The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1894-05-03
SHALL HE SUFFER2
An Echo of Public Sentiment on the
County Treasury's Loss.

From the Leesburg Buckeye We clip
the following, which tends to prove that
the people OF Highland county have
hearts that are touched by the misfor
tunes of others. They are not Shylocks
who demand the uttermost farthing.
There are no better people in Ohio than
those of Highland county:
A conversation overheard few days
ago, between tax payers of different po-
litical faith, indicated that some steps
ought to be taken for the relief OF the
Treasurer of Highland County. The
statement made in our hearing was about
as follows: At the time Of the failure
of the Citizens National Bank, of Hills
boro, there was about ten thousand dol.
lars of the County funds on deposit in
that institution. There will be loss OF
four and probably five thousand dollars
resulting from this transaction. In the
absence OF any special statute authoriz
ing the Treasurer to make such depos-
it, the loss falls on that official. This is
understood to be the case in this in.
stance. But said the tax payer, can the
people OF Highland county afford to take
advantage of technicality like that and
leave a trusted and PROFESSIONALLY hon.
est official to suffer such loss? Said
the tax payer, we are crediby informed
that at the time the present Incumbent
took possession of the Treasurer Office
there was more than twice ten thousand
dollars deposited in the Citizens Bank.
Not only that, but it had been the Gus.
tom for years for County Treasurers to
deposit the County funds in the various
banks. This was we'll understood by
the County Commissioners, the County
Auditor and the business public. And,
further, said the tax payer, those who
are supposed to be on the inside OF
things claim that any departure from
this custom on the part OF the present
incumbent would have met unqualified
disapprobation of the people and the
county officials. This would have been
true in regard to any of the Treasurers
for many years past; but in special
sense does it apply to the present one.
From soon after he took possession OF
the Office the county was suffering from
a money famine, and to have locked up
the County funds in the Treasurer's big
safe at such time would have been the
ruin of many men and some OF the most
important enterprises in the County.
Such course would have taken out OF
circulation perhaps hundred thousand
dollars in the county from December
until March, and nearly as large a sum
from June until September. 1t would
have tied up and rendered useless for
business purposes an average OF about
fifty thousand dollars per annum. In
consequence of this condition Of things,
said one of the tax payers, think some
action ought to be taken looking to the
relief of the Treasurer. This amount
placed on the tax duplicate of the coun.
ty would be 80 light as to be scarcely
felt by any one. The practice of little
economy on the part Of the Commits.
sioners would save as much or more in
some other direction, and in that event
it would not be felt at all. While if left
where it now is, on the shoulders Of the
Treasurer, it will require the sacrifice of
q long life time, and leave him i'll his
old age to begin life anew.
The above was about the sum and
substance OF the conversation to which
we alluded in the beginning vi this ar
ticle Mr.. Roads has not ,sked fot -
lief, nor has there been A. intimati0u
that he intends to do go. T lis article
has not been written at Mr.. Roads re.
q",s !pr :. hal -, 49, ', = N'@' it
was -oing t" ie d ne. 1t vas written
merely &c show that there is feeling
on the pat of some OF our tax payers,
regardless OF party, that this loss should
not fall entirely on the Ire asurer, and
that the Legislature should be asked to
pass an enabling act, to relieve II. w.
Roads, Treasurer of Highland County,
from any loss in this matter.
Ix4o In, 40 elask daar at