Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1902-10-25
The Gang Administration.

| III appears that when Z man belongs
to political ringa short time he soon
learns to do the most disreputable
things politically. Gradually his
sense of right and wrong appears to be
blunted and he soon stoopS to the
most questionable practices in his Of
fetal life Acts which he would never
have thought of doing had he not been
backed up by the support of a gar
who are all doing as bad or worse.
When in the history of Phillips
county have the taxpaying public been
cursed with a worse gang than
are now preying upon the body polite?
OF course We would not for a moment
say that the men who now hold to the
gang would do anything dishonest or
discredita ble-oh no. Tom Kelley
says his troubles arose from ''irregu-
laritieS'' and that is certainly a good
word.
Now in this county aside from the
general "irregularity'' of squandering
the peoples money, which has been
done at the behest of the boss by his
board of commissioners, there are
numerous other things that might be
cited. First of all Sheriff Yerton has
habit of charging up mileage for
witnesses SubpGenaed separately so
| that when he makes one trip to SUBJ
poena two witnesses he charges mile
age for two trips. Justice Ira White,
who lived in Walnut township until a
few months ago called him down on
such charges and for once they were
not allowed. Then he made a trip to
New Mexico after Burch Handy when
he had letter in his possession from
a man in Oklahoma stating positively
that Burch Handy was there in Okla
homa. This trip cost the county
S251.40, and he did not get Handy
either. The total amount allowed
the sheriff at the July meeting Of the
board was over 1000 At that rate
the amount paid by the county would
be over 81, eco per year, to say nothing
of the costs in civil cases etc.
We have it on good authority that
John Thomas has given money to at
least two men in an attempt to hire
them to Go work for him at election.
Both Of these men exhibited the
money, one of them offering to turn
over all, and the other part Of what
he bad received to the fuSioniStS to
help their campaign.
Then again we are told by several
men who heard the conversation that
the county clerks Office is very much |
Inundated over wolf scalp irregu-
larity. 1t seems that young wolf |
ScalpS grow to be old ones Immediately |
one in the clerks office. At any rate |
man came in and very angrily de- |
manded $500, and received it.-Turn- |
ing to Commissioner Breasted he eX |
planned that the wolves he killed |
were young ones, that he filed his |
voucher for $500 assigned it for $1.75, |
but was aStOniShed beyond measure to |
read in the commissioners proceedings |
for July that 5000 was allowed him |
for old wolf scalpS. OF course chang
only an irregularity.
Another case has been mentioned in |
the Herald several times Boss Royce |
and two or three of his Fridays bought |
farm. They conceived the idea |
that the county needed it awfully bad |
for an addition to the poor farm. |
They put it up at fancy price and
only the vigorous protest of Commits |
Sioner Veeh and County Attorney
Bissell prevented the hold-up.
Several other cases could be men,
toned. Ordinarily, these men would
not be guilty Of such gross irregu-
laritieS, but they belong body and
soul to corrupt boss, SO how can you
expect anything better. A fountain
cannot rise above its source.
Why not turn the whole gang out
and have a clean administration of
county affairs again?