Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1896-05-09
II. R. cROwELL's DEFALcATI0N.
A Taxpayer Makes Some Pertinent
Inquiries.

huvutftCSs
The following explanation of mat
ters and things is from the Colum-
bus Star-Courier:
EDITOR STAR-CoURIER Will you
through the columns of your paper
kindly inform the people of the
county what ia the amount of II. r.
Crowell's defalcation to the county;
the cash value of the security he
has placed in the hands of the
county commissioners to secure
said defalcation, and the amount Of
mortgage on each piece of said
property Will you also inform the
people how and why he has not
been prosecuted and why suit has
not been instituted against his
bondsrnen! Is II the purpose of the
county officers to allow the statute
of limitations to Interfere and the
bondsmen allowed to dispose of
their property so that judgment
will be imperative? Such would
seem to be the purpose of those
who have charge of our county
Offices. There must be something
wrong somewhere.
TAXPAYER.
The matter to which our CORE.
spondcut directs attention is worthy
of all the information that can be
given and we have aimed to gather
all the facts relative thereto that
would be of interest to the taxpay-
crs and citizens generally of this
county. As is well known, II. II.
Crowell, who was in the banking
business in this county, at Baxter
Springs and in this city, for long
series of years, was. during the
greater portion of the time he was
in business in this city, the bank oi
deposit for the county funds. Dur
ing the time he gave two bonds for
the safe security of the funds, the
last one and the one still in force
aud effect being filed aud approved
April 13, 1891, in the sum of Sl25000
aud was signed by the following
citizens:
G. G. Gregg Vim. March
]. c. Naylor John Russell
]. C. Little Ira c. Perkins
L. Murray Perkins l.. Brewster
R. III. Talbot David Grove
J. n. Robinson L. c. Scammon
+. A. Scammon
On June 25. 1894, there wns n
special meeting of the county COM
missioners to consider the matter
of Mr.. Crowell's defalcatiou to the
county and the journal of that date
bears the following entry:
III. X. Crowell and his bondsmen
were present. Mr.. Crowell acknowl-
edged legal demand upon him for
the Lalance due Cherokee county.
amounting to ssa275l2. Whsssapo,i
II. r. Croweil appointed as his
trustees to take charge of his prop
crty E. A. Scammon, David Grove
and Ira c. Perkins.
In other words, upon an agree.
mcnt with the county commission
ers, Mr.. Crowell turned over all his
property to his bondsmen and DIR.
Scammon, David Grove and Ira c.
Perkins were appointed trustees to
take charge of the same and dis
pose of it in liquidation of the
claim of the county.
Mr.. Crowell and his bondsmen
held that if the commissioners
would give them time they could
dispose of the property and meet
the obligation without injury to
them or the county, and believing
that was the better plan TO pursue
in recovering the amount due the
county, the commissioners acted
upon Il aud the trustees appointed
have since then been using every
effort to dispose of the property to
the best advantage and turning the
money over to the county treasurer.
The books of the county treasurer
show that the actual Indebtedness
of Mr.. Crowell to the county, and
on which he defaulted payment,
was $33.373.99.
The county treasurer's books
show the following payments made
toward the liquidation of the debt:
September 3, 1894. s 10000
November 0. 1894. ......... 10000
February II, 1895. .......... 10000
September Is, 1895 ........... 100000
January II, 1895. .............. 3OOOW
IOtal.... .PO,OOOsOV
Leaving at this time still due and
unpaid $24,373.99.
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