Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1905-02-01
County Matters.

allied attention to the TACT that the
Board Of Supervisors had loaned, and
provided for future loans of county
money to Edgar NJ. Cross, to aid
i'm in the prosecution of a suit for
lamages against the Illinois Central
Railway, and that we were informed
he loans were made at the instiga-
ion of County Attorney Cloud, who
S also attorney for Mr.. Cross in his
action against the railway company.
The Hopkinton Leader, presum-
ably the spokesman for Supervisor
Kirkwood, admits the correctness of
the statements in our Article, other
than the insinuation, which it says,
is intimated in it, that "the board
has been looting the county treas
ury"' and attempts to justify the
loan on the ground that Mr.. Cross is
in destitute circumstances with no
relatives who are able to help him.
The Earlville Phoenix does not
deny the loan, but as spokesman for
County Attorney Cloud says, that
Mr.. Cross applied for aid from the
county, and it was a case of either
sending him and his two little
daughters to the poor house, his wife
having recently died, or giving him
aid outside. In consequence the
board decided last fall to give him
$500 per week, but, on the aduice Of
the county attorney, asked Mr.. Gross
that he repay the amount to the
county in case he won his pending
suit against the railroad company
In last weeks News appeared a
column and half article, over the
signature Of Levi Cross, the father
of Edgar NJ, in which an attempt is
made to justify the Board in their
action in making several loans to his
son.
For the enlightenment of the
reader who is not personally ac-
quainted with the cider Cross, it
may be we'll to state, that he is a
hale and hearty appearing man, who,
we should Judge, from his looks, TIC
be about sixty years of age. He
served in the war of the rebellion
and on his return home was engaged
in farming for number of years
Several years ago, aided by Col
Henderson, if our memory serves us
right, he was allowed pension o.
$4,000 per month which he has evel
since then and now draws from thu
government.
In April 1904, the son, Edgar NJ. ,wal
in the employ of the Illinois Contra
Railway Co., as train hand, ane
was seriously injured in a collision
on that road at Scales Mound, III
He is not now, and probably neve.
will be, able to do hard manua
labor. His family consists Of him
self and two children, and his fathel
lives with them. After the acciden
Mr.. Cross says, in the News article
that he talked tho matter of finances
over with his son and told him tina
| would have to apply to the author
tiles for help. He said no, to write
to the adjusting agent and see if til,
company would not help us. The
agent came right out and offered tt
give my son two hundred and fifty
dollars if he would sign papers t
relieve the company from any furthe:
obligation. He would not do it.
The father then went and saw tn,
overseer of the poor and two of tn,
members Of the board Of supervisors
and he says, we quote from his ar.
ticle: ''They did allow us FIVE dollars
a week, for awhile l do not thinl
that up to this time we had EN-
ployed any attorney to fight GU
case, but it might have been ate
we had employed Mr.. Cloud. Her
is where Mr.. Cloud comes into til,
deal. He, of his own accord, drew
up a paper, the provisions of which
are, that if my son got anything tn
county must be reimbursed, for THU
money"
The right of the board to ALLOW
Edgar M. Cross cash from the poo
relief fund, the sum of five dollar
per week or even six dollars pc
week (but no more) if his condition
warranted it, is not in issue in thi
controversy. The simple question
is, has the board authority to loa7
money to the poor for any purpose
We claim they have not, and tina
their making the several loans tt
Mr.. Cross was wholly unauthorized
The board is restricted by statut,
Code 223O) from allowing as relic
to the applicant more than $500
per week for each member of the
family. Edgar N. Cross family
consisted Of only three persons, Sc
that the limit that could legal.
have been allowed him in cash wal
six dollars per week.
In June 1904 the board discon
tinued the allowance of relief, anc
according to the elder Cross, count,
Attorney Cloud, who was also at
torney for Edgar NJ. Cross in hi.
case against the railroad company
arranged for the first loan of count,
funds, as shown by the following
resolution passed by the board OF
June l6, 1904 to-wit:
Resolved: Thatthe county audi
tor draw and issue warrant out O
the special poor fund for fifty dollars
to support him in his present dis
tress and in compliance with The
contract and assignment made b,
Edward M. Cross in favor. of Della
ware county June Z, 1904, and on
file in the Auditors office"
IL that is not loan what is it?
Two months thereafter, to-wit: on