The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-11-15
THE BoNDsMEN's PANIC.
Commissioner Holmes. OF Pierce County
Ilo-es Another surety.


Loses Another surety.
Tacoma, Nov -special.--Ots spTaFue.
n surety on the official bond of Chairman
e. n. Holmes, Of the board % county
commissioners, In the sum Of 5000. today
fled a notice Of his withdrawal. This
makes the third surety that has left
Chairman Holmes bond since November :.
less than the required $4,000 now remains
on the bond.
For some time past there has been a
sort Of subterransan agitation going on
among the bOndsmcn OF county officials,
and particularly those OF Chairman
Holmes Just where IL comes from or its
purpose no one seems 20 know definitely.
on November q. w. Fife. OF the Fife
hotel served notice OF his withdrawal, ne
being a surety for 81 .OOo Three days later
Theodore Higgins. large property
owner. who was Liable Ia the sum Of $500.
went Off, and today Mr.. Sprague concluded
he would quit The sureties remaining
are j. II. Stewart deceased. $1,000; A. V.
Tawcett and wife. $1,000: J. NJ. Hayes,
$4,000. and T. G. Van Eaton, Soro. An
opinion from ex-Deputy County Attorney
Bedford attached TO the bond says that
the Justification OF Mr.. Fawcett and wife
IL not sufficient, aud that Mr.. Van Eaton
d!d not Justify At all. \ recent execu-
ton against j. N Hayes was returned
without being satisfied. so that II looks
as II Mr.. Holmes would have 10 furnish
a new bond.
Mr.. Holmes was asked today 20 explain
why his bondHmen were deserving him.
lie said he did not wish 10 say anything
just now. but might give out a statement
later on. He offered no hypothesis 10 ex-
plain the nervousness Of his sureties.
From other sources &c was learned that
certain influences In the order OF the A.
j. A. are ht work among tic commits
soners bondsmen. and il Is said that
these are friendly 20 County Treasurer
Hedges, OF whom thu commissioners re-
Gently required a new bond for 100000.
IL is claimed that Mr.. Hedges friends.
believing that no was not being fairly
dealt with. concluded to get back AZ the
commissioner and try to have his Office
declared vacant Attorney 4. H. Gar
retson, who Is known as a prominent
member OF the A. L. y. has notified
missioner Holmes that he desired 20 ap-
pear and examine the suretes on his new
bond when II was ready for nling.
The action OF the commissioners IN
keeping nearly $4,000 OF the county funds
In the vaults OF the courthouse under
guard Is taken as another cause OF the
Withdrawals II Is hinted that fears are
entertained as 20 the liability OF the treas
U~er or his houdsmeu FOR this money.
gnich was taken from the city banks and
Ste First National bank OF Puyallup
about October u. II has since remained
In the courthouse. County Attorney
Conner said today that he ala rot know OF
anything the board had done that would
relieve the county treasurer from his Ia
ssssty as custodian OF tho funds
After surety withdraws from the bond
az county odlcer. hts liability remains
Tor ten DAYS. al the end Of which time
the official must NE a new bond Tho
fureties on Chairman Holmes bond ara
therefore st9ll liable and The bond IS Not
- effect. The courts have held that an
estate Is liable where the deceased was Il
hondsman, and so the liability OF the
stewart estate for $1,000 IS sood. II IS
rot believed that Mr.. Holmes viii he un-
able - furnish thu additional sureties.
Commissioner Holmes has unta November
IL 90 DO this