The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-11-15
To Hear Arguments
on Removing Putnam
County Commissioners

Charleston. W. Va. Nov N.-Follow
iug the presentation az petitions by
Waiter :. Hallanan. state tax commits
-iuncc. and john -. Thomas. rross"ui-
Ing attorncy % Putnam county. asking
tc- the removal ot county Commission.
crs ". =. Atkinson and !. *. Wade. and
county Clerk J. NJ. Henson and his dep
@ty and son. r. II. Henson. Al! ~ Put
U;Im county. Judge john 7. Graham Of
he Sixth circuit; lH,s today entered
an order setting pece mb"r AZ tho date
Ger hearing arguments In the proceed.
iasS.
\ special term OF circuit cour: was
called at Winfield. county seat % Put
nam. today. hy Judge ,iraha M and
court was 0perri 4 few hours after an
.Ni.gnat!on meeting Of Putnam county
. citizens at the court house there II
which several hundred persons particl-
rated. according to Commissioned Hal
!anar. and demanded the resiSnatio
Of members If the county court" Mi
liam A. Davis OF Hurricane. IL said hr
Commissioner lIa,E,nan to have prcsid.
ell at the meeting.
This action 81 tho citizens. together
. with the action OF state and county
officials. wss the outgrowth'Nr an audit.
commissioner TIa'!anan said. made by
Ha!lanan As Supervisor Of pUb!ic Of.
ar"S The audit disclosed alleg"
gross. serious and astounding trregu-
.a:t,i-s. according To the FAX commits
Si"nrr.
Two petitions were liiri with the
court. each setting forth fourteen dir-
t"Cent reasons why the county officials
should Re removed from office. one
petition affects the w" commissioner.
and the Cthe- involves County t1erll
Henson and his son. The petitions al
leEe. Commlssi' ne. Nananan says mai.
f"asauc". n'Sfc2sIrrc and n"ntea sn nee
in office: official mi sr"nduct. neglect Of
duty and inroInrft-nry IN office.
The Specific Charges.
Tho specific charges against the
Putnam county officials. as contained
in ;he petitions presented 10 the court.
and according 20 Statrmcu; here to-
night BY Commissioner Ha!laaa7 are:
That Atkinson and Wndc granted the
use ~ the count" owned machinery to
the fair association In consideration Of
season passes :" the fair.
Allowed excessive claims % J. y.
Henson. Of $500. FOR certain TRANSCRIPT
ing; permitted the issuance Of county
orders for deputy clerks salaries ~
axc.as % the amount locally provided:
au,ouT. " money for maintenance ~
,h- clerks office: permitted themselves
- Nc influenced IN thor rfGcial duties
hy the county clerk aud his SIN: that
Atkinson furnished Supplies :" thH
ruurry for an excessive amount %
nfNnry IN vciri.on - TIE law. Ia:
Wal" Illegally received ro"n ' oI,'"" t":
$3.50 IL an expense account n t"'i /"
Peoria. IL ;'iai Atkinson and Wade.
CONSUMING with Henson and his sou.
iss"r,t III" ru@n:y order for SNptnSc {"
r"nr;a: uniawtu!!y authorized certain
payments 70 themselves fnr road !npc'-
r."uS. allowed Henson eX"rhitart sums
Of money tNr copy!IG. indcN!ng and
,-a,, scr!t,iaE records: refused 20 require
rc"s"as 20 submit itemized statements
when presenting them t"r payment: re-
FUSED 20 Eive Information concerning
orders 10 the state tax commissioner
when questioned: that Il Is thcir pra""
t!ce 20 consider ornrial affairs with
Henson and his son ont ~ court. and
without IN. knowledge Of F. c. BOWER
The other member rt tie roT"ty court.
Charges Against Henson
The specifications agatns: Henson and
his son are In part:
That they have permitted numerous
orders 70 disappear. kndN tIcN IeEm'NI''
the contract between the county court
and the Fair association. granting tht
Use OF machinery for season passes: that
J. NJ Henson failed {" keep s,uN
record Of county orders: :hn; he pre-
ser,ed an excessive demand FOR $500 fo'
,ranScr,hing: that they issued untavfu
xoiary orders 20 deputy county clerks
,hat Deputy Hersnn received salary
from tho c"un:H while working for th'
state auditor and tpr ~" state ieEt'
latrre: that they permitted orders 20 b'
altered and ,amper"d with. tNnt tNt-f
Henson ha. permitted records 70 10
changed and flashed: tina: i" Is r-re'|
Ing an excessive amount f"r ~" In hi'
office: tha. 10 ssh i"-m''s Henson. h!'
son and Gcpu:%. :" remain A% deputy
knowing 10 ~ under et-hic"n indie
Iunnt< for misconduct. 'ha; he 'aiIet
% present minutes 20 the court F'r S'S
nature: that he was found :" lee !"d"''
ed - the roLTtr in the sum OF S@.""S.@'
on January I. 1921"