The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1905-03-07
A CARD FROM WILL LYDON.

| | made my charges against the
county clerk for failing to pay over
moneys that he had collected from
the taxpayers from time to time. for
over two years and eleven months. in
! good faith. At the time | made these
charges hoped that the county judge
would be impartial enough to select
disinterested. impartial accountant
to inspect these books, but | hoped
in vain. The county judge has gone
and selected MIR. Henry Hand to
make the investigation of the clerks
Office. Mr.. Hand has been employed
| by u. c. Graham a Company for sew
eral years and Is still in their en-
ploy at their tobacco warehouse in
Paducah | also hoped when | made
these charges that the county judge
would be fair enough to permit me to
employ an expert accountant at my
expense to assist the gentleman Sc
| lected by him. This request he has
| positively denied. II would seem
/ that before the county judge made
| his selection that he had consulted
I the wishes of the man against whom
/ made my charges, because the coun-
ty Judge when he made his appoint
ment selected the bookkeeper in the
| employe of the Grahams at their to-
bacco warehouse, and in order 10
keep the people from knowing of the
shortcomings of the county clerk he
] has prohibited me or anyone from
knowing what the report will be.
and there is not the slightest doubt
in my mind but what IL is the inten
/ ton of the county judge and the
county clerk to smuggle the matter
and keep 1t from the people as far as
II is in their combined power to do.
| know that Mr.. Graham has not
paid over any money to the county
treasurer for over two years and elev-
en- months. | have in my possession
receipts for several hundred dollars
of money that he collected for the
county over two years ago. none of
which he has accounted for or paid
TO the county treasurer, and If Judge
Lightfoot believes that he can protect
Mr.. Graham in the way he has at
tempted to do he is sadly mistaken.
Besides il is Judge Lightfoot's sworn
duty to look after the interests of the
tax payers and not after the personal
interest of a county officer who has
failed to pay over money that he has
collected, but Lightfoot by selecting
Mr.. Hand who Is employed by firm
of which Mr.. Charles II. Graham Is
member, as | am informed, puts
himself in the position of shielding
the man that he should prosecute.
But there is no doubt but what
"Brainy Dick" believes that his ac-
ton in this matter will cut a wide
political swath,
| would like To ask any tax payer |
II he is simple enough to believe that |
Mr.. Hand, an employe of Charles u. |
Graham, would expose Mr., Graham |
II he finds he has been corrupt in Of |
fee. The tax payer that believes |
such a thing certainly cares very lit !
tie about having the officials of the |
county fairly Investigated or the OH
ces of the county fairly administered |
When | openly preferred my |
charges against Mr., Graham to Judge |
Lightfoot II was not the first time |
that he had been informed that Mr. |
Graham was short. lie had been in /
formed by at least three members of /
the fiscal court and yet he declined /
to take any action until | made my /
charges public In the newspapers,
Respectfully,
A A 4