St. Clair County Republican
Osceola, MO
Thursday, 19 September 1888

Town and County Items.
R.D. Blair was in Osceola last Friday afternoon.

Dr. J. Wheeler, of Iuka Springs, was in town Tuesday.

Capt. Bolinger made a trip through Jackson Township last week.

Judge Hoshaw of Roscoe called at the Republican office Tuesday.

A.L. Morgan was in Clinton last Thursday, witness in Circuit Court.

Mr. Hendrix, of Holland & Hendrix, returned from his eastern trip Saturday.

J.H. Lucas attended court in Greenfield, and was in Kansas City last week.

Fred Daniels was out looking after fences in different portions of the county last week.

Mrs. D.C. McNeil caught a severe cold last Saturday night, and has been quite ill ever since.

Mrs. John Reed, nee Cornelious, left for her home in White Oak, New Mexico, Tuesday morning.

Esquire Butler and Thos. Huston of Roscoe, left for Kansas City yesterday, to view the Priests of Pallas parade.

Mrs. Hewitt, one of the instructors in the Teacher’s Institute, left last week for Bates County, where she will teach this winter.

Mrs. Otto L. Rice left Thursday evening for St. Louis, Mo., and Centralia, Ills., where she will visit relatives for several weeks.

Justice Stone is kept busy between cases and marriages, but the boys say a marriage scares him more than a cannon possibly could.

Miss Emma Baldwin accompanied Mrs. Reed to White Oaks, New Mexico Tuesday morning, where she will make an extended visit.

Judge J.F. Tandy left for St. Louis this morning, where he will meet the committee appointed to adjust the railroad debt, on Thursday.

Robt. Craig, who has been under the weather for some time past is now able to attend to business, but is not worried with extra strength yet.

Little Edgar, son of Mr. And Mrs. J.O.F. Stotts, died Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock, after an illness of about ten days. Aged nine months.

Bronaugh & Dunn shipped a car of cattle and hogs, over the K.C. & S. last Friday evening, to Glen City, where they will be fed this winter.

H. Weber has closed out his boot and shoe making and repairing department to Mr. Allen, who can give Mr. Weber’s old customers satisfaction in this line.

A.C. Riddle, of Baker, was a lucky man last week and drew $1,700.00 of Uncle Sam’s money as back pension, and receives $18 per month regular pension.

Mrs. W.T. Johnson, of Kansas City, visited her mother, and numerous friends and relatives in and around Osceola last week, returning home on Saturday.

Henry Fensler, of Lowry City, was before Squire Stone, Saturday, charged with assault and battery, but the evidence failed to sustain the charge and Mr. Fensler was dismissed.

Rev. Love gave quite an interesting talk on the Temperance question at the Court House on Monday night. He presented the question in a reasonable manner for all parties concerned.

Mr. S.A. Wardan, as a man who appreciates good company and congenial surroundings, has taken up his quarters across the hall from the Republican office. Room for one more in our block.

Mrs. J.S. Linney, accompanied by Master and Miss Linney, left for Lexington, Kentucky Monday afternoon. While absent, she will visit relatives in Lexington, Danville and other points of the state.

Mr. Charles Brown has bought out L.B. Connant’s restaurant and will continue business at the old stand. Charley will be prepared at all times to furnish nice meals to all who may come to him hungry.

Mr. H.A. Kratz has the thanks of the Republican for a basket of elegant pears. St. Clair County cannot be beat for fruit growing qualities, and Mr. Kratz understands the cultivation; the result of the combination is elegant fruit of all kinds.

Miss Alice Linney calls the attention of musical students to her class in music in another column. Miss Linney’s qualifications are too well known to need any comment from us. Her pupils are certain of thorough instructions in all matters pertaining to music.

The temperance meeting in Landes Hall last evening was well attended, and great interest manifested. The program was a good one and well rendered, especially the chorus by the little girls. Meetings will be held each evening of this week to which all are invited.

Two Swedish farmers, named Ole Johnson and Hans Erickson, of Nevada City, on the 14th of this month made a strange bet on the Presidential election. A written agreement was drawn up and placed in the hands of a prominent businessman. According to its terms, in event of Cleveland’s election, Mr. Johnson forfeits to Mr. Erickson his wife, Johanna, to have and to hold against the lawful claims of any and all persons whatsoever. If, on the other hand, General Harrison is elected, the agreement stipulates that Mr. Johnson shall receive from Mr. Erickson one Jersey cow, valued at $50. All parties to the wager are in earnest, including Mrs. Johnson, who expresses a hope that Cleveland will be re-elected.

Lime Works.
An Enterprise for Osceola of Great Benefit to every Citizen.
Last week, Capt. W.G. Smallwood, accompanied by Mr. Ralph Daniels, of Kansas City, was in Osceola looking over the ground for the location of lime works on a large scale. Both of these gentlemen are practical lime men of large experience, and they were satisfied that Osceola, on account of the abundance of wood, superior quality and inexhaustible quantities of limestone, nearness to market, and the shipping facilities offered by the two lines of road, possessed more advantages than offered by any other place in southwest Missouri. Having satisfied themselves on these points they presented to our businessmen a proposition, which if they could meet would secure to our city these works. The matter was taken in hand by Messrs. Van B. Whisker, J.Y. Wilson and F.P. Daniel, and our businessmen thoroughly canvassed, resulting in meting the requirements of Capt. Smallwood, and work will begin immediately on the works, which will be located near the Bailey depot.
In securing this enterprise, Osceola has taken a long step towards the advance she will certainly make in the next five years. It not only means the employment of our workingmen, (for Capt. Smallwood will employ Osceola men as far as possible), the paying out of immense sums of money for labor and fuel, but will bring in more enterprises of a like nature. Our cola and iron beds will be developed, the deposits of potter’s clay use and the many other industries which nature has provided for in our midst, will spring up. The placing in circulation of the large amount of money these works will use in burning and shipping of lime will benefit directly all classes of our citizens and bring in our town new people, more ready money and more business.
Let everyone lend a hand to the worth of upbuilding our town, which has begun, and Osceola will soon rank among the first cities of the state for wealth and importance.

A Reply.
To the Editor of the Republican:
I took occasion recently to address a letter to the public, explanatory of some matters connected with my official course, which Mr. Pugh essays to answer.
I stated in my letter that after my election, Mr. Pugh attempted to induce me to deposit the county funds in his bank, which inducements, I stated, would not be given out of consideration to Pugh. He now requests that the matter mentioned be made public. He refers to a certain letter, which he addressed me on the 24th day of February 1887, which I here give to the public, with my answer:
Osceola, Mo., February 24th, 1887.
Robert B. Gordon,
Treas. St. Clair Co.
Dear Sir. – It is believed by many of our most substantial citizens and taxpayers of St. Clair County, Missouri, that the permanent funds in the hands of their treasurer ought to accrue some interest for the use and benefit of the county, and I have been solicited for, and on behalf of, the bank, to make some reasonable offer for said money, to the end that the county may be benefited.
This bank, if it receives said deposits, will furnish security for the safe keeping of said funds, in any reasonable sum, and will keep on hand at all times at its banking house in Osceola sufficient funds to meet all checks drawn on said funds by the treasurer, and will pay to the county of St. Clair for the use of said funds, five per cent interest pre annum.
Please answer within ten days.
Yours truly,
James M. Pugh, Cashier
Osceola, Mo., March 5th, 1887.
Jas. M. Pugh, Esq.
Dear Sir: -- Yours of the 24th received and contents noted. You say it is the belief of many of our most substantial citizens that the county money ought to be loaned out, or words to that effect. Now, my dear sir, let me say that I believe a great many of our most substantial citizens are too well versed in the laws of the state, and know too much about their officers’ duties and trusts, to make such a request, and if they are not posted, by looking at the statutes – sections 1326, 27, 28 and 29, they can easily learn that what you propose would be an unlawful act on my part, if not on yours and theirs. I can only say in answer that I had entertained the idea that you were better posted in the laws of our state than to make such a proposition.
I am
Very respectfully,
Rob’t. B. Gordon,
Treas. St. Clair Co.
For the benefit of the public, who may not have access to the statutes, I publish here one of the sections of the statutes referred to in my letter:
Section 1327 – Officer loaning public money – how punished. No such officer, agent or servant shall loan out with or without interest, any money or valuable security received by him, or which may be in his possession or keeping, or over which he may have supervision, care of control by virtue of his office, agency or service, or under color or pretense thereof; and any such officer, agent or servant so loaning such money or valuable security, on conviction thereof, shall be punished by imprisonment in the penitentiary not less than two years, or by a fine not less than five hundred dollars. (G.S. 788, s 42 Amended).
The reason of my refusal to loan this money is obvious enough from this law. But this letter is by no means all of the inducements to which my letter had reference. Mr. Pugh made no application to have this money loaned, in such a way that the county would be benefited until he had satisfied himself that his own selfish purposes could not be subserved. He tried every possible way to get the money for himself, and after failing, began to talk about the people. Before my election he had the promise conveyed to me that if I would promise to deposit the money in his bank, he would secure for me 400 votes. This promise I refused to make.
After my election he offered to pay me $500 per year, if I would deposit in his bank. Then he promised if I would deposit in his bank he would have me elected cashier, and pay me a salary of $1,000 per annum, and after I had said “get behind me, Satan”, he then, for revenge, tried to have the money loaned, standing all expense of the litigation himself.
Byron has said: “Earth hath no fiend like love to hatred turned, nor hell” [Unreadable]
Profit in this state, who shall offer or promise to discharge the duties of such office for a less sum than the salary, fees or emoluments of said office, as fixed by the laws of this state, or who shall promise to pay back, or donate to any public or private interest any portion of said salary, fees or emoluments, as an inducement to voters at such election, shall, on conviction thereof, be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be fined in a sum of not less than fifty dollars, nor more than five hundred dollars, or imprisonment in the county jail for a period of not less than ten days or more than six months, or by both such fine and imprisonment, and shall, in addition, forfeit the office to which he may have been elected at such election. (Laws 1879, p. 87, g 1).
I leave it to the people whether the offers of Pugh do not amount to an attempt at bribery. Whether it is technically so or not, it amounts to bribery morally.
The Supreme Court use the following language in a case of bribery, reported in vol. 72 at page 22: “For if bribery in its larger sense, in its application to election cases, is the promise by the candidate to donate, if elected, a sum of money or other valuable thing to a third party the promise in the case at bar ought to be held as falling within the same category. Since though the suitors who may have to appear before the candidate when judge of probate cannot in the nature of things be designated, yet the corrupting tendencies of the offer remain the same, remain to swerve the voter from his duty as a citizen; to blind his perceptions as to the sole question he should consider, the qualifications of the candidate, and to fix them upon considerations altogether foreign to the proper exercise of the highest right known to freemen, the right of suffrage, a right upon whose absolutely free and untrammeled exercise depends the perpetuity of our republic and institutions. The transactions of which the state in the present instance complains may have been entered into with landable motives, but it is, as we think has been successfully shown, decidedly demoralizing in its tendencies, and utterly subversive of the plainest dictates of public policy. The maxim in such cases should be ‘obsta principus’, and it is only by a rigid observance of this by the courts, that the purity of elections can be preserved.
Yet this Dugald Dalgetty, claiming to be for the people, claiming to lead and advise them, is daring the laws himself and asking them to have their officers to violate the laws. Truth in this world can only win by patience and perseverance. Falsehood and humbug stalks high-headed and with effect. And I promise the people that this conspiracy of Pugh will yet receive more complete exposure. Even though it might include several in the conspiracy, and extend to cases of attempted bribery to more county treasurers than myself.
Rob’t. B. Gordan.
 

County Court Proceedings:
The following warrants were drawn on the different funds:

Mrs. Fisher, pauper fund ... $10.00

Jas. J. DeLozier, road and bridge fund … $20.00

R.T. Jackson, district fund …$9.60

E.T. Jackson, road and bridge fund …$37.40

Isaac Couthron, road and bridge fund … $32.50

Isaac Couthron, district fund … $2.00

W.A. Smitherman, district fund … $29.03

W.A. Smitherman, road and bridge fund … $13.00

I.W. Preston, road and bridge fund … $26.00

I.W. Preston, district fund … $75.00

M.H. Siy, contingent fund … $10.50

J.H. Halloway, road and bridge fund … $44.00

J.H. Halloway, district fund … $9.00

Alfred Kneedier, road and bridge fund … $6.50

John R. Jefferies, road and bridge fund … $26.00

Albert Hoyt, salary fund … $10.00

Albert Hoyt, salary fund … $10.35

John H. Tandy, salary fund … $10.35

John H. Tandy, salary fund … $10.35

S.C. Peden, salary fund … $10.00

Road petition of Henry Eberting, John Hunter, et al, heard. Road changed.

Bond and mortgage of Joseph L. Daugherty for $250.00, to school fund, satisfied.

Bond and mortgage of Joseph L. Dougherty for $350.00 approved, and an order drawn on the treasurer for that amount.

Patent granted by the State to Vincent Wyatt for northwest, northeast, and southwest, south, east section 16, township 8, range 34.

Matter of Appleton Township bridge referred to F.H. Hostrom, road commissioner.

Patent granted by the state to John Flinny for south half southeast, section 16, township 37, range 27.

The following judges of election were appointed for the November election:

Appleton Township - A.C. Ditty, George Clark, R.R. Davis and A.R. Wesson.

Butler Township - W.L. Ward, T.J. Bingham, John Barnett and John B. Bell.

Chalk Level Township - John D. Ross, W.M. Cox, P.A. Motley and T.A. Hawkins.

Collins Township - James H. Sims, Jas. D. Glinn, L. Burchett and B.L. Deshazo.

Dallas Township - James Cauthorn, W.R. Davis, R.M.J. Davies and J.J. DeLozier.

Doyal Township - P.M. Cox, E.A. Heare, A.C. Coffee and Martin Kelley.

Jackson Township - Joseph Knight, Milton Gover, A.J. Howard and E.L. Harper.

Monegaw Township - J.H. Showalter, E.H. Berry, J.C. Stamps and John G. Warner.

Osage Township - James M. Hoover, Sr., W.A. Binnegar, John F. Nunn and Langdon Dade.

Osceola Township - A.G. Cornelius, H.B. Urich, John F. McGuire and A.P. Rutan.

Polk Township - Jas. E. Atteberry, W.F. McGee, John P. Orr and R.N. Fugate.

Speedwell Township - Wm. Taylor, H.P. Leckliter, W.L. Dade and J.W. Kennerly.

Taber Township - Asa Landon, A.G. Turner, H.F. Hand and Robert Heath.

Washington Township - George Chapman, Perry Millsaps, W.H. Page and John P. Pace.

Court adjourned to meet Wednesday, September 27, 1888.

On another page of the Republican will be found, side by side, the letters of acceptance from Gen. Harrison and Grover Cleveland. Read them carefully, and see the difference between them on the subject of our welfare as a nation, and you will certainly vote the Republican ticket, from top to bottom without a scratch.