Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-11-19

The Marshall county grand jury con-
Guided its work late Monday evening
and reported indictments against five
county officials and one ex-official. the
most important being the preferment OF
criminal charges against two of tht
presen. members of the board of super
visors. Those against whom bills were
returned are:
Supervisor w. B. Williams, miscon-
Duct in, office.
Supervisor T. ]. Shearer. misconduct
iE Office.
Sheriff 7. ]. Shoemaker, extortion.
insanity Commissioner w. S. Devine,
extortion.
insanity Commissioner F. e. North
up, ex.ortion.
Ex-sheriff ]. w. Mcpherson. extor-
ton.
The report of the grand jury was not
made public Monday evening. altho the
action of the grand jury In indicting
these officials leaked out. No action was
taken until today, when the indicted of
|
gave bonds without awaiting a formal
arrest, while for DR.. Devina and ex-
Sheriff Mcpherson, who are both absent
from The city and are not aware of the
investigations of the grand jury. friends
appeared and deposited the required
bond for $500 in each case. Neither Su-
pervisor Williams nor Supervisor Shear
er was in the city, but they had ar
ranged for the giving of bonds in case
indictments were returned against them.
The work of the grand jury was thor
ough, especially in regard to the action
of the supervisors in connection with
the Northwestern grading contract, and
the investigation included also the con-
duct of Supervisor C. E. Arney, County
Auditor F. W. Hargrave and Superin-
tendent of Bridges j. Fl. Jayne. Mr..
Arney was not member Of the board
when the contract was made and the
agreement entered into, and therefore
no charge was lodged against him. The
evidence before the grand jury. as Will
be seen by its perusal, shows that the
original proposition came from Har-
grave, that he arranged the details and
personally received the books for him
self and the others. The grand jury. &C.
cording to the statement of one Of the
members, desired to indict both Mr.
Hargrave and superintendent Jayne,
but the opinion prevailed that the law
could not reach either of them. Mr..
Jayne's own evidence shows that he
simply did the work under orders of the
board The testimony goes to show that
the work performed by the county en-
ployes. under direction Of the board, was
worth from $500 to $3.50, while the grand
Jury says the five mileage books issued
In return therefor were worth $50 each,
total of 500.
The indictments against Sheriff Shoe
maker, ex-Sheriff Mcpherson. DR.. De-
vine and Mr.. Northup are for the alleged
extortion of small sums, collected as
fees. Dr.. Deyine is accused of extorting
$40, the sheriff and ex-sheriff of extort-
ing s14 each, and Mr.. Northup of extort-
irg 50. County Auditor F. w. Hargrave
appears as the main witness against all
of these officials, the investigation Of
their fees having been inaugurated after
ii was learned that an attempt would be
made to indict the supervisors, auditor
THE INDICTMENT.
Following Ia copy of the joint indict-
ment returned against Supervisors w.
B. Williams and I. j. Shearer:. =
1.-The grand jury of the county of
Marshall, in the name and by the au-
thority of the state of Iowa, accuse w.
B. Williams and T. J. Shearer of the
crime of wilful misconduct in office, In
wilfullly and corruptly neglecting and
he ~ r., at
way Company to put certain highway
and crossing near LeGrand, In said
which highway, in the summer
Of 1S99 was raised about eight feet, in
as good condition as 1t was before the
alteration was made; and wrongfully
and unlawfully relieving said railroad
from making said repairs.
THE said w Il. Williams and L. j.
Shearer on or about the 9th day of Aug
ust 1900, in the county aforesaid, then
and there being county officers, viz:
members of the board of supervisors of
county, Iowa, as such super
visors, did wrongfully, wilfully, unlaw
fully, and corruptly, and for valuable
therefor then and there
received by them and each of them
from said C. & N. w. Railway Com
pany, viz: two mileage books of 1000
miles each, issued by said railway COM
pany to said w. B. Williams and T. j. |
Shearer, to the actua! value of $50 each, |
and agree with the said rail- |
way company that they, said supervis-
,rs, w. b. Williams and T. j. Shearer, |
would not require said railway company
10 put the aforesaid road and crossing,
which was then and there in a danger
BUS and unsafe condition. and so known
TO be by said Williams and Shearer, in
Is good repair and condition as 1t was
before said alteration was made; and
hat they, said supervisors, in consider |
alton of said mileage books SO issued to
hem as aforesaid, would repair said !,
'oad and crossing at the expense OF
Marshall county, then and there, well
it was the duty Of said railway
to so repair said road and
and then and there knowing 1t
vas the duty of said Williams and
,hearer an such supervisors, to REQUIRE