OCR Text |
Show THE ONEIDA DITCH SWINDLE. The Tribune has been printing the last few days a report of a conscienceless conscience-less swindle in Idaho, perpetrated by Mormon church oilicials on their confiding con-fiding people. It was so gross a cheat that oven the most devoted of tho faithful who know tho case arc shocked at it. ami those who were deceived and robbed have lost, not only their money but their trust. Wc gave a faithful report of the case from flay to day, as it progressed at Malad. Yesterday morning an Idaho attorney who was in attendance at the trial furnished us a succinct resume of the case, showing precisely what was proved; that tho prieslly manipulators manipu-lators of tho rascality used the company's com-pany's money for their own private deals, making personal profits in large amounts, and utterly ignoring the law. The style of crime committed is peculiarly pecu-liarly characteristic of priestly methods, which have notoriously bepn to uso the common funds for private ends, and when profit was made the priests took it; but where there was loss, the community com-munity had to suffer it. The Jdaho irrigation law is good and easy to follow. The people there aro proud of il. as laying a pure foundation founda-tion for developments. But. in this irrigation ir-rigation enterprise, the Oneida Irrigation Irri-gation Company, of which President Coo. C. Parkinscn, of that church stake of Zipn, was the loading rascal, there were no records kept for three years, thcro was no siock book, and although it was a public corporation, all its transactions were in tho dark. The motive for this secrecy became apparent appa-rent as the roguery developed. Tt was necessary to disobey the law in order that tho ninnagers of the company could rob their I rusting brethren. When these dishonest officers of this irrigation concern sold its bonds, they gave a great, big premium for the sale of same; $0500 was the sum mentioned as commission for the sale of these bonds. Tho law contemplates no such thing; vet one thing is certain: the head officers of the Mormon system in this city got. 10 per cent, of that commission, com-mission, whether it was paid to Parkinson Parkin-son or Hart. This irrigation district has lost that $0500. and the Slato lauds of Jdaho under this irrigation system must bear its portion of the burden of this loss. The transaction is entitled to this deduction. Had this commission money not been paid out illegally, the church could not have received its tithe! And George C. Parkinson still reigns as President of tho Oneida Slake of Zion! Thoy stoic this money, and along with it they stole the confidence of their own neighbors who had placed them at the head of a public trust on the presumption pre-sumption of their worthiness! As Attorney At-torney Richards said lo the unresponsive unre-sponsive jury, "How long can a community com-munity last founded on such mcu7" Hart took this district money and bought a ranch. He started in to speculate specu-late on it. Jn the transaction he deoded to a -Mr. Henderson a 160-acre piece of the Armstrong land. Ho did this to fool his associates whom he and Parkinson sought to deceive. In deeding lo Henderson, Hen-derson, Hart was secure, for there is another bond of fidelity between theno two men; for Hart is living' w-ilh and raising a family by a daughter of Hen-dcrsou Hen-dcrsou 's, as a plural wife. Parkinson was the strong character in tho thievery. Arthur JIart was his servilo tool. J'irkinson made Hart do tho dirty -work, but always got back from his iicriodical missious of a religious, business or political character in lime to get his share of tho "graft." B3' his own hang-dog testimony, given as a thief always looks, conscious of guilt, ho put $5 of his own money in tho Armstrong ranch and drew out of the deal which Hnrt made and held up by Oneida Irrigation Company money, $1350. Nobody denied this, and because be-cause of their community feeling for him a jury of his peers, unfaithful to law but faithful to Mormonism, let him pass back to Preston, to the scenes of his official theft, unwhipped of justice. The jury disappointed the people mosl in that they refused to act their brand of disapproval ou the acts of thieve'. It was the morals of the case which amounted to the most. The dollars and cents were secondary. -By the verdict Mormon treachery of law, dishonesty, and betrayal of a public trust aro all placed above a law so dear to American-hearted peoplo of the remainder re-mainder of irrigated Idaho. Parkinson raised his right hand and swore to obey the irrigation district law of Jdaho. For three years he violntcd his oath, and now . that he is exposed, even though cleared, he should become, tho object of scorn, hatred and pity of every man, woman and child in and about Preston, and for most of them, ho will- For his dishonesty in this irrigation district matter Governor Gooding removed re-moved him ns n member of the Board of Regents of tho State University of Idaho. But with a full knowledge of these illegal acts; of this $1:550 theft, he- is retained to rule over tho Oneida Stake of Zion as its president. The jur- in the return of this verdict justify tho slighting insinuations of Judge Charles H. Harl, of Logan, who referred lo tho irrigation law as "statutory "statu-tory red tapel " ft is in evidence that (he power of tho Mormon church through a jury of Mormons saved Parkinson and Hart, and it is equally certain that the lead ers of tho Mormon system aro rendering render-ing these culprits all the substantial assistance as-sistance possible that they may escape attonemenl lo oll'cnded law. It is a sad commentary to see the State of Idaho a co-sufferer wilh I he people, and Idaho's Attorney-General del ending those who robbed it. Yet this is polities. Parkinson and his brethren will nee to it that McDuiigall, the Attornov-Genernl. is taken care of politically: the sacred school funds of Idaho lo the contrary notwithstanding. And the general cITect. of it all will be a tendency to Ihrow a shadow upon irrigation boiids all through this, mountain moun-tain region. For sin-h rascalities, always al-ways alVcct other enterprises besides those upon which I hey aro ingrafted. |