The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-10-02
SEARCH Light NOW
TURNED ON THEM
Continued from Page 81

Again, I have always maintained that
# the object of a sale is secrssy the
posting" of a notice OF it is just the
thing. for no one reads them, wheverer
they may be posted, so that no one
but those directly interested would ever
know what was going to be sold, or
where. or when. Therefore. the object
of publicity by posting is a rank fail
uret
Accordingly. on Tuesday, August Is.
the day set for the sale, there assem-
bled at the Poor Farm, instead Of the
front door Of the county court house,
tlIe county selectmen and few of the
county employees, including Statisi-
clan Souires, who acted as clerk of the
sale. and Selectman Roberts as auc-
tioneer. The notice of the sale was
briefly cited. showing that 1.-TWO horses.
two sets OF double harness, two spring
wagons, two heavy wagons, one
cart and one set of single har-
ness" all the property of Salt Lake
county. would be sold to the
highest bidder, etc. The notice did not
read. as an honorable, square dealing
notice. citing the facts and trying to
do the fair and square thing by the
county. that one of the spring wag-
ons" was a $50 surrey. just as good as
new. and that the two horses were
blooded and unbranded stock that cost
the county SS5O-tlle black mare cost
ing 5000 and the gray horse $50. No
such honorable mention was made on
The "notice" OF sale posted on the
trolley-wire posts in the south end Of
town: not an inkling Of it. In this deal
Mr. Christophersen was present, not
so much Of his own voIition as to go
through The legal representation of
The county to witness the Illegal con-
fiscation OF its property, but to utter
10 protest. He has been forced to play
dummy in many such an unholy
Elbow.
The Job Committed.
The first property put up for "sale"
were the two elegant horses, one of
the very best teams in Utah The
bidding was not very spirited; it
was not necessary that 1t should be
SO, as the buyer was already conclu-
ded upon before the sale. Groceryman
91li L. Price of Main street wanted to
buy the gray horse and he would have
given an honest figure for it, but the
s'auclfoneer" knew his business and
ignored Price and sold the team TO
s'John Ferguson" county employee
IN the shale beds, for S95. Of course
The team was not for Ferguson, as
supposed and stated at the time. and
as subsequently found, it was for Rob
erts, who is now using the team, or
did use it since that time, in Bingham
Canyon. Along with the team was
sold" a $40 set of double horness for
SIS
The balance of the property sold con-
sisted of the $3.50 surrey, for which the
county got S45 from Roberts, he pay
ing Joel Allen SO for bidding the We
hicle in for him, thus Mr. Roberts
made snug thing on his purchases"
Joel Allen made SIS on bidding in"
various articles for the selectmen, 50
that it was a pretty profitable day all
round. The two heavy Cooper wag-
oas with boxes, etc, were worth about
5000, and were sold for $50, which. as
Eli Price put it, twas cheaper than
stealing wagons" He also stated at
and after the sale that 1t twas the
worst shakedown he had ever seem
The other harness, carts, etc, went for
ike songs. and a summary of the
sale" SHOWS that the county was
!
Contemplate Finale.
Perhaps the most contemplate part
of this whole Illegal transaction was
the fact that Clerk" Squires was not
even paid in fun for the results of the
'sale." Ferguson drove "his'' team off
without putting up a. cent or saying a
word but Of course Squires knew that
the new owner of the team, Roberts.
twas good for it." An expose of the
whole transaction was made in a local
paper, demanding that the property be
recalled, and if necessary, sold over
again, to all OF which the selectmen
paid no attention, and declared to
with the public and the papers; we
know our businessr'
CLERK" Squires carried what little
cash he had received around In his
pocket for some time, not being able
70 make a report, as required by law
TO the county. until he had collected
al the money. Finally when it suited
his pleasure, Roberts sent Ferguson
with the balance Of the money. which
made up the total proceeds of the sale
S2SS, and Squires turned it in with his
report OF the sale. Now comes the most
contemplate part Of the whole un1aw-
ful transaction. Mr. Squ.res made no
secret OF his opinion of the lob.
and when the time came for him to
swear to his report to the county
clerk, as required by law, to make
oath that the property was legally dis
Tosed Of, for the best possible figures
55tainable, ETC. Mr.. Squires refused to
take the oath. saying that his con-
science would not allow him to do so.
lie then simply made out written
statement to the county clerk and coun-
ty treasurer Of the actual transaction
and then turnc / his back on the whole
deal, thoroughly disguised, as any man
with the least principle on earth would
and could only have done Thus the