The Helena independent., 1889-05-18
ENDS IN SMOKE.
Charges Of Corruption Against Butte
Aldermen and City Officials
Prove TO be Unfounded.
a Hearing Before a Special Commit
tee in Which Officer MsikIejohn
Accounts for HIS Time.
Personal Tn-Feeling. Republicans
Only Being Concerned

BUTTE, May I7.-ISpecial 20 the Inde-
pendent THE special committee to inves-
ugste the charges of corruption made in
the council meeting Wednesday evening
oy Alderman Lewis against Alderman
Wynne, ex-Poliee Magistrate Lippincott,
ex-Marshal Coulter, ex-MayOr Hamilton
and L. W. Stoner. met this morning and
continued in session all day. Alderman
Mueller was chairman, and the following
witnesses were examined: Alderman
Lewis, ex-City Attorney Speer. Special Of
heer MeiklejOhn and wife, Marshal COuI-
ter Alderman Wynne and c. C. Rhodes.
The case Is the chief topic OF the day and
the testimony boiled down is as follows:
In July last the gentlemen accused of cor
ruption, together with a half dozen other
citizens of Butte. sent David Meiklejohn 10
prospect in the GibbOnville mining district,
Lemhi cosnty, Idaho. Meiklejohn went
on July 9th, made a number of locations
and returned July SOth. Just about that
that time there was considerable excite
ment In Butte on account of man who
insulted woman OH the street. A motion
was brought before the council about
august 10 the effect that special secret
oifiee be employed to endeavor TO discover
this criminal, against whom public indiR-
nation ran very strong. The ofheer was
10 investigate other criminal matters and
was 10 receive salary of 500 a
MONTH In order to effectively ac-
compished the purpose for which he was
employed II was deemed best that this Of
hcer De employed by and report TO no one
but the chairman OF the public committee.
MI. Wynne, and City Marshal Coulter.
Ihese measures passed the council unan-
im"nslY. Messrs. Wynne and Coulter en-
ployed Meiklejohn 70 do the work. He
worked secretly and in disguise and his
presence In the city was known only 10 A
few- He was employed August Is and
discharged February 8. August S6 he OBJ
talned leave OF absence from Marshal Coul-
ter for nine days and went back "a Idaho
and amended two Of his placer locations.
During bis absence his detective
uutles were performed by c. c. Rhodes,
who received Meiklejohn's pay for it.
Ihere was nothing improper, whatever, in
All this' but City Attorney w. A.tSpeer be-
came suspicious of wrong and stirred up
the trouble. He wrote 70 Gibbonville and
obtained copies of the locations in which
MelkieJohn's name and those of others an
Peared, Without pursuing an investfga-
tion which would have revealed the true
state Of affairs, Mr.. Speer exhibited what
he received IN manner which intimated
that something wrong had been going on.
Alderman Lewis brought up the
enarge as he heard il from Mr. Speer to
grAtify personal grudge against
Mr.. Wynne. This is the history of the
charges which have created such a sensa-
ton here No one believes them 20 be TINE
and the special committee will so report IN
Ihe council at the next meeting. IL is prob
Sto.s ~. ihAt the accused ~ili bring libel suit
both against Mr.. Speer and Nr- Isvris
mere Is no politics 10 the case al ali. All
The parties concerned. accused and aceuser
are republicans