People v. McElheny

The defendants were charged with and convicted of the offense of conspiracy to defraud the Dowagiac river drain fund and several municipalities in the county of Cass. The information was filed in Cass county, but the case was subsequently transferred to Berrien county for trial. In the year 1915 a tricounty drain was initiated by petition which should traverse the counties of Cass, Van Burén and Berrien, and be 30 miles in length. The usual proceedings followed and the contracts for its construction were let in April, 1917. The drain was divided into three sections for the purpose of selling.…