West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-03-23
THE BOUNTY BUSINESS.
what We Have Pound out by a
Careful Investigation of the
Whole Matter.

has been more or less discussion ia
The columns or The Argue. cdi-
torially and by correspondents. for
several years past regarding The
soldiers bounty tax levied aud col.
lected in this county through the
war Of the Rebellion.
Correspondents alleged, some di-
rectly aud some by implication.
that portions Of the money collect
ed wero not paid to the soldiers AZ
directed by the Board OF super
vlsors of the county, but were un-
lawfully appropriated by the tax
collector.
MIR. Francis Hcermans, Of this
town. WAS the Sheriff of this coun-
ty for four years, and MS Sheriff
was the Tux collector for 1868, 1864.
1868 and 1866. and all the revenues
of the county for those years, in
GLIDING bounty tax for the soldiers,
were collected 10y him. In the dis
cussions referred to m this paper,
tho charge of unlawfulGy with
holding bounty money from those
entitled 10 receive 1T, was frequent
~ made, and they all pointed to
Mr.. Heermans as the wrong doer,
sometimes by naming him, and
again by implication, so direct that
the average reader knew for whom
the allegation was intended.
The ARGUS has based its edito-
rial comments upon the statements
OF its correspondence and upon
rumors growing .herefrom, and
thereby in a measure has given the
stamp of credence to the charges.
All matters connected with this
bounty business transpired more
than thirty years ago, so the pres
ent editor of The ARGUS had no
personal knowledge of them, all
our information on the subject
coming from other sources that we
deemed reliable.
A desire to deal fairly in this
matter has prompted us to make
such an ~lnvestig ttioa of the whole
business as will effectually put a
stop TO its further discussion in
this paper. The result of our in
vestigAtion shows clearly that a
very great wrong has been done
Mr.. Heermans in every statement
that has been made directly or in.
directly charging him with with.
holding cue cent Of the soldiers
bouaty or other public funds, and
NO hasten ia this way to correct
any impression Of wrong doug on
his part, that may have been gained
through any discussion of the sub
ject in these columns.
Mr.. Heermans placed in the
hands Of his attorney, p. j. Crogan,
ESQ.,, his most important papers
relating to his settlements with the
Board Of Supervisors for the four
several years business of his office
as Sheriff, and those we have care.
fully examined. They show that
for each years collections, he made
at the proper time a settll ment
with the Board of Supervisors Just
as the Sheriff now makes his settle
ments with the County Court, and
pursuant to that settlement, the
Clerk Of the Board certified the
result to Sheriff Heermans, stating
the amount due from i'm to the
county on such settlement. Mr.
Heermans has the original four
certificates, one each for the years
1868, 1864, 1865 and 1866, the
four years of his term, each one
stating the amount due from him
to the county, including Sosdisrs'
bounty for that particular year,
and on each certificate is the re-
ceipt Of the County Treasurer in
tulI for the mount therein found
due. These settlements were of
course made in detail before the
Board OF Supervisors, the Sheriff
being charged with all the money
going into his htnds. and credited
With amounts paid by him on the
ordinary county funds, AS we'll rs the
soldiers bounty fund. The Board
Of Supervisors who carefully exam
med these accounts was composed
Of eight members, one frem each
township IN The county, and the
certificate Of the Clerk stated tho
result Of The settlements.
The receipts Of tho County
Treasurer on these certificates arc