County Surveyor Ames Accused of Skimming Wages

There should be no delay in pressing the case against County Surveyor Ames. This faithless official refuses to vacate the office which he holds, although he practically admits the truth of the charges made against him. He even seeks to justify the practice of hiring men at $3 per day and causing the county, by false representation, to pay for their services $5 per day, of which $2 go into the pocket of Mr. Ames. If this is not faithlessness to a public trust, if it is not obtaining money under false pretenses, if it is not a plunder of the public treasury, what is it? The pretense that this is a professional privilege usually allowed to county surveyors is all nonsense. The plain fact is that Mr. Ames has induced the county commissioners to audit his bills by false representation, and that he has habitually appropriated to his own use money which belonged to his subordinates. Mr. Ames has not denied this, and its admission is a confession of guilt.