Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-03-23
Crowder As a Contractor.

EDIToR ARGUS: In your last Issue Mr..
Crowder airs his alleged grievances, and
herates the county commissioners Tor their
refusal to award him the contract for the
care and keeping of the county poor and
infirm. In the first place Mr.. Crowder had
Il great deal of assurance to tender a bid
for this contract with any expectation of
having the same awarded to him.. Let us
see what has been the history OF Mr.. Crow
der's various contracts for county work,
for he has had several OF them. The fol-
lowing facts may not be generally known
to the public, and they will go a long way
toward explaining and iustifyingthe action
OF the commissioners in the matter Of
which he complains. His first connection
with the county as a public contractor
was in the spring of 1891 when the poor
farm was leased to him at a cash rental OF
SITS, payable at the expiration of his
lease, in December, 1891, when, according
to the terms of his lease, he was to turn
over the premises to- the county in the
same condition as when he received them.
He did not turn over the premises at the
time stated; aud the rental was never paid
''NA "fsNi ~ e -
the board at which meeting they instructed
the county attorney to IN proceed
ings Tor the collection of the same. Fur
Their than this: when Mr.. Crowder first
took possession Of the farm there were
about forty acres plowed, and it was a.
part of the lease that he should leave the
same mount plowed when he quit the
premises. With that part Of the lease he
has never complied. So much for contract
No. 1.
At another time Mr.. Crowder tooka con-
tract from the board Tor the repair Of the
poor farm ditch for the consideration of
SIPS. He complied with this contract,
bat under the plea of having done extra
work he il now suing the county for an adj
ditionul 500 under that contract, and
also for other sums for certain other work
alleged to have been done. So much for
contract No.2.
In March, 1892, Mr.. Crowder rendered a
bid OF $3.50 per week for the care and
maintenance OF the county poor and sick.
lie being the lowest bidder the contract
was awarded to him, but afterwards, upon
his plea that he did not understand the
terms set out in the advertisement. he was
permitted to withdraw his bid, and the
contract was awarded to William Medigar,
who sub-let it to Mr.. Crowder. 1t is to
this sub-contract, under which Mr.. Crow
der proved himself to be a man wholly un.
fit for the position. that l desire to call
special attention. During his brief career
as the keeper OF the county hospital there
were many and continued complaints con-
corning his management OF affairs and his
treatmeW of those entrusted to his care.
| am not prepared to say that some OF his
these claims may not have been unbranded;
but some OF the more serious OF them are
so in~Gisputable that it is immaterial
whether some OF the Others were true or
not. Mr.. W complains that mali
cious lies were manufactured concerning
the deaths OF McLain and Myers; but con-
corning the sickness and death of Mr.. Nc.
Lain this much is indisputably true: that
Messrs. Reed, Anderson and Mcdonnell,
three OF Mr.. Crowder's neighbors, went to
the hospital late one night last summer,
in an utterly helpless condition, with a few
gunny sacks and a piece Of oil cloth as the
only beddi ng under him. Those gentlemen,
whose i~ntegrity cannot be doubted, made
complaint of the matter to Mr.. Medigar
and to the commissioners. The next day
Mr.. Medigar visited the hospital and found
McLain lying upon "a bed, but literally
covered with flies. Powerless himself to
keep them off, Mr.. c. SIT him to his fnt
without care or attention. at least such
care and attention as one in his condition
should have received and for which Mr..
Crowder Vas paid. At both Of these visits
Mr.. Crowder was found entirely alone, and
at the former one he pleaded or n drink of
water, which was procured Tor him at the
creek. Thus he died, unattended and alone.
1t is also said that Mr.. Meyers died in the
same condition. without any person near
to attend to his dying wants. So much
for that, a matter upon which l do not
Ike to dwell. One Of the inmates OF the
hospital kept n diary OF events while there
and among other things he had carefully
noted the amount and different articles of
diet furnished the inmates. To read il al
m ,st brings tears to the eyes Of stout
hearted men. In my humble opinion the
foreeoin, well authenticated facts are SUI &c.
Gent to prove beyond controversy that
Mr., Crowder 10 not . ct person to occupy