Amador ledger., 1906-10-19
History Recalled.

We republish on our first page en-
article taken from the Ledger Of Octo-
Der 81, 1902 the last issue before the
general election of that year. In
this article is included the material
points OF the defense of U. S. Gre
CORY, under his own signature. which
was Written and circulated broadcast
over the county, rurrorting to be an
explanation and refutation Of state
ments made in previous issue of the
Ledger, relating to the prosecution
and conviction of ore W. Ii. Lester,
on charge of cattle stealing, and
also statement that certain weekly
theater licenses due from the Morrell
Show Company had not Leen incIud
ed IN the settlement of the license
collector made in October, 1902. As.
far as the Lester case is concerned,
the article needs no further comment
at our hands. The facts admitted,
and those taken from the official
records, which are indisputable, speak
for themselves. illustrating, as they
do, the methods IN vogue in those.
days in criminal proceedings, they
appeal powerfully to the voters of
Amador in this election. Some of
those concerned in this cross lot pro-
cess of sending men to the penitentiary
are seeking the suffrages of the voters.
And it is this fact that gives vitality
to, and justifies the resurrection uf
this peculiar case. The question that
presents Itself now is, Do the people
of Amador county want to return to
such modes of procedure? Will they
vote for men for high office who ex-
ercised their authority in the manner
described therein, and defended such
action by the so-called explanation
vouchsafed?
Now in regard to the statement that
the theatre licenses would be collect
ed and turned In with the license col
lector's next quarterly statement. The
next quartz settlement and the last
one made in Mr. Gregory's term, was
made in Janusry 1908. We have made
an effort to verify that statement by
records of the tax collectors office,
but have failed. The collector Is sup
posed to keep license book in which
the name of every person subject to
license is entered, the date of pay
ment, the amount paid, the kind of
license and the term included.
Sheriff Norman, during his incum-
dency, has kept such record book.
Every license issued by him is a
matter of permanent record in his
office. There is book showing these
facts under the former regime up to
1896. But we could find nothing to
show the details of the license bust
ness covering period from 1896 until
1903. Those in the sheriff office say
they found nc such record on assum-
ing office. If book of this kind was
kept, they have never seen it. Fail
ing to find such record, wn en-
deavorcd to hunt up the license col
lector's statement for the particular
quarter in question. This also we
could not find. In his explanation,
the ex License collector says we might
have ascertained the fact of payment
from the stub of the license book. The
law requires that when license book
is exhausted, the stubs shall be Ie-
turned to the auditor. These stubs
should show to whom licenses were
sold. 1t seems, however, that these
stub books are stored away in The
basement of the ball of records.
Lack Of room is bar to their being
kept in the ctiiee proper. We have
not tried to dig up the INFORMATION
from this pile of old relics and dis
carded DOCUMENTS, and hence We have
to leave the subject shI GUIDED in dark.
ness. In conclusion, we may say
that it seems to US funny and IN
desirable state of affairs that no record
evidence is eomeb table, showing the
names of license payers of SUCH com
paIatively recent times.
Cloaks did you say? yes, a t the tune
of zoe Off on every dollar, at the