The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-12-17
FEE BILL STOLEN.
The Enrolled Copy OF the County Fee
Bill stoIen From the seere-
taryfs Omce-A Bad

that Of the county fee bill, which passed
the legislature and received the govern
or's signature during the last hours Of
the session. II will be remembered by
the legislators and all persons who were
familiar with the history Of the bill,
that 1t was most strenuously opposed
by some of the officers of Laramie
county, who labored hard with the
members of the legislature to accom-
plish the defeat of the measure. When
it passed one house the lobbying was
begun in the other. When it had
finally passed both houses, the governor
was besieged to veto 1t by the pocket
plan. Never was greater persistency
displayed than by the county officers
and their friends. They received some
assistance, it is true, from several coun-
ty officers of the west, but the main
work of opposition was done by some of
our county officers.
As the LEADER said oncc before,
there was q reason for the action of
these gentlemen. Their salaries were
affected. The tax payers all demanded
a reduction in salaries, and a better col
lection Of fees. The fee bill was de-
signed for hat END, and, considering
that it would effect a saving to Lara
mic county alone, of about $4,000 per
year, it was invaluable to the tax pay
ers, and of course, a shave off the
cosnty officers.
There were several ways of defeating
the fee bill; l, in the council where it
originated; 2, in the house; 3, by veto
of the governor. All these failed.
The bill was passed, signed and trans
mitted to the keeping Of the secretary
of the territory. There was but one
copy of the bill, as the engrossed bill
was considered the enrolled bill, and
passed accordingly. Hence there APP
peared an opportunity for some n of
its opponents to steal and destroy it, so
as to render the law void.
Tho bill was.stolen from the secreta-
ry's office between the hours of three
and seven o'clock p. m. on Monday
evening. OF course there are persons
suspicioned of the theft, but we with
hold names for the present. The cir
cumstantial evidence is very strong.
There are persons in the city who state
that they overheard the ones who are
suspicioned say rs early as Saturday
last, that they would steal the bill, if
possible.
Legal steps have been taken to secure
the bill, if it is yet in existence, or
arrest the parties to the theft. The
evidence is accommodating against them,
and will be made public at the proper
time.
In the meantime 1t must not be
supposed hat the aim of the bill rob-
bers, whoever they are, has been ac-
complished. A copy Of the original
bill is in the possession Of Secretary
Whitehead of the council, and the
amendments made afterwards are duly
spread on the minutes of both houses,
so that a duplicate bill can be gotten
up in short notice. Some question may
be raised about the legality of the du-
plicate, but there are several methods
by which it can be, fully legalized.
Our county officers cannot consist
emily oppose it for they would thereby
be liable to the charge Of completely in
the theft. We do not say that the
charge would be just to lay it on all of
them, but it is plain to anybody that 1t
was q county officer, or somebody di-
rectly connected with a county office,
who got away with the bill. Certainly
10 tax payer would steal it. Hence
there will be but little difficulty in fix
ing up a duplicate. If all other means
fail the proper papers q be forwarded
to Washington and a resolution put
through congress legalizing the dupli-
cate. This will forever set at rest any
question of its legality, and defeat the
infamous theft of the more infamous
thieves, whoever they may be.
Some unprincipled dealers, because they
could see a few cents more profit, have been
guilty of Offering worthless substitutes for
the only original and genuine Sulphur Soap
- Clanpsa hy ANN ThnraGnra the nnhlIp