Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1940-05-16
A BAD, BAD MAN

1t is rather strange to learn of man who has
lived all of his life in our locality and has COM
manded the respect of every citizen, then all OF
sudden to discover that he has been very bad
man. This heretofore highly esteemed resident
of Malta worked on the public highway for many
years regardless of the party in power. He had
civil service rating He never took any part in
politics; went to the polls and voted. He was
member of the Democratic party.
When the present state administration came
into power with great fanfare that it was 60
ing to purify civil service and make it count for
something way above anything political, it look
ed about for someone big and broad enough who
would to it that the civil service would be
placed on higher plane than ever before, and be
made pure as the driven snow. To fill that posi-
ton our own George Shinn, with the consent of
Governor Brcker, was named the Lord-High
(way) executioner. After a careful? impartial?
non political? fair??? investigation he conceived
the idea that lifelong citizen who had the re-
spect and confidence of every man, woman and
child was indeed a bad MANIA very bad man, and
had misbehaved very badly, and must be punish
ed. The Lord-High (way) executioner filed GER
tain charges again him. He was charged with
taking part in politics; and because of such, or
dered his head cut off (from the S. H. payroll,
and the state civil service commission approved.
Wanting to know what villainous crime he had
committed, our citizen-(we forgot to state it is
John PennelD, demanded hearing before the
state civil service commission, which was held
here, and the several charges which the Lord
High Shinn had filed were taken up one at a
time. Witnesses were introduced but no evil
dence seemingly produced to show any viola
ton. The commission took the testimony to Co.
lumbus and after weeks of carefully? going over
it. discovered that the said party had indeed COM
mltted act of the gravest sort-heinous,
yes-too terrible to contemplated awful that
it should never be mentioned in the presence OF
timid women, or children. and when spoken to
strongest of it should be only in low breath
and now readers prepare for the shock Mr..
Pennell cooked oysters for open meeting of
the Democratic wonen's club 1t was on this
charge that Mr.. John Pennel was dismiss
ed That fateful night when he prepared the
oysters he never out of the kitchen; was not
IN the hall where the speaking and entertain
ment took place. But it was the cooking of oys-
ters that caused the undoing Of Mr.. Pennell and
now our highly esteemed and re-
spected citizen falling low into disrepute because
he cooked oysters for the Democratic women.
just the Lord High Shinn had charged Of
course he has cooked oysters for the l. o. O. F.,
and Woodmen and other organizations, but that
is different.
We can't conceive that any Democrat would
have raised any objection had Mr. Pennell been
called upon to prepare the beef sandwiches at the
Republican rally that time in the armory follow
ing which general epidemic of stomach ache
who were stricken that night have seemingly
never recovered.
But think dear readers of poor John-think of
how he has fallen in the respect and the estima-
ton OF our fellow citzens-and let it be an object
lesson to the coming generation to never stoop so
low as to cook oysters for the Women's Demo-
cratic club