The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-12-22
Peter Sipe Appointed Auditor
Iss Appointment of silas Lichty's Successor
Great Surprise to Democratic and
Mugwump Politicians.
CHARGES OF BAD PATH AND BROKEN
PROMISES FREELY MADE.


Before the rising Of the Court Satur-
day morning the appointment Of Peter
Sipe to fill the vacancy created by the
death of Silas Lichty, member of the
Board of County Auditors, was announc-
ed from the bench. Mr.. Sipe is one of
the best known Democrats in the county,
and his long business career should emf
nently fit him to discharge the important
duties of that Office. He is a brother-in-
law Of Associate Judge Horner.
The appointment of Mr.. Sipe was a
great surprise TO the fifteen or more Dem
ocrats. who were active candidates for the
position, some of whom had petitions
signed by long list Of their political
friends praying for their appointment
presented to the court, and it was espec-
tally surprising to those candidates who
claimed TO have had an absolute and un
qualified promise from Judge Horner of
his support
Before the appointment was made, Gen.
Coffroth, who has controlled the Demo-
cratic politics of the county 10 a greater
or less extent for more than quarter of
a century, asked the Courts permission
TO examine the applications on file, and
when he came to the application of Z.
II. Werner, he said he desired to enter a
vigorous protest against his appointment,
it being generally understood that both
Associate Judges were pledged to sup
port Mr.. Werner. Gen. Coffroth said |
that he had refrained frsm signing the |
petition of any of the candidates for Au- |
ditor, and would be perfectly satisfied |
with the appointment of any of the ap- |
plieants, except that of Mr.. Werner, |
whom he declared was only probation |
er in the Democratic party, and whose |
loyalty to the Democratic county ticket at |
the time Mr.. Lichty was elected to Office, |
is disputed. Continuing, he said that
Mr.. Werner had the rl.i =: the COmmis |
siOners' Office and was an interested party |
in the matter Of the surcharging done by |
the Auditors last year; that his appoint
meat was against public policy, and that |
his petition had not been properly filed. |
j. A. Berkey, Esq, replied to Gen. |
COffroth's structures on his friend Werner, |
stating that Werner had repeatedly told |
him that he had decided to vote for the |
late Mr.. Lichty, and after the election |
Werner had declared to him that he had |
voted for Lichty.
Gen. Coffroth replied that Berkey's re-
marks came with bad grace from gen.
tleman who was ambitious 10 become one |
of the leaders of the Republican party in
the county, inasmuch as it revealed his
desire to place renegade Republican in
office.
The law governing the appointment of /
a County Auditor is somewhat peculiar, !
i'm that it requires the appointee to be
member OF the same political party as
his predecessor and to have voted for |
him when he was elevated TO the position.
Tne Associate Judges we're evidently |
unprepared for the hot shot fired at them
by General Coflroth, but the record shows
that Associate Judge Black was loyal to
Werner, and would not vote for Associate
Judge Horner's brother in-law.
As matter of course, Judge Longen-
ecker, being a resident of another county,
and a member of the opposition party, |
could have had no preference among the
candidates for the place, his presumable
desire being to secure the appointment OF
a competent man, so that when Werner's
chances were disposed OF, he accepted As
sociate Judge Horner's suggestion and /
voted for Mr.. Sipe.
Mr.. Sipe bas been in Philadelphia for
soma time receiving medical attention at
ths hands of specialist, but will leave
for home tomorrow.