeting of the bondsmen
was called in this city. Capt. Blythe
upon being called before the body ad.
mitted tho shortage and made instan,
tender of all his property and effects
| to be converted into cash at the Oh,
ton Of the bondsmen and applied tt
the settlement of said shortage. J
f. Smith, II. N. McLain and w
G. Cook were appointed trustees fol
the bondsmen, and Capt. Blythe deed
ed to them thirty five acres adjoining
the city Of Tcxarkana, worth $4,000
or $4,000; three houses and lots IL
Texarkana, worth about $4,000; liv
livery stable in Texarkana, Texas
valued at $4,000, and a half interest il
another livery stable in Texarkana
valued at $4,000, and some land IL
Louisiana with cotton factory on it
worth from 32,500 to $500. Th,
shortage will reach nearly $4,000
$8,346.S1 is due the state on his col
lector's bond; about 81, 200 on collec
tors bond due the county, and $7114
on his sheriff. bond.
The above figures, while not official
are as near correct as can be obtained
up to this time, and will approximate
very closely the several amounts in
volved. Much difficulty has been in
numbered by the bondsmet In reach
ing full adjustment of affairs, be
cause of the absence of several of thei
number from the city at this time
An assessment, however, was prompt
ly levied and the sum of 1925 raise,
among those present, which wa
promptly expressed to Little Rock lin
der the direction of Clerk j. V. Scot
and Representative w. Il. Kirby, t.
be by them applied to The settlemen
of 80 much Of the state deut as cover
ed by that amount. These gentlemel
were delegated TO lay before the Aud
itor and Treasurer of state at Littl
Rock full statement of existing fact
and use every endeavor with said Of
hcials 10 secure an extension Of tim
for settlement, which would operat
as stay against the heavy penalt
which otherwise would be imposed i
addition to the original defalcatior
This duty was conscienciously pei
formed, with the result, we are tolt
thrt brief respite has been granite
the bondsmen in which to raise fund
and complete settlement of shortage
This means n saving to the bondsme
of from $4,000 to $4,000, no sma
sum 10 men who have so heavy ar
unexpected a burden thrust upo
their shoulders.
The following Is a list Of the gel
tlemen whose names appear on Cap
Blythe's bonds as Collector and Sheri
respectively:
coILEcToRs BOND.
Il. r. Culley, G. M. Reeves, j. n
Jones, A. Sweeney, J,F, Smith, o. !
Scott Paul Jones, w. Y. Wyche, \
Koswlnsky, l.. A. Byrne, Jos. Bedini
Geld, Peter Costello, II. N. McLain, !
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