FUSION TREASURER L DEBT OF $33,390 AGAINST COUNTY
Unallowed claims against Holt county when 1). J. Cronin’s term expired, $21,480.91
Overdraft on Road Fund when 1). J. Cronin’s term expired ..... 275.34
Corrigan warrants drawn on 1904 levy, which Cronin should have paid . 11,633.99
Total indebtedness against Holt, county when the treasurer’s office was ~
turned over to R E. Chittick.$33,390.24
Cash turned over to Chittick: Genera! fund $9,527.50; bridge $626.24 — $10,153.74
Actual indebtedness of Holt county which Cronin could not pay because
he did not have the money in the treasury with which to pay it . . $23,236.50
office over
turned
Corrigan
only had
were unpaid claims against the county to the amount of $21,480.91, besides an overdraft in the road fund of $275.34, when Cronin’s term expired; so that the fusion treasurer turned over to the republican
treasurer a debt of $33,390.24, with only $10,153.74 in money with which to pay it. The debt has all been paid. The Corrigan warrants that were issued a year before Cronin went out of office have all
been paid off, the road fund overdraft paid and the unpaid claims left by Cronin. There have been filed the last year and on file now less claims than the county owed when Cronin went out of office and
there is money enough in the 1907 levies to pay all of these and have $10,000 left, besides what is to be paid on back levies yet.
WARRANTS IN TRUST.
In view of the fact that the fusion
leaders at O'Neill took It upon them
selves, just as soon as they lost their
grip on the county treasury, to harass
by suits in court and slander through
the columns of their official organ, the
republican officials at the very outset
of their administration two years ago,
it may be of Interest to the tax payers
of this county to learn some of the
details of the county treasurer’s of
fice us they existed under the fusion
regime set before them.
The matter of the treasurer’s use of
money received at his office not prop
erly county money, that is, money be
longing to school districts, townships,
villages and cities, or so called trust
funds, formed the basis of an attack
on Cl ittick and Harnish through the
columns of the Slander Mill at O'Neill,
as well as a suit in district court and
the circulation of a threatening let
ter. It was contended by this bunch
of character assassins that if Cl ittick
or Harnish had more than $4,500 of so
called trust funds invested in county
general fund or bridge fund warrants,
it was an unlawful use of the same.
There has never been over $4,438.98
thus invested during the year and
ten months of republican control of
the treasurer’s office. Reference to the
somewhat incomplete records of a
few of the fusion treasurers, discloses
that they almost continually unlaw
fully employed many thousands of dol
lars belonging to township, school, vil
lage and city treasuries. The fusion
Incumbent took with him, on retiring
from the office, the "personal effects"
and some difficulty is experienced in
tracing out all the details of the trans
actions In taking up county warrants
with the trust funds, but enough is
attainable from the voucher record and
annual and semi-annual statements to
get a reasonably clear idea of what was
going on.
Beginning one weeg oeiore me ex
piration of Dan Cronin's term, Decem
ber 23, 1905, there were entered on
the voucher record, warrants In trust
drawn on the 1905 levy as follows:
General Fund .$19,244.14
Bridge Fund . 9,481.91
Total .$28,726.05
Reference to the county clerk’s war
rent record shows that In August, 1905,
warrants were drawn on the 1905 levy
In the following amounts:
General fund .$23,896.64
Bridge fund . 10,596.68
Total.$34,493.32
Now let us see how much money Mr.
Cronin had to pay these warrants and
how he handled them. His semi-annual
statement for June 30, 1905, when
analyzed, shows that he did not have
a cent In either fund and was In fact
overdrawn $424.33. On the face of It
the statement shows a balance In the
general fund of $18,418.65 and In the
bridge fund of $7,526.44, a total of $25,
945.09. The statement also shows that
he was carrying warrants In trust to
the amount of $15,369.42. Deducting
these warrants In trust from his cash
balances, which properly should be
done ns he should have taken them up
leaves a balance of $10,575.67, the
amount he would have had In those
two funds had he taken up the $15,369.42
warrants In trust. Moreover, there
were outstanding warrants drawn pre
vious to the 1905 levy amounting to
$11,000 and held by P. C. Corrigan. By
some very odd arrangement these war
rants were not presented for payment.
They should have been paid before that
June, 1905, statement was Issued. Had
they been paid and the warrants In
trust paid how about Mr. Cronin's bal
ances? After having paid off the war
rants In trust, which should have been
done, there would have been a bal
ance of $10,575.67, but there were the
Carrlgan warrants of $11,000 not yet
paid, which would consume the $10,
575.67 and $424.33 besides. So that in
stead of the statement showing a bal
ance of $25,945.09, It should have shown
an, overdraft of $424.33.
But how did Mr. Cronin handle these
$34,493.32 general and bridge fund war
rants drawn against the 1905 levy in
August, 1905? We have seen by the
foregoing that there were warrants al
ready drawn when his June statement
was Issued to more than consume his
balances in the general and bridge
funds. How then could he take up
over $34,000 more warrants only a little
more than a month later? There was
nothing left of the 1904 levy to
draw from, as that levy was ex
hausted on February 25. 1905. and
warrants drawn subsequent to that
date were issued against the 1905 levy
which was not collectible until No
vember 1. It is plain and sample to
all that if lie paid them at all he would
have to use school, township and vil
lage money. Remember, now, that on
June 30, 1905, he already had trust
warrants to the amount of $15,369.42.
In August warrants were drawn to the
amount of $34,493.32 which added to
the trust warrants held by Cronin on
June 30, makes $49,862.74. Add to this
the Corrigan warrants for $11,000 that
were drawn previous to any warrants
being issued against the 1905 levy and
we have $60,862.74 In warrants to be
paid with $25,945.09 and what money
was received to apply to these two
funds during Juiy. Now, how was it
paid? The Corrigan warrants were held
back and not presented for collection
until after Mr. Cronin went out of office.
Mr. Cronin disposed of $11,000 of the
$60,862.74 that way. On September 23
the check register shows that $15,427.
12 of the township and school money
had been used to take up county gen
eral fund and bridge fund warrants.
On December 23 the voucher record
shows that $28,726.05 of tills township
and school money had been used for
the same purpose. This shows that
luring the year 1905 Cronin had used
► 43.153.17 of the inenry belonging to
local treasurers throughout the county
to pay general and bridge fund war
rants, something he was prohibited by
taw from doing and the very thing the
present treasurer was enjoined from
doing.
The question arises as to why those
$11,000 In warrants held by P. C. Cor
ilgan, were not presented for payment
until after Cronin went out of office.
Were they presented by Corrigan and
puld soon after being issued and then
sold to him again by the treasurer at
a discount sufficient to pay the holder
i liberal rate of interest for taking
lhem? Did Cronin find on December
23, 1905, one week before the expira
tion of his term, that he had more trust
warrants on hand than he could carry
and did he sell these Corrigan war
rants to enable him to clean up the
trust warrants and reimburse the town
ships and school districts before the
expiration of his term, January 7. 1906?
A little further investigation of the
trust warrants held at various limes
by the last fusion treasurer Is inter
esting. The following list, com
piled from Mr. Cronin’s published
statements, shows the extent to which
he used township, school, village and
sinking fund moneys to carry county,
general and bridge fund warrants:
June 30, 1902 .$12,189.55
January 7, 1903 . 10,370.79
June 30, 1903 . 8,543.3s
June 30, 1904 . 10,370.79
January 0, 1904 . 10,748.72
January 4, 1905 . 7,869.55
His statement for June 30, 1904, shows
warrants registered and not paid for
want of funds to the amount of $10,
038.40.
The records disclose that it was the
practice of all the fusion treasurers to
use many thousands of dollars belong
ing to townships and school districts
to pay county warrants. When the
warrant was presented for collection
it would be paid regardless of whether
there was any money In tlie fund on
which It was drawn or not. If the
fund was exhausted on which the war
rant was drawn it would be paid out of
some other fund instead of being regis
tered and marked "not paid for want
of funds." The ridiculousness of the
fuslonists raising a cry against repub
licans continuing the same system is
very marked The republican officials,
however, started out on a different sys
tem to handle the county finances In
accordance with the statute and that
policy has been strictly adhered to dur
ing the past two years. We believe the
voters will approve that policy by re
electing the present republican of
ficials.
There must be something besides
the salary in an official job when
thousands of dollars are spent to get
it. The judicial campaign four years
ago cost the fusionists $7,000 in Holt
and Boyd rountles, according to the
statements of one of Harrington's
campaign managers.
INDIVIDUAL AND RAILROAD
TAXES.
"During the years the fusionlsts had
control the taxes were being reduced
each year, but as soon as the repub
licans came into control the taxes com
menced to go higher.”
The foregoing statement appeared in
the official organ of the local strategy
board for October 11. Such a reckless
disregard of plain facts is quite re
markable when it is considered that
every taxpayer knows whether his
taxes are higher or lower each year
from the mere act of paying taxes. This
statement confirms the well grounded
and widespread belief among the citi
zens of Holt county that the statements
made by the publication at O’Neill
known as the Holt County Independent
can be given no credence.
Every man who owns land in this
county knows that the taxes on th->
same have been reduced the past five
years. It is not necessary to cite the
records to prove this; your tax receipts
will show it. However, we will call the
records to witness that what we say is
the simple and plain truth. Let us,
now,, examine the tax records for a
period of five years, beginning with the
year 1302 and going down to and in
cluding 1906. A little investigation will
suffice to show whether taxes have
been increasing or growing less. Wo
will take for example the farms of well
known men in Chambers, Ewing, In
man, Verdigris, Paddock and Dustin
precincts, which cover various sections
of the county. Below we give the num
bers of the land and the name of the
owner, with the amount of taxes as
sessed against the land in each of the
five years mentioned.
aii or section 25, townsmp 26, range
12, owned by F. M. Boyce, of Chambers
township, was taxed as follows:
1902 .$43.64
1903 . 52.32
1904 . 23.23
1905 . 27.41
1906 . 26.41
The south half of the north half of
section 20, township 28, range 10, owned
by William Hart, of Inman, was taxed
as follows:
1902 .$11.83
1903 . 10.59
1904 . 6.54
1905 . 7.92
1906 . 6.08
The west half of section 15, township
27, range 10, owned by John Carr, of
Ewing township, was taxed as follows:
1902 .$10.58
1903 . 11.74
1904 . 5.50
1905 . 5.25
1906 . 5.59
The southeast quarter of section 12,
township 2S, range 9, owned by J. A.
Cronk, of Verdigris precinct, was taxed
as follows:
1902 .$14.42
1903 . 13.05
1904 . 7.33
1905 . 9.12
1906 . 9.94
The northwest quarter of section 33,
township 31, range 11, Paddock pre
cinct, owned by John A. Robertson, the
fusion candidate for county treasurer,
was taxed as follows:
1902 .$10.96
1903 . 10.23
1904 . 6 24
1905 . 7.78
1906 . 7.60
The southwest quarter of section 3,
township 33, range 14. Dustin precinct,
owned by John Fundus, was taxed as
follows:
1902 .$10.92
1903 . 10.30
1904 . 7.10
1905 . 7.86
1906 . 7.09
It will be seen by these figures that
there has been a great reduction in
taxes during this period, in one In
stahce, that of John Carr's farm in Ew
ing precinct, the taxes being reduced
nearly one-half. Mr. Carr paid $10.58
taxes on his farm in 1902 and only $5.59
on the same property in 1906. The
same Is true of farm property through
out the county. In the face of these
figures the Independent’s claim that
taxes were low during the years of fu
sion control in this county and have
been going higher since they were re
tired from office Is either the thought
less assertion of one who knows noth
ing at all about it or else is a deliber
ate falsehood.
In this connection the reader is in
vited to a comparison of the individ
ual's tax ill this county with that of the
railroads. While the individual’s tax
has been greatly reduced that of the
railroads have been very nearly
doubled. For two years after the pas
sage of our present revenue law by
a republican legislature In 1903 it was
the object of attack by the fusion lead
ers in this county and state. The Holt
County Independent, which is now
making such ridiculous statements
about taxes having advanced, branded
that law as “infamous.”* Even W. J.
Bryan, the peerless, ridiculed and de
rided the law and the legislature which
enacted it. This law was passed in
1903 and became effective in 1904. The
reader will see from the figures quoted
above how real estate taxes in this
county began to decline with that year.
Now let us see how railroad taxes have
been affected.
The total tax on railroads in this
county in the year 1902 was $12,904.72.
In 1907 the total tax on railroads in this
county is $23,671.70—almost double. The
following figures show the taxes of the
Chicago and Northwestern railroad in
Holt county from 1902 to 1907:
1902 .$ 9,842.57
1903 .. 10,538.22
1904 . 14,613.34
1905 . 16,329.95
1906 . 15,328.95
1907 . 17,495.70
These figures show an increase since
1902 of $7,653.13. The Great Northern
railroad was taxed as follows:
1902 .$3,062.15
1903 . 3,242.01
1904 . 4,047.78
1905 . 5,277.71
1906 . 5,167.84
1907 . 6,176.00
The Great Northern taxes, it will be
seen have been more than doubled.
They were $3,062.15 in 1902 and $6,176
In 1907, or an increase of $3,113.85, or
$51.70 more than double.
The figures here presented are taken
from the tax records of this county
and their trustworthiness can be veri
fied by any one who wishes to do so
by examining the records for them
selves.
Now candidly, dear reader, do you
not think that these figures show a
condition which commends itself to ev
ery intelligent citizen? You see that
the individual's tax has been lowered
and the corporation’s tax increased.
Right here let us call your attention
to one other thing. You remember that
the revenue law under which this
change in taxation in Holt county has
been accomplished was the object of
the bitterest attack from the fusion
leaders in this county. This law was
enacted by a republican legislature in
1903, and James A. Douglas, of Basset,
was one of the leaders in the house.
As representative from Rock county
Mr. Douglas worked hard in the face
of strong railroad opposition for the
passage of this measure. It passed and
became a law. You see how the bur
den of taxation has been shifted from
the individual to the corporation. These
same fellows who ridiculed and be
littled the revenue law are now assail
ing Douglas and calling him all sorts
of corporation names. Douglas was on
the side of the people in the fight for
equal taxation and will be on the side
of the people when elected district
judge.
The strategy board's official organ
o\ er the way sees a railroad boggie
man again in the republican newspa
per of the county. Holt county re
publican newspaper men have the edi
torial talent in the professional ranks
if the fusionists have not. Newspaper
men are not as a rule addicted to van
ity and generally overlooks insinuations
that some other fellow is the father of
their product.
Yes, the ‘‘once in a while editor"
has a claim of $12.50 against Holt
county, but the Independent editor need
r.ot think we would exchange it with
him for Clipper mining stock.
The Independent should note that
Deputy County Treasurer Hancock
was at Norfolk, Sunday. Probably
Reynolds’ private car will be up to
O’Neill before election.
The fusion beacon lights who won’t
pay their taxes until distress warrants
are issued are industriously peddling
stories about the republicans "robbing
the county.”
O’Neill owes Miss Zink a big vote.
Our able superintendent was the main
factor in having a state normal located
here._
DOESN’T KNOW THERE IS NO IN
JUNCTION.
The publisher of the Independent
tries to square himself for being made
a jackass of by his bosses in that in
junction suit against Chittick and
Harnish last winter. Does the un
fortunate ninnie who licks the seats
where Harrington and Mullen sit sup
pose the people of Holt county think
for a minute lie had anything to do
with that suit only as the abject slave
of Harrington and Mullen?
He doesn't even know that there is
no injunction standing against Treas
urer Harnish now. The hearing on
the application for a permanent injunc
tion after the temporary order had
been obtained proved such a jolt to
the conspirators that even Judge Har
rington, who always does things “with
out unnecessary delay,” hasn't said yet
whether the permanent injunction will
be granted. The temporary order was
issued January 5 and supposed to hold
until Chittick and Harnish had a
chance for a hearing in court on Feb
ruary 11. The conspirators thought they
could establish at that hearing that the
treasurer had $25,000 or $30,000 of town
ship and school funds tied up in county
warrants and they wanted him limited
to $4,500. The whole bunch were
knocked off their pins when they found
he had less than $4,500 of those funds
invested and the injunction suit went
up in the air right there. Even Judge
Harrington did not issue a permanent
restraining order.
Harnish needs no restraining order
from the court to keep him within the
law. Everybody in the county knows
that. He was never even in a justice
court until this bunch of character as
sassins tried to get their poisoned
spikes into him.
Why didn’t they bring an injunction
suit against one of their own treasur
ers and compel them not to use town
ship and school money to pay county
warrants? Between the middle of Au
gust and December 23, 1905, Dan
Cronin used $29,000 of township and
school money to pay county warrants.
Why didn’t they start an injunction
suit and stop Dan Cronin from doing
that? Henry, Mullen, Cronin, all the
fusion treasurers, used township, school
and village money without limit to pay
county warrants. Why did they not
start injunction suits against them?
They supposed that republican treas
urers would handle the funds in the
same lawless way the fusion treasur
ers did, but they found that Chittick
and Harnish were not unlawfully using
any funds and every local treasurer it
the county got his money as fast as ht
called for it. So is every county war
rant paid when presented. Where is
the man that has been refused pay
ment of a dollar at the county treasur
er’s olllce the past two years if he
presented the proper voucher? The In
dependent is challenged to cite one such
instance.
m the course or the independents
screed on the injunction cases the
statement is made that there are claims
to the amount of $40,000 now against
the county with not a "nickel with
which to pay them" and the prediction
is made that claims will amount to
$50,000 by December 1. Its about a
year ago this same sheet "predicted"
that the county would have to issue
bonds right away. Have any bonds
been issued? The statement that there
are claims to the amount of $40,000 now
against the county with not a "nickel
to pay them” is indeed a bold falsehood.
The actual amount of claims against
the county on October 11 of this year
were $21,736.22. Anyone can go to the
county clerk's office and verify those
figures to a penny. There is over $30.
000 or thereabouts in the 1907 levy, not
a dollar of which has been used, be
sides a portion of the 1906 levy still
left with which to pay claims. Hence
the statement that there is "not a
nickel” with which to pay these claims
is too ridiculous to merit consideration.
The Frontier does not know what the
board intends to do when they meet in
November, but it does know they can
allow every claim against the county
and that every dollar will be paid with
out the illegal use of township, school
and village money, without which every
fusion treasurer would have had to reg
ister county warrants for fifteen years.
Speaking of county claim holders
who would like to have their money,
there are a few Clipper mining stock
investors around Holt county that
would be glad to have a dividend de
clared. Mike Slattery is wondering
how long it will be before his invest
ment puts him on easy street. Eddie
Alberts is thinking maybe he can quit
playing ball when returns from the
Clipper tome in. Tony Murray is ready
for his dividends any time, though Jim
Pinkerman has about given up hopes
as he is trying to trade his stock for
Holt county land. Jim Morgan thinks
he ought to have two years as deputy
county clerk to make good his invest
ment in mining stock, and many others
think they would rather have a county
claim.
SOME OTHERS WANT THEIR
MONEY.
The strategy board's official organ
mentions a few whom it says would
like to have their money for the claims
they have filed against the county.
There is a long list of depositors of the
defunct Elkhorn Valley bank who need
their money, too. Mary Hanley would
like to get the rest of her $100 deposit.
Fred Alberts could use the remainder
of his $1,937.25, Mrs. Mary Thompson
wouldn’t mind if they would pay her
that $160 in full, Nora Sulivan could use
the $1,250 stolen from her now that
winter is approaching, Cowperthwaite
& Son could buy many loads of swine
with the $2,165.51 the bank wreck
ers got, Margaret Bissie would
be glad to get her $50.
Peter Kelly would have been pleased
to receipt in full for his $700 before
he departed for the coast, John Car
ton could make use of $191.50. James
Coyle hasn’t recovered from the wreck
ers the $592.45 they stole from him,
Pat Biglin could buy a car of coal with
his $100 if he had it, maybe Holt county
could pay the fellows the Indepen
dent mentions, if the $4,619.55 sunk in
the Elkhorn Valley bank by Dan Cron
in could be got in, the city of O’Neill
c ould pay the water commissioner’s
salary for a year with the $779.39 that
went down in the wreck, no doubt
Catherine Connell would be glad to
get something like $216.50 and a hun
dred others are willing to receipt in
full any time they can get their
money. Perhaps the chaps who de
fended the bank wreckers and are
now writing editorials for the Inde
pendent, can tell these people how
they can get their money.
THE MAN IN THE RED AUTOMO
BILE.
A reference to some of the means
that may be employed to get rich and
have a big automobile in which to trav
el around and make speeches about the
“deplorable condition of Holt county"
shows up some interesting things.
The gentleman from O’Neill now de
fending the fusion cause in this coun
ty from the rear end of an automobile
owns thousands of acres of land, a
hardware and furniture store and a big
ranch. Let s see how he and some of
his relatives pay their taxes. The lots
and store buildings in O’Neill on the
corner of Pifth and Douglas streets were
sold for taxes in November, 1905. There
was $1,864.17 in taxes against it. It
was sold at the scavenger tax sale and
the owner eventually got it by an as
signment to his brother-in-law. The
?/ J1’8®4’17 taxes was settled for
♦ •MO-*8; rhe county had to sacrilice
the beneflt of one who is
worth $50,000.
The gentleman’s brother, who, by the
''ay> is one of the fusion members of
the board of supervisors got the $365 92
$228 60°" hlS h°me whittled down to
„nAl'“^r„ member of the family paid
up $478.90 taxes with $100.50 by the
same process.
All told, the driver of the big red
ue\ ll wagon who is delivering classi
cal orations on the "deplorable condi
tion in Holt county” got about $8,000
if nSl?UeKnt \a3fe,8 cleaned up for about
$4,000 by taking advantage of the
benefieient operations of the “infamo*
revenue law.”
Steve McGinnis goes up to the court
house in the morning and opens dis
trict court; Jim Pinkerman comes in
from the country in the afternoon and
adjourns it. P\>ur twenty is charged
“P t",tbe *ax Payers. That’s one way
the fusionists have of "economising."
Speaking of inconsistencies, what is
with a man who has made
$o0.000 out of the real estate business
In Holt county traveling around in a
■ed automobile making speeches on
the deplorable condition of Holt coun
The man with the red automobile
nas started out to tell the tax payers
bow hard up they are. We haven’t
he lrd of him explaining to any of them
how he settled his taxes for about 50
eents_on_the dollar.