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The Late
County Treasurer.
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By reference to the
Report of the Board of Supervisors, it will be seen that W. A. Buster, late
Treasurer of Sonoma County, is a defaulter to the State to the amount of
$17,263.98. Of this sum, $14, 439.13 was money collected in this County, for
State purposes, and paid over to him, to be paid by him into the State
Treasurer's hands. The remainder, with the exception of $29.75, is money drawn
from the State School Fund, $2,795.10 being the proportionate amount due this
County for school purposes. This money he drew from the State Treasury since
the reported robbery of the County Treasury, but when called upon by the Board
of Supervisors to make an exhibit of the same, he was unable to comply. How
this money has been disposed of, remains to be proven. |
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The evidence that
Mr. Buster was unlawfully appropriating the public moneys to private purposes,
has been so strong from the time of his entering upon his official duties, that
legal proceedings were instituted against him as early as October, 1856, at
which time the Grand Jury found an indictment against him for the improper use
of public funds. In the following December he was arrested on a bench warrant
and held to bail in the sum of $3,000 to appear at the January term of County
Court. From some informality, the indictment was quashed at the January therm,
but the case submitted to the Grand Jury which will be summoned previous to the
setting of the April terms of the Court, and bail fixed in same amount. On the
5th last, his sureties surrendered him to the Sheriff, and he is now in prison
awaiting his trial at the April term of Court. |
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Of the guilt or
innocence of Mr. Buster we wish not to speak at this time. The feeling already
existing against him, is strong. We would not add to this feeling by giving
publicity to the thousand and one stories in circulation, lest the public mind
might become prejudiced to such an extent as to render it difficult to obtain
an impartial and unprejudiced jury to try him. He is now in the hands of the
law, and no doubt justice will be meted out to him according to his deserts. If
proven guilty of the offence charged, his punishment, according to the statutes
of 1855, will be imprisonment in the State Penitentiary from one to five years,
or a fine, discretionary with the Court. |
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Since his
imprisonment Mr. Buster has sent in his resignation, and the Board of
Supervisors have appointed Dr. J. HENDLEY of Santa Rosa, who is now acting as
County Treasurer. |
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