Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1899 — The Jasper Circuit Court. [ARTICLE]

The Jasper Circuit Court.

Over SSO for wolf scalps this week. The peace treaty has been signed but the war taxes go right on just the same. The forthcoming county council should see that no appropriations are made for paying wolf scalp bounty. Ex-county recorder Joseph R. Williams, in Kosciusko county, the Gibraltar of republicanism m northern Indiana, turns up a defaulter, as his office records show. The deficiency is $1,424.29. —Winamac Democrat. The people of Rensselaer need not worry as yet about that ten year extension of the Jasper county Telephone Co’s franchise. The extension is no good, and can be easily knocked out at the proper time in any court. The attorney-general holds that the law passed by the last legislature requiring the weekly payment of wages does not apply to cities or towns, as the courts have repeatedly held that the word corporation in the statute does not apply to municipal corporations. The balance of those celebrated tax cases of “Honest Abe’s” and Prosecutor Chizum’s, on which each evidently hoped to ride into office—and succeeded —were dismissed in the Benton circuit court this week. Thus ends another big farce in the history of Jasper county. The trust that hurts the people of Jasper county most is the republican tiust, or ring, which levies a heavy tribute from the taxpayers to maintain a gang of their party friends in easy reach of the county treasury. Trusts should be smashed, and the way to begin is by knocking out those at home first, for they are sucking your life blood much faster than those which get at you only occasionally. For the fiscal year ending May 31,1897, the cost of “books and stationery” for Jasper county was $2,520.01; Benton county, $902.42; Newton county, $1,060.96. For the year ending May 31, 1898, the cost was, Jasper, $2,882 08; Benton, $1,102.20; Newton, $1,062.04. Can any reasonable man ponder over the above showing and bring himself to believe there is not a very rotten state of affairs existing in Jasper county’s official management? Remember these figures are official, and we will prove the truth of this assertion to any taxpayer who will call at this office. If the ringstere in this county propose to indict every newspaper man who criticises their actions they will evidently have their hands full. The Remington Press and Wheatfield Telephone are now larruping them as a result of the Democrat’s exposures, and the press of neighboring counties has also criticised them more or less of late. The Democrat would suggest that the gang better get blank indictments in job lots in the future and have a special prosecutor deputized to look after their “department for silencing all criticism and maintaining the republican ring in power in Jasper county.” “Poor old tax-ridden Jasper,” is the way a neighboring exchange refers to Jasper county. Why, bless you Bro. a majority of our people apparently enjoy high taxes, and nothing suits them better than to fork over their hard earned dollars to sustain old Jasper’s reputation as the highest taxed and rottenest governed county in Indiana. It gives them unbounded pleasure to point to our $85,000 court house and boast that it cost $165,000; to turn to the state reports and prove that, while in point of population there are but six bounties in the state having a less population than Jasper, our county expenditures are well

- —.———— in the lead and our bonded per capita indebtedness is exceeded by but three of the ninety-two counties; that Allen county, with a population almost six times as great as Jasper paid out for books and stationery fast year but $2,876.61, while Jasper paid $2,882.08, and that for this item alone we pay almost three times as much as either Benton or Newton; that only six counties in the state paid more for expense of commissioners court than Jasper, and only two counties more for county superintendent and county institutes; that with only about 23 miles of gravel roads Jasper paid $4,724.99 for “repairs” last year, (about $206 per mile) while Benton with 150 miles, paid out only $9,268.42; that county records have been mutilated and temporary loans have been carried along from year to year and the fact kept from the public until some measley democratic editor gets to nosing about and gives the thing away, etc., etc. All these things naturally cause the breast of a Jasper county taxBiyer to swell with pride, ana The emocrat wishes to serve notice on its benighted brother craftsman, who resides in a county enjoying less than one-half our tax rate for county purposes, that the sympathy extended to Jasper is altogether superfluous.

Court convened Monday with the largest docket of cases in the history of the county. Judge Thompson made a record in disposing of business, and during the first few days of the term disposed of a great many cases. The jury has been called for next Tuesday. Following is a record of all the more important business done: McCurtain vs McCurtain, partition; land ' sold for SBOO and case transferred to probate docket. Fowler et al vs C. J. Spitler, partition; land sold to Donald Mulford and money distributed. Spitler vs Shoup, partition; land sold and case transferred to probate docket for distribution. Wm. Washburn, adm. estate C.F. Dutton; land sold for SBOO and administrator ordered to make final report. Foltz, adm. Elizabeth Bedford, three sales of real estate reported and continued for further sales. Kate E. Roadifer vs Frank Goodrich etal; partition ordered and W. S. Russel appointed commissioner to sell and divide proceeds. Hatchell vs Moore, partition; Felix French, J. F. Irwin and Thos. Thompson appointed to make partition. Evans vs Bringham et al; title quieted in plaintiff. Weatherhogg vs Board of Commissioners Jasper county, claim for services (architect on court house?; plaintiff asked for change from J udge and county. Case sent to White. C. C. Kent vs Ewing et al; title quieted in plaintiff. Mills, adm. Kane estate; land sold to Chas. Dluzak for *1,400 and case transferred to probate docket. Frank Welsh, adm. estate Geo. Bullis; plaintiff ordered to rent real estate and pay $330 on claim of Amelia R. Bullis. * Staver Carriage Co,, vs Young, foreclosure; Judgement for plaintiff, $1,801.72. Packard vs Clarket al; title quieted in plaintiff and mortgage ordered released. Heinzman vs Board of Commissioners Jasper Co.. etal; others defaulted and application made by plaintiff for change from county. Hopkins vs Wiseman, foreclosure; Plaintiff given judgement for $400.09. Roberts vs Parker; judgement for $142.71. Leonard vsEib; judgement for possession and writ of ejectment ordered. Mollie Makus vs Paul Makus, divorce; decree granted. Chilcote and Randle vs Alice Osborn; new guardian's bond filed and cause dismissed at plaintiff's cost. Am. B. A L. Asso., vs Lewis, foreclosure; Judgement rendered for $541.04. Hopkins vs Gibson, foreclosure; judgement for $435.25. Paxton A Colborn vsNowels; judgement on note for $228.84. McCormick Harvester Co,, vs Sammons; judgment on note $61.77. Ott vs town of Remington, damages; dismissed by plaintiff at plaintiff's cost. CASES SET FOR TRIAL. State vs August Schriber, assault and battery with attempt to rape; set for second Tuesday, forenoon. Jury case. State vs John E. Alter, perjury; second Wednesday, » a. m. Garrett vs Day, to set aside conveyance: third Friday, 9 a. m. Jordan vs Maloney, to set aside conveyance; third Thursday, 1 p. m. Gifford vs Babcock et al (four cases, corn sold by tenants); third Wedesday. Fisher vs Parker, foreclosure; second Tuesday 9 a. m. Ott vs Anderson, replevin; second Friday; jury case. Mevis vs Vogel, maliscious prosecution, (from White Co.); second Thursday, 10 a. m. jury case. DeArmoud vs Klanska, possession; secI oud Eriday, 1 p. m. Janke vs Teglof, to set aside will aud con- ■ veyance; third Monday. I Armor vs Kleinsmidt; second Wednesday, Jury case. Fisher vs Kirk, foreclosure; third Monday, I 9 a. m. * Parker vs Kirk, foreclosure; third Monday 10 a. m.