The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-05-04
II is Alleged He Forged Ord
ers Which We're Investieat-
eddie Says Others Over.
drew Salaries...Arrested.

Unable TO make the nominal bond
OF 1851. Hiram Smedley, former
county court clerk of McCracken
county. was placed under arrest last
night on the charge of forgery and
ENLIGHTENMENT
Mr.. Smedley's bond as county
court clerk was a blanket bond and
will cover all alleged shortages while
he held office. The.Title Guaranty &
Surety company, of Scranton, Penn,
is his bondsman, and recently a settle
ment for $1,5s6 was made with Coun
ty Attorney Barley for money due
the county; but this does not prevent
the company from being liable for
any other discrepancies that may be
found in his Office. Mr.. Barley said
The county officials stated that
most OF the alleged forgeries were
made while Mr.. Smedley was serving
as deputy under Mr.. Charles Il. Ora
ham. For any loss. while serving as
deputy. Mr.. Graham's bondsmen will
be responsible, II is stated.
Mr.. Smedley under the guard OF
Detective Moore was taken into cir
cult court this morning before Judge
Reed. and he said that he had been
unable to make bond. He was per-
mitted to 90 under guard.
Smedley Threatens Others.
Some sensations may be the out
come of the arrest of Mr.. Smedley,
as he declared to friend this morn
ing that there we're other county Off
clals, who had overdrawn salaries.
and had secured money not due them
One of the officials be said had over
drawn his salary $4,000. Mr.. Smed-
ley announced his Intention Of appear
ing before the grand jury with the
evidence. He asserts that he will be
able to explain all his alleged dis
crepancies.
The grand Jury is not through with
the Investigation. as records from the
county court clerks Office were taken
into the grand jury room this morn
ing and deputy clerks were before the
jury.
The penalty for each crime alleged
is 1 to 10 years.
The New Charges.
More alleged fraud has been turned
up in the ONCE Of Hiram smedley,
former county court clerk. by thai
grand jury. which made an investiga-
ton of his office, and 25 indictments
will be returned against him eharg-
ing forgery. He was taken in custody
yesterday afternoon about 5 o'clock
by Deputy Sheriff Gus Rogers on the
charge of embezzlement OF public
funds. II is stated that Smedley has
defrauded the county out of $1,000,
exclusive OF the 1000 embezzlement
from the county funds. Smedley
made several attempts to give bond
but failed, and last night he was
guarded by Detective T. J, Moore.
The investigation of the Office II !
is said, has revealed the fact that
Smedley has conducted a systematic
plan for a period covering ten years,
covering his own term as county court
clerk and extending back when he
served as deputy under Charles era
ham and the late J. William Fisher.
He Is alleged to have defrauded the
county by forging orders. The county
officials have permitted the clerk to
issue orders with his signature and
made payable on the county treasurer
In payments OF debts TO creditors OF
the county. The amounts were
checked by a committee from the
fiscal court, and 1t was not custom
airy to go over the orders by reading
the orders by name, but by comparing
the amounts with the figures on the
stubs in the order books. II is stated
that Smedley's plan was to write the
orders between the sessions OF fiscal
court and make them payable to flcti-
tlous persons. ne would then forge
the Endorsement. and collect the
money. These we're presented to the
fiscal court. and Smedley would make
the statement that he paid the ac-
count to prevent the creditors waiting
until the session, and depriving them
of the money. Some of the orders
we're used to pay Smedley's own
debts. Common names such as
Farmer. Parker and Mason were used