Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1883-12-01
THE FALL RIVER WHAT Is 1T p
Officers Appointed.

In the Times of the oath, dated llo
Springs, Nov. 10Th, and signed Justice,
who, we have on the best authority, is ;
member of the Townsite company, con
sequently our readers will understand
that the writer does not draw it mild in
referring to the action of Custer county
and puts his best foot forward in refer
ring to his pet scheme, Fall River coun
ty:
AS the papers Of the Black Hills ard
especially those of Custer and Rapid
have criticised the action of the people
of Fall River county in procuring di
vision of Custer, it now seems proper tc
me that a fair statement should be made
to the public. In coming to the Hot
Springs June, 1882, l knew nothing OF
the financial condition of the county OF
Custer, and heard nothing Of division,
but after short residence found gen
eral dissatisfaction among the older
residents of the county in the manage.
ment of the finances. At the eleciion
held in November for county officers
(and by the way, all the candidates were
from Custea City, we were mnch en-
ightened in regard to the dongs of the
| two ring. at Custer-as claimed bv the
two parties First came DR.. d. W. Flick
and Judge Knight in the interest Of re-
form, as they claimed, with an astonish-
ing array of figures and facts, showing
conclusively, as many thought, that the
candidates of the clique-so called by
Flick and Knight-had robbed Custer
county of many thousand dollars, and
were, BESIDES men Of base character.
many of the people of the southern part
of Custer county to thinking Of the best
manner to emancipate themselves from
the tolls Of these robbers (as protrayed
by +. and X. In day or two after
this came +. III. Flynn and Buel Il.
Wood, candidates respectively for clerk
and probate judge, on the "clique
ticket" with an ast MS ing amount of
evidence, showing that the other fei.
lows were thieves and robbers, and that
chief among them was the SAID DR.. ID.
w. Flick. We thought Of the old adage,
that when thieves fall out honest mel
Will get their due" and concluded ,hat
perhaps both parties might be telling at
least quite an amount Of truth, and that
the road to safety laid in complete
separation. When the legislature met
we laiC ,hc matter before that body in
as true and correct way as ,)ossible, and
unon this reDresentatIon an act was
passed defining the boundary of said
c,untv to the lie al voters residing with
in the boundaries Of the proposed coun-
~ of Fall Liver. 'ine election was he,t
in accordance with said act on the I'd
day last April.
There were two precincts within the
limits of said county viz: Minneka
and Cheyenne River. At the Cheyenne
River precinct, forty-twO residents o.
Custer City and vicinity voted at Said
election, among whom were several
county officers and leading business men
Of that place Not satisfied with this
outrage they perpetrated an additional
one by voting in Custer City, a place
twenty miles north of the north bound
ary line of Fall River county. The law
made it the duty of the commissioners
and clerk of Custer county to canvass
the returns. The board met on the 9Th
Of April, and Notwithstanding the posi-
ton specific provision of the law that
the vote should be confined to the legal
voters residing within the limits of the
proposed county Of Fall River, they
counted and allowed the votes cast in
Custer City. We were and have always
been ready to prove that but two legal
votes were cast against the proposition
establishing the aforesaid county of Fall
River.
Finding that the board Of canvassers
disrcgarded all law and the rights Of
citizens of this county, proceedings were
begun in the courts to compel an honest
count Not daring to test the right Of
such proceeding, and waving any
technicalties in the papers, the case
was fought upon technical grounds al
most exclusively, and mandamus
claimed purely and solely on said
grounds. 1t was the duty of the govern
or under the law to organize the county
Of Fall River, if majority of the legal
votes cast at said election were for the
establishment OF said county. Under
the circumstances we furnished to the
governor certified copy of all the votes
cast in Fall River county, including the
votes cast at Cheyenne River precinct
by the citizens Of Custer, and counting
all we had majority Of thirteen for the
proposition. We also sent him sworn
statement, with names of persoas vot-
ing, their residence and occupation, and
certified copy Of poll books. The gov,
ernor, after careful consideration, came
to the honest conclusion that the county
should be organized, and opon peti
tion signed by over fifty voters Of sait
| Ia A.