The news boy., 1896-07-04
WORSE, AND MORE OF IT.
How the Taxpayers of Scott
County are Being SYSTEM
atically Robbed,

~
who has been "boot-legging" "whiskey
at Diehlstadt. About all we know
of the matter is that he was 'con-
victed in ten cases" and that he is to
serve out sentence of forty days.
Do the wheat, corn and melon
raisers of Scott county understand
what this means? 1t means that
they must give up more than five
hundred bushels of corn, or two hun
dred and fifty bushels of wheat, or
several cars of melons to pay for one
days mismanagement, or "sharp
practice, " on the part of our prose-
cutting attorney.
John Meyers sold whiskey at Diehl-
stadt, in small way, without either
a government or State and county
license. Since the government is
more able to look after such men than
the county, the case should have been
reported to the Federal authorities
and the case would have been dis
posed of without any expense to our
people. But our prosecuting attorn-
ey couldn't see it that way. There
would have been nothing in it for him.
But for the sake of argument, let
us admit that the government had
no authority, and that the matter
was in the hands of local authorities,
then why the ten cases? Would not
single fine of forty days in one case
have been just as severe punishment
as forty days in ten cases?
Right here we want to impress up
on the people how our prosecuting
attorney discharges his sworn duty
in looking after the interest of the
taxpayers. TO have convicted the
man in one case and sentenced him
to forty days in Jail, Mr.. Prosecuting
Attorney would only have received
a fee in one case, viz-ss5.00. In ten
cases he receives ten times as much,
viz-S50.G0. See?
And yet this man draws an annual
salary from the county of about siN-
hundred dollars for protecting the in
terests of our people. In this little
case the costs which had accrued be-
fore the prisoner was brought to Jail
amounted TO $500. OF this fifty
dollars goes to Moore. Ii the county
court allows it they are bigger fools
than we take them to be.
But Mr.. Moore explains it all. He
evidently noticed that the people of
Dieblstadt did not approve of the
job and remarked to Constable Eng
lish: "Thc Newsboy is always kick
ing about costs. Why, this money
comes right back to you people in
justice s, constable s, witness and jury
fees"
Constable English scratched his
head, took square look at Mr.. Moore
and remarked, ''It's d-n little of it
the constable gets
Right here we wish to pause long
enough to Inquire how many people
around Diehlstadt, or anywhere else,
will get their fingers on the fifty dol
lars that Mr.. Moore is to get out o.
it?
Tuesday Constable English arrived
here with Thos. Scott of Diehlstadt
whowas also convicted intwo cases. ;
Scott was arrested for disturbing
the peace. Upon searching him th'
constable found pair of knucks. HI
was first "yanked up" on the minol
charge Of disturbing the peace ant
was fined ten dollars and costs, ant
then on the graver charge of carryin.
knucks and fined fifty dollars ant
costs for that. Having no none,
he was sentenced to Jail for twelv'
days for disturbing the peace ant
five days for carrying the knucks-'
total of seventeen days. Now, il
the name OF common sense and com
mon honesty, why could this man no
have been sent to Jail for seveuteel
days on either of the above charges
or why could not both charges hav
been merged into one and the extr
costs been saved to the people
Would the punishment not have bee
just as great? But in that even
our astoot prosecuting attorney woul
have received but one fee?
But the most serious trouble !
that no one who is able to pay fin
is seldom, il ever, arrested, prose
cuted or punished for any offense. l
snch cases the matter is general
fixed upu with the prosecuting 81
tarnsy without the assistance Of couf