The Colfax gazette. [volume] (Colfax, Wash.) 1893-1932, 1900-05-18
JuggIed With the Da
Mr.. TObin also asserts as follows

u
Juggled With the Dates.
Mr.. Tobin also asserts as follows.
subsequent to the issuance Of the warrant
and, what is worse, subsequent to INV receint'
ing Tor 1t and taking it into my possession n
local paper, IN an article under tlaring head
ines, told OF the allowance of this clam. and
that these reports had been issued for cam
Palgn purposes, and that in presenting this
ciaim was seeking reimbursement from the
county 1or my campaign expenses. A very
nice story, indeed. Now this articIs came
under the notice of Mr.. Hinchlif and be
rushed post haste to Colfax, evidently for the
| purpose OF preventing me from issuing the
warrant. When he learned from myseIf that
the warrant had been issued, but not casbeJ
ne requested me not to present the warrant
ior payment until the next meeting of the
ooaru' "hen he would bring the matter up
and attempt to have them rescind their former
action; he stating at the same time that pnIesa
agreed not to present the warrant before the
! BOARD met, he would resort to some legal nro
cess TO prevent its payment. This request
was readily granted"
The trouble with Tobn's soap dish is
that it will not hold soap. He is entirely
reckless with the facts. He has iuggled
with the dates in order to extricate him
sell from the trap into which he has
| fallen.
The claim upon which that warrant
was issued was allowed March 9. 1898
The law prohibits issuance of warrants
upon allowed bills until ten days have
elapsed. That warrant plainly bears
the date OF March 10, 1898. The article
IN local paper calling attention to the
allowance OF the bill was that of The
Gazette OF March Is, 1898. 1t was
Issued on time and Mr.. Hinchliff, who
was not present when the claim was
allowed, read it at Elberton in the early
forenoon OF Friday, March Is, 1895
one day before the date Of the warrant.
1t was not subsequent, but prior, to it's
issuance, unless Mr.. TObin, along with
his other peculiarities, issued it ahead of
the date and before the law permits.
Iobln took advantage OF the absence of
HInchhff to work it through Davis and
stephens. As soon as Hinchliff read Of
It's allowance he called for Tobin by
telephone, and was informed that Tobin
certainly intended to collect it. Mr..
Hlnchliff notified Tobin that he would
enJOm payment and came at Once-that
very day, March IS, one day prior to
the date OF the warrant-to COlfaX: and
1t was then he extracted from Tobn
under threat Of legal process, a pledge
not to carry the matter further until the
board could reconsider. 1t was that
day TObin says he told Hinchliff the
warrant had been issued, when it's date
shows it had not. Along with his other
shortcomings, Mr.. TObin seems not
averse to departure from the truth to
justify his raid upon the treasury.
Cold, Hard Facts.
Such is the history of the warrant.
The Gazette has been careful in summar-
lzlng and is certain no injustice has been
done Mr.. TObin. Cold hard facts stand
a scrutiny which his soupy evasions
cannot.
For ten long pages Tobin argues upon
the alleged fact that Hinchliff has no
right to feel aggrieved at this bold theft
from the county. He points out that
when Hinchliff came to COlfax lust after
the March meeting of the board and de-
manded promise not to cash the war
rant until after the next meeting Ia
promise given and religiously kept) he
had no right to expect the writer would
obey an order of the board, when
the ordering board had no power to
compel obedience.
Without Sense of Shame.
From this summary it will be seen
that IobIn Is without sense of shame
over his own open dishOnor; rather he
glOatS over his own smOOthness in being
able to defeat the will of the officials who
care for the thousands Wrung from
them IN taxes" In 1896, desiring to
accomplish certain personal political
ends, he used the clerks employed and
PAID by the county to prepare with
much labor a lengthy and misleading
financial statement, that he might profit
by return to office while prating of
reform" He was notified by the
county commissioners that the board
would not allow payment for expense of
publication and circulation. He then
sold advertising space to a large amount
and made an agreement with q Port
land firm OF publishers to print the
book, partial payment to the firm being
in the way of blank printing to be
thrown in their way. From the poorly
paid deputies in his office he collected by
political assessments the money neces-
sary to purchase postage stamps and
took vouchers against the county for
the money when he paid it to the post
master. Waiting nearly two full years,
he presented the postage bill of $12O,
along with another batch OF bills, with
no explanation; and when the commits
siOners, trusting in his official honor
and integrity, in the sacredRess of his
plighted word, simply instructed him
that the warrant should be cancelled
and destroyed, he betrayed that trust
and became thief in all things except
that he did the job with such character
istic TObin smOOthness and popularity
OF talent that he did not make himself
amenable to the law.
When be appeared to enjom the warrant,
Mr. Hinchlitf thoroughly understood that there
was yet one day before the warrant could be
legally issued. Tobin never told him the
warrant had been drawn, as he says he did.
He promised nothing more should be done
with it until further action by the board and
then issued it the following day-as soon as
he could. He carefully refrained from ever
letting the board know that the warrant had
ever been issued, and when the commissioners
ordered the cancellation they had no idea
warrant was in existence.
His reference to the marginal and other
cancellation records is partly true. On the
warrant stub it is written in black ink, not
red. This would indicate that the warrant
had been cancelled and was not in existence.
In the register Of warrants, which gives notice
to the auditor, and from which he sends up to
the treasurer certified lists of legal warrants,
something has been written-probably notice
of its cancellation-but whatever that some-
thing was it has been erased with the greatest
care.