USA > Iowa > Marion County > The History of Marion County, Iowa: Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, & C. > Part 50
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It is not our intention to impress the reader with the idea that Marion county has been peculiarly unfortunate in this respect, for such has not been the case. The county has been peculiarly unfortunate in having its treasury plundered, but it would be very unjust to charge this all up to the account of the county officials.
In 1867 the treasury was robbed by unknown parties and the sum of $32,471.81 taken. The treasury was again robbed in more recent times and at least part of the money recovered and the burglars sent to the State prison. These matters will be more fully treated elsewhere. It will be proper at this place to speak of the Stanfield defalcation, which occurred in 1857.
In 1854 David Stanfield was elected treasurer of the county; after serv- ing one term of two years he was re-elected. At the election in August, 1857, he was a candidate for a third term and was defeated. Upon enter- ing upon the duties of the office his successor, William Ellis, discovered a deficiency amounting in all to $4,546.20. Mr. Stanfield seemed to be igno- rant of what had become of the missing funds and indignantly repelled the charge that he had embezzled them.
This defalcation was the cause of much crimination and recrimination, out of which grew a feeling of enmity and bitterness, which the healer, Time, has not yet been enabled entirely to assuage. It seems that after the defal- cation became known Mr. Stanfield went to Missouri, and thinking he had gone to elude justice, action was taken for his arrest.
The following extract from the record explains itself:
418
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
"JANUARY 20, 1858.
" Now, this day comes R. S. Patterson and shows that he has been ap- pointed an agent to pursue David Stanfield, a fugitive from justice, and also produces a written opinion signed by R. P. Lowe, Governor, to the ef- fect that the county judge of Marion county, Iowa, could with propriety advance $100 toward the expense in pursuing and apprehending said Da- vid Stanfield, under a requisition made by said Governor, and the county judge being advised in the premises, and having the utmost assurance through J. E. Neal that if the said fugitive were arrested and returned that the entire expense thereof would be audited and paid by the State of Iowa, he, J. E. Neal having been so assured by said Governor, therefore, believing that if the said David Stanfield were apprehended and returned said State of Iowa would reimburse to the said county any amount advanced in defraying the expense of his arrest, it is hereby
Ordered, That a warrant issue in favor of R. S. Patterson for $100 to be paid out of the county fund in order to enable him to pursue and arrest the fugitive aforesaid. F. M. FRUSH, County Judge."
Mr. Stanfield, it seems, returned in the meantime and the case being taken into the courts, judgment was rendered against him and his bondsmen for the full amount of the defalcation. Mr. C. G. Brobst, Stanfield's assignee, soon after turned into the treasury cash and notes to the amount of $2,206.93, leaving a balance due the county of $2,339,27.
Mr. Stanfield afterward removed to Kansas, the balance of the judg- ment remaining against his bondsmen. It afterward became known that Mr. Stanfield was living at his new home in abject poverty and the belief became general that he had not profited by the missing funds; there was a reaction in his favor and petitions were circulated throughout the county and numerously signed asking the board of supervisors to release him and his bondsmen from any further liability on the judgment rendered on the bond. The petition was presented to the board of supervisors in 1867 and it appearing that the majority of the voters and tax-payers of the county had signed it, the petition was granted and the principal as well as the sure- ties were released from all other liability.
We now proceed to make an exhibit of the resources, expenses and tax- levies of the county for the year 1879.
414
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
VALUATION BY TOWNSHIPS.
TOWNSHIPE
PERSONALTY.
TOTAL.
Olay
8107,389
819,762
Dallas
41,995
241,773
Franklin
39,341
230,328
Indiana
53,833
257,607
Knoxville
368,861
1,593,970
Lake Prairie
392,913
1,068,780
Liberty
62,843
285,291
Perry
12,748
74,323
Polk
25,107
131,186
Pleasant Grove.
79,158
302,371
Red Rock
141,802
201,491
Summit
84,452
353,859
Swan
34,486
180,459
Union
32,130
169,238
Washington
34,825
298,888
Total.
$1,431,882
85,439,319
VALUATION.
Lands
$ 3,416,00%
Lots
590,435
Personal
1,431,888
Total
5,439,319
TAX LEVY.
Poll
% 2,723.50
Consolidated.
54,393.19
Road
4,878.18
School
17,850.19
School, subdistrict.
120.28
Corporation
15,555.08
City
School
7,217.38
Railroad
8,458.81
Total
$ 110,575.56
For the sake of comparison we give the amount of levy in other coun- ties, choosing such counties as are very nearly equal to Marion in wealth and population. We take Boone and Warren which have less wealth and population than Marion, and Polk whose wealth and population exceeds it:
415
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
WARREN COUNTY.
TAXES.
LEVY.
AMOUNT.
ounty
4 mills.
$ 19,607.03
ate.
2 mills.
9,803.50
:bool
1 mill.
4,901.75
ridge
14 mills.
7,352.59
bor-farm.
14 mills.
2,450.85
ond
14 mills.
2,450.85
188ne
14 mills.
2,450.85
›Il.
2,158.00
Dad .
4,915.88
istrict
18,185.16
hool-house
5,780.19
ontingent
8,567.46
ity
2,118.99
Total
$90,733.03
BOONE COUNTY.
ate
$ 7,955.52
Junty
17,956.78
:hool
3,977.73
por.
3,977.73
ridge
11,933.30
istrict school
29,528.70
bad
4,661.62
›rporation
4,586.40
ailroad.
448.16
Total
$ 96,999.64
The total tax levy in Washington county for the same year was $193,- 2.32.
In Keokuk county it was $141,315.06.
We see that in Warren and Boone counties, of less wealth and population, e aggregate of tax levy was less for 1870, while in Washington and eokuk counties which have less wealth and population, the levy has been eater. We now come to Polk whose wealth and population exceeds that Marion, and whose tax levy is enough to appall the reader to say noth- g of the payer.
POLK COUNTY.
For State tax on the county valuation 2 mills. For school tax on the county valuation 1 mill.
For county tax on the county valuation 4 mills.
For bridge tax on the county valuation 2 mills. For pauper tax on the county valuation 1 mill.
For insane tax on the county valuation
For bond tax on the county valuation
£16
HISTORY. OF MARION COUNTY.
For city general tax on city valuation 10 mille.
For city bond interest on city valuation 8
For city water rents on city valuation. 5
For city sinking fund on city valuation 2
For city sewer tax on city valuation 2
For city tax on valuation of Altoona 14
3
For city tax on valuation of Mitchellville 3
For city tax on county valuation of Polk City
4
Also, 50 cents poll tax and city poll tax.
Revenues Collected.
State fund ..
$ 24,708.97
State insane hospital fund.
2,015.17
County insane fund
6,419.06
Bridge fund ..
99,687.51
Pauper fund.
14,369.10
County fund.
80,312.64
Road fund.
7,478.56
School fund
24,147.48
District school fund
124,320.31
Bond fund
6,015.91
Total 319,467.63 The current county expenses for 1879, as shown by the report of Auditor Robinson to the board of Supervisors on the 1st day of January, 1880, was as follows:
Grand jurors
567.05
Petit jurors.
1,934.40
Sheriff and bailiffs
2,079.52
Justices, clerks and reporters in criminal cases
3,291.83
Jail expenses
439.75
Treasurer.
1,500.00
Treasurer's clerk
631.68
Auditor for 1878
400.00
Auditor for 1879
1,800.00
Supervisors.
579.36
Township officers
2,959.45
County superintendent.
1.157.00
Attorneys .
1,467.21
Fuel, light and repairs.
585.57
Blank books and printing
3,000.07
Wolf scalps
24.00
Railroad tax on poor-farm
75.00
Erroneous assessment.
907.97
S. Merrill vs. R. M. Faris.
115.50
Elections
485.30
Road costs
3.00
Bridges
6,876.85
Paupers in poor-house
1,702.84
Panpers outside poor-house
5,427.01
Insane.
203.90
Total
৳ 88,220.55
417
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
The county expenses in Warren county for the year 1879 amounted to the sum of $41,158.10; of this amount the sum of $12,390.34 was for court expenses.
'The county expenses in Boone county for 1879, amounted to $46,051.28. The regular county expenses of Washington county for the year 1878, were $31,869.39.
The county expenses in Keoknk same year were $32,063.16.
The regular county expenses of Polk county for the year 1879, amounted to $76,051.28, of which amount the sum of $39,064.21 was for court ex- penses alone.
No better evidence of the prosperity of Polk county could be adduced than the fact that the people are able to bear the burdensome taxation to . which they are subjected.
POLITICAL.
In early days the people of Marion county did not trouble themselves much about political matters. They seemed to care more about the settle- ment of the country and the increase of worldly goods than for office. One reason for this doubtless was that the pay was nothing extraordinary. There were doubtless many persons then, as now, who looked not lightly upon the honor and dignity of office, but then, as now, the emoluments were the mainspring of office-seeking, and with no money in the treasury the inducement was small.
The trouble in those days was to get men to take the office. Now, how- ever, the trouble is to keep dishonest men and incompetent men out of office. For several years after the organization of the county, persons were elected to office more on account of their qualifications and popularity, than for political reasons. In those days the office emphatically sought the man, and not the man the office. We find in several instances when the oppos- ing candidates belonged to the same party, and sometimes when the county was entitled to two Representatives to the Legislature, a division was made and a Democrat and a Whig were elected. The foregoing is true of polit- ical parties in the first settlement of all Iowa counties, and Marion was no exception to the rule, except in that party issues were raised and partizan lines were drawn earlier than in most other counties of central Iowa.
Until 1850, and even for several years afterward, Marion county was re- liably Democratic, the majorities, however, were not sufficiently decisive to make a hasty nomination always equivalent to an election. Many a hard fought political battle was waged prior to 1850, and sometimes when the Whigs had a very popular candidate they elected their man. Among the veterans of those fierce campaigns some of the more prominent ones still are Democrats and their hands are yet ever ready to bear aloft the standard of the party; they are still heard from in various parts of the county; the old ship carried them into good position during the days of prosperity, and during the last twenty years of clouds and storms they have clung to the craft with a pious devotion, and now they are, as it were, standing on the foremost front of the prow, confidently and hopefully expecting the dawn of better days.
There is scarcely anything to be found in the county records from which to determine, at this late day, the exact condition of political affairs. but enough is known that in 1848 and 1849 there were heated contests, and the Democrats came off victorious.
$18
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
The following is a synopsis of the vote cast at the regular election in Angus, 1851. We give the vote on county judge:
TOWNSHIPS.
J. Brobst.
I. O. Curtis.
Knoxville
124|
60
Washington
37
Dallas
6
18
Indiana
41
15
Liberty
45
40
Olay ..
36
36
Lako Prairie
9
41
Polk.
14
15
Red Rock
48
47
Union
13
16
Perry
49
22
Pleasant Grove
17
41
Total
426
349
At the same election Isaac H. Walters was elected sheriff, receiving 401 votes to 323 cast for Hugh Glenn. Clarborn Hall received 401 votes for recorder to 363 cast for William C. Williams.
The relative strength of the two political parties can be better determined by reference to the vote of the county for representative to Congress in 1852. Then, as now, the party lines were more closely drawn on national questions than in county affairs. The Whig candidate was Philip Viele and Bernhart Henn was the Democratic nominee. It is barely possible that Henn polled more than the full strength of his party as he had been Regis- ter of the Land-office for several years and was quite popular with all the settlers. We give the vote by townships.
TOWNSHIPS.
Viele.
Henn.
Olay
37
50
Dallas
5
82
Indiana
28
41
Knoxville
85
142
Liberty.
17
67
Lake Prairie.
89
59
Pleasant Grove
15
35
Perry
25
20
Polk.
14
24
Red Rock
55
50
Union
11
13
Washington
21
22
Total
396
565
's majority, 169.
419
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
In the vote for county officers the matter was more equally divided and the Whigs succeeded in electing some of their men. For State Senator Lysander W. Babbitt received 196 less votes than did his competitor and Admiral B. Miller was elected clerk of the courts over A. C. Cunningham, his Democratic competitor. He did not get the office without a contest, however, as will be seen from the following record:
"COUNTY COURT, September 14, 1852.
" This day the judges of contested election of August 9, A. D. 1852, is awarded by the returns of Polk township, Marion county, Iowa, to Admi- ral B. Miller, clerk of the District Court of said county; verbal notico is given to said Miller of said suit. Admiral B. Miller appears in the office of the county judge, in the county aforesaid and produces his bond with surety-A. B. Miller, P. T. Totten, Wilson Stanley, James M. Walters and John Butcher in the sum of $5,000 for his true performance therein contain- ing for the term of two years, from August 2, 1852. Same day bond ap- proved by the county judge and sworn into office.
"JOSEPH BROBST, " County Judge."
The original canvass of the vote as made by the returning board consist- ing of the county judge and two justices of the peace showed that Miller was defeated by one vote. We give the returns as made by the canvass- ers:
TOWNSHIP8.
Miller.
Cunningham.
Clay
38
43
Dallas
6
20
Indiana
42
19
Knoxville
88
139
Liberty
33
47
Lake Prairie.
89
58
Pleasant Grove
18
4%
Perry
29
12
Polk.
20
15
Red Rock
67
37
Union.
10
13
Washington
22
18
Total.
469|
463
The question of the returns from Polk township, was the one which de- cided the contest. It appears that two Democrats in that township voted for Miller and they were counted for Cunningham. Upon contesting the election it was made to appear that the two votes in question were cast for Miller and he was accordingly declared elected.
490
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
At the Presidential election, in November of the same year, Pierce the Democratic candidate received 488 votes, Scott the Whig candidate re- ceived 411 votes, and Hale the Free-soil candidate received 13 votes: of these 13 votes, 10 were .cast in Knoxville township and 3 in Red Rock township.
Whoever has studied the politics of Marion county cannot fail to have noted the fact that it has always been been very conservative. Evidence of that fact has been more convincing in more recent times when the politi- cians have more than once received substantial proof that a nomination is not equivalent to an election. The best evidence of the conservatism of Marion county is found by reference to the vote for Governor in 1854 when the great revolution in the politics of the State took place and Grimes was elected Governor. It will be seen that no great revolution took place in the politics of Marion county. The vote by townships was as follows:
TOWNSHIPS.
Grimes.
Bates.
Olay :
46|
56
Dallas
28
38
Indiana.
39
48
Knoxville
140
184
Liberty.
33
64
Lake Prairie.
52
97
Pleasant Grove (returns rejected).
Perry
24
11
Polk.
11
34
Red Rock
40
39
Swan ..
13
28
Summit (returns rejected).
20
15
Washington.
48
35
Total
493
649
We find the same tendency in the election of 1856 when Fremont .carried the State by a large majority. Marion county voted as follows:
Buchanan
1,322
Fremont
1,069
Fillmore
20
.
In 1855 the people of the State voted on the prohibitory liquor law. We give the result of the vote in Marion county, as it will be of great val- ue to many of our readers and will doubtless be a surprise to many to learn that had Marion county decided this matter prohibition would not have been incorporated in the State constitution. We give the vote by town- townships:
Union.
491
HISTORY OF. MARION COUNTY.
TOWNSHIPS.
For prohibi-
tion.
Against pro- hibition
Clay
48
62
Dallas
26
38
Franklin
9
16
Indiana.
56
47
Knoxville
166
176
Liberty
41
76
Lake Prairie.
31
250
Pleasant Grove
45
83
Perry
10
25
Polk.
6
56
Red Rock
67
34
Swan
15
28
Summit
37
48
Union
2
39
Washington
24
58
Total
583 1,029
The first election in which Marion county was carried by the Republic- ans on a straight political issue was at the State election of 1861 in which Samuel J. Kirkwood received 1,441 votes to William H Merritt's 1,402.
In 1864 in the vote for President of the United States, the vote stood: Lincoln, 1,459; Mcclellan, 1,453.
Since that time the county has remained very equally divided with a tendency to go Republican on State and National questions. Within the last few years, however, a new element has been introduced into politics by the organization of the Greenback party and the relative strength of the two old parties has thereby been somewhat modified.
We herewith give a synopsis of the vote at the last regular election, October, 1879, from which the relative strength of the three parties may be estimated:
GOVERNOR.
John H. Gear
2,907
Daniel Campbell 1,410
H. H. Trimble 1,166
D. R. Dungan.
41
STATE SENATOR.
J. F. Greenlee
2,215
G. W. Crozier 1,598
W. F. Noftager
808
REPRESENTATIVES. L. N. Hays. 2,199 8. F. Prouty .. 2,999
499
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
R. T. Elson 1,356 R. Crozier. 1,994
Joseph Porter. 1,165
O. H. Robinson 1,815
TREASURER.
J. H. Cloe
2,165
W. B. Frush 1,358
R. M. Faris 1,876
AUDITOR.
A. M. Clark.
9,855
J. H. Underhill 1,376
J. E. McCorkle 1,158
SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
Z. T. Honnold.
8,150
Robert Mulkey 1,996
A. Yetter
1,884
SUPERVISOR.
D. P. Cathcart
2,159
J. B. Davis. 1,116
John Neifert.
1,506
SHERIFF.
E. P. Bradley 9,119
G. H. Wilson 1,384
T. R. Brown
1,296
SURVEYOR.
M. F. Marshall 2,169
N. J. Watkins. 1,487
Wm. van der Linden 1,150
CORONER.
Henry Mason 2,159
H. S. Smith. 1,419
A: B. Colgrove.
1,153
Among the contested elections which have created great excitement throughout the county, the contest between J. B. Hamilton and George Kruck for the office of clerk of the courts in 1862 will be long remembered. Mr. Kruck having been awarded the certificate of election, and learning that measures would be taken to keep him out of the office, went to Des Moines and consulted an ex-member of the Supreme Court, and by his ad- vice entered the clerk's office about midnight prior to the first day of Janu- ary, and having got possession of the office held it vi et armis. He was re-elected in 1864.
Before leaving this subject it will be proper to refer to one of the most exciting contests which ever occurred in the State. It was in early times and persons who then resided in Marion county will be interested in read-
488
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
ing a brief account of the affair. We refer to the contest between Miller, Whig, and Thompson, Democrat, for a seat in Congress from Iowa. There were at that time but two congressional districts in the State and the con- test occurred in the First district, of which Marion county was a part.
The election occurred in 1848; a new precinct called Kanesville, includ- ing the whole west part of the State, had been created; counting vote of this precinct Miller was elected; not counting it Thompson was elected. The returns of Kanesville were sent to Albia, and while there were stolen. The board of canvassers declared Thompson elected, and he accordingly took his seat in Congress; Miller contested, and after considerable investigation Congress voted in 1850 to refer the matter back to the people. A special election was held September 24, 1850, and Miller was elected by a majority of about six hundred votes.
While Miller was carrying on the contest for his seat in Congress, and Thompson was perseveringly holding on to the position, the friends of the respective candidates at home were carrying on a very heated controversy. The poll-books from Kanesville precinct which had been stolen were finally discovered in Judge Mason's saddle-bags. Judge Mason was accused of stealing them; he denied having any knowledge of how they came there, and there was much crimination and recrimination. The following extracts from the Whig organ at Des Moines, published in 1850, will afford some idea of the animus of that controversy:
"The case of Daniel F. Miller, Whig member of Congress from this dis- trict who contests the right of Mr. Thompson, Democrat, to a seat in the House of Representatives, has been referred to a committee appointed for that purpose, and they have unanimously declared that Mr. Miller is enti- tled to the seat. When the committee reported to the House that Mr. Mil- ler was the Representative from Iowa, and not Mr. Thompson, the latter put in a plea that a majority of the votes were illegal, and those of aliens and minors, and asked the House to allow him ninety days more to secure testimony to support the ground which he assumes. The time has been granted. Would a fair Congress have allowed him further time? He has already had a year to collect evidence to support his case, and that should have satisfied both him and the House.
"Those conversant with the history of the election of members of Con- gress for this district in 1848, will remember the infamous trick of legerde- main resorted to by the friends of the Locofoco candidate, Mr. Thompson, to secure for him the election now contested by Mr. Miller. The poll-books of Kanesville precinct, giving Mr. Miller a large majority, were stolen from the clerk of Monroe county to whom they had been returned, and by that means Mr. Thompson obtained the certificate of election. The stolen poll- books in a few days came to light. They are found at last in the hands of Mr. Thompson's counsel, Judge Mason, who accidentally let the secret out in the following way: During an interview between Mr. Miller and Judge Mason in reference to taking.depositions in the contested case the Judge turned out for Mr. Miller's inspection some papers, and through mistake the veritable original poll-books. Mr. Miller detected them at once from the signatures of the elected officers, and charged the fact home to him. His honor stated that he had come by them honestly, but he was not at liberty to state how he got them. The books were examined by several per- sons who happened to be present to their satisfaction and returned to
424
HISTORY OF MARION COUNTY.
Judge Mason's custody. Those present describe the scene as one long to be remembered.
" The disclosure of these facts shows what principles control the political action of the Democratic party of this State. The 'cutlerizing' of Harlan out of the office to which he was fairly elected, was a fraud upon the rights of the people. Will Congress permit Mr. Thompson to hold a sent obtained through such conduct? His acceptance of the certificate of election and the tenacity with which he retains the advantage thus unrighteously gained, show him to be willing to enjoy the fruits of the corrupt proceeding."
The Gazette of April 12, 1850, announces the result of the examination in Kanesville in the contested election case.
" The commissioners were in session ten days, and after a thorough ex- amination as to the legality of the votes given to Miller, not one illegal vote could be found to have been polled against him. Messrs. Mason, Hall & Co's own witnesses proved so clear a case for Mr. Miller that he did not think it worth while to introduce any rebutting testimony. J. C. Hall was examined and testified that he did not know who took the poll-books out of the clerk's office; but after they were taken they were placed in his saddle- bags and he gave them to Thompson."
With the exception of a few unimportant officers elected between 1845 and 1851, a full list of county officials who have served the county in times past, will be found in the following
OFFICIAL DIRECTORY.
The dates given refer to the time of election, the person elected taking his seat the first Monday in January following, with the exception of those elected prior to 1856.
1845.
County Commissioners-Conrad Walters, William Welch, David Dur- ham. Commissioners' Clerk-Stanford Dond. Probate Judge-Francis A. Barker. Sheriff-J. M. Walters. Treasurer-David T. Durham. Re- corder-Reuben Lowry. Surveyor-Isaac B. Power. Assessor-Green T. Olark. Coroner-Wellington Nossaman.
1846.
Commissioners-Hugh Glenn, David Durham, Samuel Tibbott. Pro- bate Judge-Francis A. Barker. Representative-Wm. Pilgrim. Sheriff -George Gillaspy. Recorder-J. F. Monohon. Treasurer-David T. Durham. Coroner-Asa Koons. Assessor-Allen Lowe. Commissioners' Clerk-Joseph Clark. Surveyor-Claiborn Hall.
1847.
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