St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-01
MR.. ELMUND'S LIE
Thrust Down His Throat By
County Attorney Pierce
Butler,
WHO WAS NEVER CONSULTED
By County Treasurer With
Relation to the Meth0d
Of Procedure
WHO WAS NEVER CONSULTED
REGARDING COMPENSATION
For the Ramsey County
judges--ButIeP States
the Facts.

The statement inspired by County
Treasurer Edmund in Fridays
Pioneer Press to the effect that he
had consulted County Attorney But
Ter with reference to the legality of
paying the S125 month he proposed
holding out on the salary of the dis
trict court judges, and that the
county attorney was undecided. is
wholly untrue. Mr.. Edmund never
consulted the county attorney on the
matter. The facts are these:
Immediately after the judges had
received their salaries for the month
OF February on March l, Mr. Edmund
addressed a very undignified letter
to each of the judges, stating that
he had received advice from ''coun-
ciI' to the effect that the law under
which the payment of the amount
in question was made was unconsti-
tutional, and no further payments
would be made until he was re-
quired by the court to do so. The
Judges, presuming that he had con-
suited the duly elected legal adviser
OF the county, the county attorney.
asked Mr.. Butler about it. and re-
ceived the prompt reply that he had
not been consulted and knew moth
ing about the matter further than
that he had heard on the outside.
AT the same time that Mr.. Edmund
wrote the judges, he addressed a let
ter to County Auditor Sullivan. tell
ing him the same thing he had told
the judges, that he had been advised
by council" etc, and requesting
tnat ne draw no more warrants for
the amount. The county auditor.
MORE CONSIDERABLE
than the writer of the letter. re-
ferred the matter to the county at
torney and asked for advice as to
how he should act.
Mr.. Butler had no doubt as to how
lie should act. Neither could anv
lawyer of standing in the city. But
lest Edmund, who. biased by pettv
political prejudice, had shown 50 Iir-
tie regard for his opinion, should still
MAINTAIN that his own view was cor
rect ana refuse to be governed bv
Whit the county attorney might adj
wise MN, Mr.. Butler notified all con-
cefned that he would consult with
Attorney General ChiIds. and thew
would give a joint opinion. In tho
meantime the judges secured seDarata
oPlilohS from three of the LEADING
law firms in the city. Warner Richard
son d Lawrence, Flandrau. SoI,ires 2,
Cutcheon and Young q Iichtper
none OF these firms knew that any one
ei9e was being consulted, and vet all
tnelf opinions were to the effect that
me county treasurer was wrong.
AheSe opinions We're all submitted
~ the county attorney, and Judga
ocllooilfnaker, Mr.. Elmund's attor-
ny dSked Tor and was granted nar-
iIi2Sloh 10 reply to them. He made an
1i''oidte fepIy-as far as words ,vara
'eiiieu-there being some twenty,
PaeeS oI typewriter manusorint
"'CH cloSed with the remarkable doc.
I@i 1'lioh that he believed his oniuio,
~ 'c Sood law, and that the treas,,r.,
94io'iu pay no more money until tho
q'o''ioH was determined by the en-
preme court. gu
ne whole matter was laid before
INC attorney general by Mr.. RutIa,.
oi monday last. with the undorsta..,,1
inS mat they would prepare an ori,io,
t 1ll " ednesday. But on WednaeIo~
.ile county attorney was i'll ana roTII
~ sct out OF his house. Desiring
~, HiVe the question settled b4forc
H - tiose Oh the month, and knov,ine
Ia ma. lhe opinion of any reputabIe
c %Iyei would be. he sent word to Nh,
oninia 10 go ahead and prepare the
eraI '' did nli[lseif; The attorney gen
al uld So with the result that M
the soup. N i''ei are IN
at D eiIv' I,. made on or before AnriI 81
a. ~ our state Savings Bank Garp, ~ 90, Go
ent f ms Bldg 4th and Einn sts s'ia ara
1885, ''ieu 10 months interest july /