Connecticut western news., 1907-11-21
BONDSMEN PAY
SHARON $349661


A SPECIAL TOWN MEETING HELD
Sharon People Take Various Views
of the Situation - Messrs. Smith
and Harris Plead for Cessation of
Litigation-The News Presents the
Different Aspects of the Case-Re-
solutions Adopted at Meeting.
The Sharon relationship middle has
been three-cornered piece of litigation,
the town, Haines, and the bondsmen
being the parties thereto, therefore IN
Justice to all concerned THE NEWS
desires to take disinterested stand in
the matter and to tell all the facts or so
many of them as we are able to learn.
Those who brought the charges (chief
among these men being selectmen A. A.
Bierce) do not take as mild view of
the shortage as do many of the other
Sharonites, and they are more vigorous
in their criticism of Mr.. Haines and his
acts. One thing which was criticized
perhaps as much as, if not more than
any other, was his flight into New York
state in order to prevent Deputy Sheriff
Hornbeck, of Falls Village, from serving
the warrant. The story as Mr.. Horn
beck tells it is dramatic and not without
it's ludicrous aspects.
It appears that on the day the deputy
went to serve the warrant, Mr.. Haines
was in Millerton. In company with
Selectmen Bierce and Lamb and with
Mr.. Blerce's team, the deputy started
toward Millerton to meet Haines
When the latter came in sight and
recognized the trio, he turned his horse
and started back for the New York state
The wagon which contained the pur-
surers struck stones, thank-ye-marms,
banks, ETC., tossing it hither and yon,
and threatening every moment to
the landscape; therefore Deputy Horn
beck and Selectman Lamb each rode on
step and kept an eye open for soft
spots ON which to land, while Mr. Bierce
remained in the front seat and applied
the CAD to the galloping steeds. But
Haines had good horse and was not
overtaken until Millerton was reached.
Here Mr.. Hornbeck telephoned to Hon.
L. j. Nickerson, of West Cornwall,
counsel for the town of Sharon, and
asked what course to pursue. Mr.. Nick
ers0n instructed him to say to Mr..
Haines that unless he choose to 20
willingly back into Connecticut, the
town would cause his imprisonment at
Poughkeepsie, n. Y, until a requisition
could be obtained. Haines returned to
Sharon With Mr.. Hornbeck and was
released on bail the following day.
Six counts are pending against him in
the superior court, for embezzlement,
covering an aggregate of $500, extend
ing over several years as previously
stated in The NEWS. The town charges
that there are instances where Haines
received both checks and money in pay
ment of taxes, gave the check but not
the money to Treasurer Kenney, marked
"Paid" after the name of the man who
paid cash, but not after that of the
party who paid by check. An instance
in point which the town cites in support
of it's contention was that of the Berk
shire Power Company who paid by
check their taxes amounting to some
thing more than $4,000. They were
not credited with the amount although
the voucher, properly endorsed, was
returned to the company. Here the
town believes Haines used the Berkshire
Power check to pay to the treasurer the
tax of some other party who paid him
AS we hate said before, Sbarons
opinion is divided, some inclining to the
opinion that the shortage is the result OF
tcarelessness and Iaxity of method, and
Others believing that there was criminal
intent.
The affair is certainly a most unfor.
tunate one regardless of the standpoint
fnom which it is viewed and it is hoped
it will be lesson, not only for Sharon
but for all Litchfisld county towns, to
give more time and painstaking atten.
ton to the conduct Of town affairs, not
only so far as concerns collectors, but
all transactions Of whatever nature per
tanning to the public veal.
Following is the report of the special
town meeting, the speeches, the resolu.
tions passed and the payment of the
claim. The writer says:
The mix-up in the accounts of F. P,
Haines collector for the town of Sharon