The Ravalli Republican. [volume] (Stevensville, Mont.) 1894-1899, 1894-10-31
A VOICE FROM benton
Populist Campaign Lies About
Judge Hunt.
The Silverite Tells What He Did as
Collector Of Customs When
He Was Not.

The esteemed Silycritc, published
at Missoula as Il populist paper, this
week prints 4 communication from
Fort Benton. and signed 'iPopulist, {"
which is aimed at Judge VIM. II.
Hunt, republican candidate for the
supreme judgcship. Tile article is a
lie from start to finish. rs the editor
Of the REPUBLICAN knows from per-
sonal knowledge, as 1T the time re-
ferred to BY ''populist,' twelve years
ago, the present editor Of the RE
PUBLICAN was resident Of Fort
Benton and associated with Hon.
Jerry Collins, brother Of Hon. II. e.
Collins. the last democratic nominee
for governor, The firm Of Collins &
Stevens were then running the Fort
Bcnt ton River Press. which was after
ward formed into the River Press
Publishing Co., Of which Mr.. Stew
ems was president at the time he sold
out in October, 1883. ;POpu]ist," +"
in the Silvel!tc, says that Judge
Hunt was collector of customs at
Fort Benton in 1882. 1t is lie. Illos.
4. Cummings. the present secretary
OF the republican state committee,
was collector OF customs then and he
had no connection with either Judge
Hunt or Judge Buck. The Silycrtc
says that Judge Hunt owned q little
building about l3N20 feet and rented
it to the government 1T 1925 per
month for the collectors office when
Sl5 would be a good rental, under
the firm name OF G. l.. Spencer & Co.
That is lie No. ?. McssrS. Hunt s.
Buck did own a brick building about
I5X30, and occupied it as a law office,
and ,tropulist' could not have rented
it for private purpose IN those days,
when Fort Benton was booming, for
$25 per month. The River Press
rented ihc lower floor Of the Odd
Fellows building, about 25x5O. and
it was not even lathcd inside, and
paid $50 per month for it.
Lie No. 3 is about the firm OF G. l..
Spencer & Co. !Slc only firm Of G..
r. Spencer y CO. il Fort Benton was
the firm name that was put up on
the head Of the editorial columns Of
the Benton Record, ut the time the
River Press was started by the firm
Of Williams, Wright & Stevens on
October y, 1880. The Record was
owned by johnny Hcaly, then sheriff
Of Chotcau county, and w. IT. Buck
Mo relation to Judge Horace Buck,
which latter gentleman was then and
is now democraD. and when the
River Press was started lIealy &
Buck hired G. l.. Spencer, W. H..
Hunt and Horace Buck to edit the
Record and by their combined talent
drive out the three poor printers who
were attempting to get 4 start in life
BY establishing the River Press, and
they put the name Of G. l.. Spencer
< Co. at the head Of the paper, and
it was with great feelings Of pleasure
that Williams, Wright & Stevens
downcd the combination OF talent
and G. l.. Spencer & Co. quit editing
the Record in about six months, and
s'thev.ye never done anything since. +"
The Silyeritc can substnntiatc this
statement by writing TO Mr.. ThOs.
Wright. one Of the starters OF the
River Press. and now the able Great
Falls correspondent Of the Anaconda
Standard,
sPopulist" says that Buck & Hunt
paid $l7 per ton for coal which
they charged the government With,
ttll1 tl1ttG NV I'llo VI IoH4 Noulu III "
heated their Office during the whole
Of the entire and hardest winter in
Fort Benton. That is another lie
Buck & Hunt. as we'll as the River
Press, bought their coal then from
John Castncr who owned the Belt
| coal mines-tle same mines now
operated by John Caplicc and Other
Butte and Anaconda men, Of Whicl
Mr.. DAILY is onc-and they purchased
| that coal in Fort Benton for $l2 sc
and 5l3 per ton, and the River Press
used as high aS / tons oi coal during
a winter when the thcrmOmetOr-a>
"populist" ought to know if he
is an old timcr-wcnt down at olrt
time to 50 degrees below and stayed
there for three days
s'Populist" also attacks Buck &
Hunt for paying Nor their own use
| S3l for the use Of a horse fer three
months. Great God ! What cXtray.
arant fellows d.llev were! Why. IL
those days you couldn't buy any kin(
| Of a horse in Fort Benton much les.