The Butler weekly times., 1894-02-15
UNFORTUNATE ST. CLAIR COUN.
TY.

TY.
Judgements for 100000 on Bonds
for Tebo & Neo-ho Paper Rail
K. C Star, 10th.
Judgments were rendered in the
United States circuit court this
morning against unfortunate st
G air county for $240,00O IN favor of
NJ chael Goldrick and for S65,00O i'll
fav II of Joseph n Douglas There
are still standing against St Clair
co .rty unsatis6ed udgment amount
lug to neatly / million dollars III
Cured on bonds issued for the build
ing Of the Tebo & Neosho paper
railroad. The judgments rendered
to day were simply the revival of
old Judgments which were liable to
b outlawed by the lapse OF time
1t is evident that the holders of
the bonds issued for railroad
which was never built do not intend
to release their grasp until the
county makes a satisfactory com
pro Mise. 1t is claimed that the plan
which is being followed to secure
payment of the bonds is to keep the
members of the county court in Jail
and starve the county into submis-
SOU
The situation grows more inter
-sting and more serious each day
The original indebtedness of the
county on the bonds was million
dollars, but the interest and expense
during the last twenty years have
Increased this amount to about
miiliou dollars. It Is claimed tina,
$40, 900 worth of bonds were lost II
one sitting in poker game i'll thi.
city soon after they w-ls issued
The taxpayers of st. Clair county
are wi ling to settle their indebted
ness on the basis of new bonds to b.
issue to the amount of the origina
Indebtedness, less $l9, 900 which hal
already been paid. This woult
make $231,O 900 which the county ii
wil',ng to pay to wipe out the origi
nal bonds. The holders of the bond
many of which were bought fo
twelve cents on the dollar, demand
fifty cents on the dollar, and thi
the county will otagree to. In th
; meantime the interest is increasin,
and the time is not far distant whel
the indebtedness of the county OF
the bonds will exceed it's assesse,
valuation, which is only 81 million
dollar
On Monday Judges Copenhaver
hewitt and Lyons will choose a de
positorv for the county funds i
p &C OF the bank which failed re
: Gently. The county court, with tn
exception of Judge Copenhaver wh
!; is ute sick, will then be returne
to jai. IN this city where they wer
place by Judge Philips for refu:
g to make tax levy to pay the il
8 err st on the Judgments. The sci
tment of the county continues to b
!: strong ~ against compromise e,
cept on the terms given above Th
!; terms of office of the present men
bers of the county court expire mex
January and it is claimed that 80
men III St Clair county stand read
to take their places in jail. Th
c light will be continued indetinltel
until the holders of the bonds n r.
- the county's terms A tax lev
will have to be made next spring t
t obtain money to run the county an
should Judge Philips refuse to a
: low the judges to return home fc
the purpose of making the levy it
i hoped that the state will interfere I
protect the existence of one of il
..ouuties. If not, it is claimed tha
g such is the patriotism and deterIn
nation of the citizens Of st. Cla
; county in the contest going on ths
they will chs erfully ana voluntaril
come forward and pay their take
for 1894 on the basis of the asses
: ment made for 1898. If both sid.
remain firm the history of the S
C1o,r ao,p{x, l,ool oonkrora~er ,,.,