St. Louis Post-Dispatch
July 7, 1907

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eG 17% ees ree ie ST es HIM OF IT |i you have too much of sométhing, which an- other man, has not enough of, and a classified ad. can intbodace you to each other—that’s pub- licity’s part in the matter of creating business. For Sale Ads: 14 Words, 20 Cents "VOL. 59, NO. 330. | MISSOURI COUNTY STIRRED BY AMAZING GRAFT SCANDAL | INVOLVING SOME OF ITS MOST CONSPICUOUS OFFICIALS | —. A AW aero 7 WHY EDITOR DECIDED T0 MAKE WAR ON THE “RING” ae ae!

7, *

If you are getting ready to a@a a little to your real estate holdings. LEARN THINGS about real estate from the ads, ADVERTIS if what ron ADVERTISED want ie not PRICE FIVE CENTS. re Sas Se

JULY 7, 1907. — «I ST. LOUIS, SUNDAY MORNING,

fe - Fearless Country Editor Wins His : GUARDING THE COURT ~~

ee ; @ whe

Fight to See Books, and What Ex- pert Finds Shocks Community.

COURTHOUSE GUARDED TO PROTECT THE RECORDS

Circuit Judge, Who Is Bondsman of Accused / Treasurer, Enjoins Payment of Account- , ant’s Fee, but the Public Subscribes the Fund Quickly. From a Staff Correspondent of the Post-Dispatch. EARING that the Courthouse of Stone Count books and records, would be burned bv agents of Prosecuting ested persons, the GALENA, Mo., July Vv, with od G6. all its nter- Attorney surrounded the building with an armed guard for 10 days and nights while an expert from Kansas City was examining the accounts of cer- tain officials. As a result of this examination, the County Treasurer has confessed that he is a defaulter and has resigned and been sent to Jail; a former County Treasurer has been found short in his accounts, and suspicion points to other men higher up in polities and business.

| Cs: _D % | WILONG. Pfau Canty

Prosecuting Attorney, who had refused to prosecute any county of- ficial: William B. Langley, former Coun- ty Clerk, and William T. Long, who was seeking to succeed himself as Coun- ty Treasurer. Triumph for the Reformers, Renfro was nominated and so were the. three county judges who were pledged to reform and an examination of the books, and all were elected. Last April the new County Court sent for L. U. Crawford, an expert account- YT anytt Scott,

Many of the records of the county have been burned, others have bee been threatened. FEvervone before the trouble is ended. It has been discovered that for years the taxpayers have been cheated and their money has been stolen. The peo- ple of Stone County pay ‘ito the County Treasury $8009 a year in taxes. The only thing the county has to show for this is a frame Courthouse, not bigger than an ordinary farmhouse, about $300). In the whole county there is net.an- other improvement that was the taxpayers’ $8000 a year. Stone County there is. not bridge, and it has many two large rivers. The legitimate expenses of the coun- ty are low, out of the $000 a year the county ought to have saved $3000, ac- cording to experts, but instead of a saving there was always a deficit and the county is $22,500 in debt. The three most interesting and force- ful characters in the bitter struggie for good govérnment in Stone County are Theodore Tromly, editor of the Stone _County Oracle; William E. Renfro, Prosecuting Attorney, and John T. Moore, Judge of the Circuit Court. A Fighting Country Editor, An observing man doeSn't have study Tromly long to know that he is honest "clear through” and that noth- ing on earth could make him afraid He has been a country editor al! life and he is now an oid man. Six years ago he bought the paper in Ga- lena and came here from Poplar Biu/? Bione is a Republican county, three ‘o one, and Tromiey and his paper are Republican. He hadn't been in Galena long until he began to wonder where all the county money was going. “T found,” says Tromiey, ‘“‘that the offices of the county were handed around among the members of a close political ring and this had been going on for 30 years. Plenty of money was coming in, but records were not proper- ly kept, no pubdiic improvements were being made, and the county was going deeper in debt every year. ‘Men were elected to the County Court who could not read or write. “Men were elected for circuit judges ‘who never studied law a day in their lives. It is a backwoods county and In all of one streams and I determined to make a fil I staked my ail upon it, If 1 had lost “3 would have been ruined financially.” _. Phreatencd by the “Gang.” “When Tromiey beran scoring the “gang,” they threatened to start an- - ther paper, give to it the county print- tng and run him out of business. Tron.- ‘Jey fought them ell the harder. _ Oné day the Cirevit Judge, John “Moore, called to see Trom!y. The old editor was in his shirt sleeves, his > -atraw hat upon the back of his head, and the perspiration streaming from . hie face as he turned the crank of his . ola Washington handpress. He gave ee a the Judge a splint-pottomed chair and gat down upon a box. - “We don't jibe very well, Tromly,” | the Circuit Judge, “but I ' thought I'd warn you that your life's tm danger. It's come to me straight -* that they're go'ng to get vou and you'd better pull out or arm yourself.” - The old editor reached tn his pocket and pulled out the bone-handled Bat- - “Judge,” he said, “that’s all the Weapon I've carried for 50 years and I don't . to @hange my © habita now,” and he got up and we ‘the crank of his press. ‘ Orac ty . ae es POE th: eee een: +a . A - Se + et was 'day it . Ber Ay a oe ae re . JEX ee ee os 7 = ¥ .5 4 ‘ 3 - 4 3 % to ; n torn, mutilated and altered. euting Attorney and the editor of the ; faagre iCars or ee es occ ane oagy which‘ cost bullt by | county |

| | his | }

ie The lives of the Prose- per have violence eounty newsna that there will he campaign de- County Court examina- the inZzs—a make an expert records, and a » would prosecute boodlers Tromly selected farmers for and they an expert accountant and upon ti county rec- elected. Tromly young Attorney He >. 4 | went into two tl his paper manding that would tion of the Attorney wh if any were found. three honest County Court selves to hire put him to work ords if they were For prosecutor liam E. Renfro, a been Prosecuting County for years. ie “Wil- man who had of sutier was selected 02 WwUYy 2 ‘ine milie VlnCer on @& Ci“arge lireworks Wefore the “Glorious Fourth, WHICh Was aguinst the laws in Lils Cily. And. ihe arrest Made by the liitie Leliow Was just @8 binding as though an ollicel miaciure years had taken the Culprit in Custody. Bown boys were as serious as could be —One Serious Wilh the responsibilllies Wh Which we.was ciothea, oiner, With the faci thac he had been arrested, aud "Was even then witli the doors of ine big Jail, & “Date and Sane” Holiday, With the aid of the “Children Police,” Co@ncil Bluts hus pracucaily seived lie probiem of a “safe ana sane’ ourta, aud instead of a jaro. number of extra poucemecen chasing excited efit te Lubough the streeis on Indepenucice Way, 2 boys and girls, each armed with # policesnan’s suieid and the Knowledge that the majesty cf the law is behind them, patrol the elty and prevent the usual infractions of the jaw which come oi ile /With the Fourth. These small epectal of- heers gave tho city the and most orderly Independence

feature in Council Bluffs. The idea originated with Chief of Police Rich- mond and since it was inaugurated there has not been a serious accident nor has there been a case of lockjaw as the result of a Fourth of July acc!i- dent in all Coancil Bluffs. : Four years ago Chief Richmond, who is known as the “Boy's Friend,” hit upon the idea’ of securing the aid of the boys in his efforts to contro! the shooting of fireworks on Indepen- dence Day. - Five boys had been arrested seVv- eral days before the Fourth,” say Richmond. *,}) were charged with shooting prematurely on the streets. They were taken before me at the po? lee station and I-decided to enlist them in restraining others from "NE the rules, I celled the five boys Into my officd and asked them

3 ARIS Wag

POLICE’ ENFORCE A “SA Irate COUNCIL BLUFFS FKID*POLICE FORCE. 4 }bright new star. I treated them Hke they were men and told them to ar- rest any boys they founa shooting fireworks before the time to do so. How Force Originaied, “The boys gravely accepted the re- sponsibilities, and left my office with the intention of Patroling the city. “Two hours later there was a strug- gle Outside in the corridor and in a moment my door flew open. Two of the little policemen were half dragging a third boy, who wag fighting his level best. As they entered the room. one of the boys called out: “Here, Chief, this here kid was fir- ing cannon crackers out here on Broad- way and I ‘rested ‘him. He wouldn't come, but we brung him anyway. “I explained the case to the soung culprit and told him how he had. d other people in a nenatitin,9, 2 ‘CALL AT GALENA, STONE COUNTY.) 4A ‘IS Pon Was canfined here.

att Or 8 OCC CUT eres ‘

he denied that he had usec much of the Inoney. He sald: “I'm no bookkceper, and I got only a litle of the money.” He declared that others got the great- er part of it and he mentioned the names of men hizh up itn the county, among them a banker. He talked free- ly and gave the Prosecuting At‘orrey many facta The prosecutor intended to use him 4S a State’s witness when ‘he was ready» to. prosecute the most! ‘‘T found that the offices of the county were handed ’ around among the mem- bers of a close political ring and this had been ‘going on for 30 years. Plenty of money was coming in, but no records were kept, no” public improvements were being made, and the county | was going deeper in debt { every year. ie: =, ‘‘Men were elected to the } County Court who could { ™ not read or write. tes ‘‘Men were elected for } — Circuit Judges who never studied law a day in their { lives. It is a backwoods} county and- the people) — elected whomever the ring } put up. I determined to. make a fight for honesty. } I stakéd my all upon it, } even my life, but I won. If { I had lost I would have} — been ruined financially.” ” —Editor Tromley to the Post-Dispatch correspond. ent. : |

> guilty ones, One Gay two weeks aro Judge Mdésre’ went to the Prosecuting Attorney wand

investigation and then he would arrest — }all together. Judge Mvore then directed the clerk of his court to issue a warrant for wiggens arrest, and the Sheriff served Se -complaint or informe sequired by | law and While the se gems ctl Se }iion. The incarceratiin of Long steooa 'him from talking s9 much. ‘The Prog ecuting Attorney simply “ig@ndrta the {arrest and made no attempt to aré raign Long. Me lay in jall a Woek, and last Monday a friend’ of bis ape plied to Judge Moore for his PPS te under a writ of habeas corpus. There. upon Judge Moore matinted ‘wooke: . sack, lighted hia pipe and ordered the relea of Long from. custody, ing that th@ arfest he’ had himself was eral, The Prosecuting AttofPney . took ne part in the habgas corpus proceedings, Expert te Ceatinue Viork The expert accountant wil reaune hig cxamination oi the coorty getords Mon- day. He wilh begin upon ithe Collec. tor’s acounts, the most of witch ane locked in the office of the Prosecuting: Aitorrey, safe from mé@lestation or @-s- It is expected that several fing of his next

rie de {3 — orccred 5e struction. arrests Wil! follow’ the report. “I shal prosecute every person against whom L can. get evidence te warrant it,”’ says the prosecutor. The expense of the expert a-ountant will be paid by public subscription. The County Court tas been . stopped from paying bim by a temporary ii function issued by Judre Moore. This wil tn foree until rext September,

be irjunetion shall bo dissolved. or made hermanent. ——

fessed openly’ that he was guilty.: But MISSOURI. RIER TAKES CORAFIELDS - Treacherous Stream Endangers Bridge After Sweeping Away 600 Acres and 2 Houses,

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Io., July 6.—The Missouri River continues to hungrily eat its way, into the lowa ghore at the mouth of Indian Creek, and has recent- ly destroyed about 600 acres of the fin- est farm land in the world, includizs two farmhouses, Ail of the Thayer land, comprising about 200 acres, has disapreared., A cornfield containing 10 acres be- lorging to A. Ruge, lying south of the creek channel, on which was a growth of corn that was the pride of the neighborhood, slipped into the river within. the last week. “Anot field, containing 8) acres, has also* disap- peared. The two houses were swept away on these lands, and the families only had time to take away their be- longings. City Engineer Etnyre has aided in saving one of the Indian Creek bridges, the one next to the river. The original location of the bridge was half a mile from the stream, but when Emyre reached there the roaring cur- Pent was only a few yards away, in t-

TOPICS INTEREST THE SOUTHWEST ”

Gov. Francis Outlines Program for 4 Transmississippi Congress Meeting.

he Transmississippi Commercia! Cor.- gress. will be In session in Muskogee I. T., Nov. 19 t It will be the eight- eenth annual of the orginiga- tion. The following subjects will be dis- oO 22. session cussec: Closer commercial! union with Mexi- cro and the republics ef Central and fouth America: improvement of the rivers of the West, the advisability of urging the United Staies Govérnment to create a Department of Mines and Mining; firrigation ofMhe arid lands ef ihe West; scientific farming Of semni- arid lands; trade with the Orient | David R. Francis of St. Louts ta chale man of the Committee on Program of the congress. All states of the South. west will send Celegates.

Rewards Empleye’s Service, LONDON, July 6—George Curtis, a) wealthy grocer, who dled at Highworth recently,’ has liberaily rewarded the service of a clerk, who haw been with him since boyhood. He willed to the clerk the business, the house in which ft is conducted and 20,00 tn Cash.

m 2 % . 4 NOMAN Th MASK VILLAGE MISTER f i Town Residents Think Night Viger’ fs Manin Skifteey +s | Tages tlt MARION, Ird., July (The town, of | Jonesborse ls excited over a “wreteriong: iwoman fn bia She weare a biagh ‘mask, is tatl atd sien@er, and walky ‘without taking the sifebterg, nelee, ih } Wears the maak below ner eves andap’ | \the very embodiment of mystery, a She. never speaks. _ Sie never | Stonped any person SP “molested” sin ds fone. Ovceesionalty, However, she’ Bt boeen seen to ture.ave stere et i ode ‘by. She In glweys «cen at a coriahe] iplace on Ninth sireet and makes ber age 9) pearance a> Lf p. mm. os Who she is and why she makes Remy appearance is unexptaihed. There ‘af | some who acy she in a men. dressed a>) wontan's clothes, bus the theory jag gone no farther OTHE of the town gnd Many of the mes, to > are afraid to go on the strect tate in ihe | evening. A number of citizens, ti wee are planning for a ‘watch’ party to.des termine the mystery connested with | woman, . i: | Indiana Chena whe ance?

Feet . * Cx, a a = 3

* + NASHVILLE. Tonn.. Jub €-@ hundred saloons have closed thel® dod in this city av a result of the enfores

| demanded that Long be arrested. The = prosecutor refused to file the complatag, x4 | He sad he would not cause any ate | rests until the expert had finished Aig — The arrest was made withaut Ge i . when Judge Neville of Springfield with» . pass upon the question of whether th® 4