The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1897-01-23
soMETHINo o. A SENSATION.

Col. Hand and Lawyer GriiIlihs Charged
With a Grave 0fIense aud Arrested
-GrifIiths ExOnerated by Hand
Assessor Horn Charged
with Serious Irregu.
Iarities.
Last Thursday evening considerable
furry was created here by the arrest of
Col. G. A. Hand chairman of the
Peoples Democratic Committee, and
II. A. Grifiths, law partner of Hon. 7,
g. Rice. The occasion of the appre-
hension of these prominent gentlemen,
as nearly as can be learned, was as fol.
lows; In the early part of the present
month, somewhere between the 9TH
and Sth, Ex. Assessor, Jake Horn, dis
covered that the assessment roll of
1898 together with books of tax receipt
stubs and private cash book was mis-
sing from the comfy archives. Later,
a ramor gained some currency that
Mr.. Horn was suspected of having de-
stroyed these records in order to conceal
irregularities which a future examina-
ton of them might disclose. This, it
is supposed, caused MIR. Horn to make
diligent search for the missing records,
but his efforts were unaYailing and
their whereabouts were shrouded in
mystery, For some reason or other,
Mr.. Horn suspected Col Hand of hav-
Ing something to do with the dssap-
pearance of the records. Thursday
evening he received an intimation that
the assessment roll might be found
in the law Office of Rice & Griliths,
whereupon he secured search war
rant and placed it in the hands of an
officer. The officer found the record
in the place indicated. Mr.. Horn
then made complaint against Messrs
Hand and GrifIiths, charging them
with illegally purloinipg public records.
This is a felony under the statutes,
punishable by fine and imprisonment.
Warrants of arrest were issued and the
case set for hearing at l o'clock pm.
yesterday. Examination was waved
and the case will go to the district
court. Friday morning Mr.. Hand
called at THE TRIBUNE Office and, in
substance, made the following state.
ment: Il am" he said, "desirous that
this matter should be placed fairly be.
fore the public. do net diselain hay-
ing removed the records from the court
house, but it was done with the knowl-
edge of a present member of the board
of county commissioners. l knew that
a thorough examination of the assess
ment roll of 1893 would disclose irrggu-
larities criminally involving Sir. Horn.
| had known of these Irregularities for
a long time and upon many occasions
had urged Mr.. Horn to square things
up. lie failed to do so; therefore, upon
his retirement from Office, felt it my
duty as citizen and taxpayer to make
thorough investigation with view to
protecting the public interests. I wish
to entirely exonerate Mr.. GriAiths.
am solely responsible for the offense if
one has been committed. lam willing
and anxious that the whole matter
should be sifted to the bottom"
Col Hand entered into some details
which at present It's deemed advisable
to withhold from publication. TIE
TRIBUNE offers no comment, prefer
ring simply to state facts as they APP
pear on the records and as circumstan-
TALLY related by interested parties. Mr.
Hand, he says, still retains possession
of the tax receipt stubs, but will not
deliver them up without an order from
the county commissioners or other
competent authority.