Evening journal., 1895-01-02
MOB HAS A DEFAUL TER |
1t Is Thought County Treasurer
Scott Has Been Lynched.
he WAS CAPTURED AT MIDNIGHT.


Scott was short About $4,000 In His Ac-
counts, but by Continued Appeals Kept
out of JaIi-Talten Prisoner and Carried /
on by FrenzIed Farmers.
O'NEILL, Ncb, Jan e-The defaultinR
treasurer Of Holt county, Barrett Scott IA
supposed to have been hanged by mob.
He was captured about midnight in a i
lonely part OF the county north Of this city.
He was returning, with his wife, baby,
hired man. named John Schmidt, and a
Miss McWharter, from trip to relatives
about 10 miles from O'Neill when six
masked men sprang from the roadside,
where they had been concealed, and cover
ing the carriage with winchesters ordered
Scott to surrender. Scott seized the reins
and attempted to drive over the men.
The masked men then fired into the
carriage, killing the horses and shooting
Scott in the neck and wounding Miss Nc
wharter. though not seriously. The first
party was then joined by larger force,
which had been placed across the road
farther on to intercept the carriage had Il
escaped the first volley.
Scott and Schmidt were taken from the
vehicle, blindfolded and thrown into a
wagon, and the ladies were told to go on.
scott Did Not Come Back.
Yesterday Schmidt returned. He had
| been taken to a sodhouse in the northwest
part Of the county with Scott. Schmidt
| was released, with the injunction to get
| out Of the country 1t IS believed that
| Scott has been hanged, as the farmers Of
the county are terribly inoensed over his
work.
Scott's defaleation as county treasurer
Of Holt county, his flight to Mexico his
subsequent arrest, the strong fight made
against his extradition, his return in
irons. incarceration, trial, conviction, sen
tence, appeal and release on bonds two
weeks ago have been told at length from
time to time since q year ago last August
when the discovery Of his criminality wal
first made public,
+ Scott's troubles began in January, 1892
at the close Of his first term, when be wa
asked to allow the commissioners to Sc
the cash that his books showed to be II
: his hands. Scott did not have the none.
on hand, there being but S7,34s in tn
} vault when the commissioners made thei
first visit They then gave Scott ten day
in which to make the showing, and none
was secured from Omaha for that purpose
/, When the borrowed money was shippe
out the next day and the board learned
: it, and that S75 was paid for the use
it. an investigation was startsd, and Scol
was removed from office
, 1t was ascertained by the commissionel
Q in June Of that year, some time after IL
beginning Of the litigation, that nnmb'
n Of the sureties on Scott's bond were tran
ferring their property, and no was not
fed that he must secure additional bond
! This he failed to do.
: When the board met again. it declare
r the Office vacant and appointed X
], Hayes, Republican. to take the place
June, 1892. Scott refused to surrende
. and Hayes began mandamus proceeding
to get possession Of the office, but the ca
= went to the district court, where 10 W
hung up for a year awaiting the decisi'
N Of the supreme court in the case started
IN few months before, and it was not dc
nitely acted upon until after Scott b
% gone to Mexico.
Id was Out on Bail.
Or Judge Marshall Of the Fremont distr
ID was invited By Judge Kincaid to pi
le upon it, and he declared Scott remoy
from office
When the Holt County bank failed
IN Junb ACb9t R1bNN o1o1At1e @@-ttN N-AN-- "
ts about $40, 900 Of the county funds the
na | but after statements were made by {
v bank officials he gradually modified
= amount to SEQ 600 The statements
the bank examiner and receiver were
'ls the effect that the sum was but Sl4, o.
a. and Of this amount 81, 600 was deposited
Scott to his private account
d, After Scott had been jailed at O'Ns
d, | machinery was set in motion to effect
In release. Haheas corpus proceedings fail
His bail was originally fixed at $3.50
- but was later raised by Judge Kincaid
ss s75, 00O This amount was asserted to
u excessive, but the court refused to lower
Recourse to the supreme court gave
relief, and finally after Scott had b.
=. nominally in jail for several months,
"a was liberated on bail. His case was tai
o. to Antelope county on change Of ven
- and the last Of September resulted IN
w. conviction and sentence to five years
prisonment Pending appeal his b.
was fixed at $40, 600. This be could
secure, and the matter was taken to
~ state supreme court. On Dec. that b
" decided that the bond was excessive
see reduced the amount from $40, 600 to :
y ~ 600. In day or two Scott secured
IL necessary bondsmen and was released
IN lhs bail. Upon his release Scott returne'
~ Holt county.