The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-03-02
AN OPEN LETTER.

TO "JosH:"
Do not deceive yourself, Mr.. "Josh, "
for ms prosecuting attorney OF Iron
county, | will attend Go the duties OF
that Office faithfully and well, regardless
of whom il may injure. You say in your
letter published in the Reporter last
week, chat instead OF having the good
sense OF interviewing the local taxpayers
association and discovering their true
motive, have made u charge against
them that | had no right to- Let us
look into this matter and see il your
position is true.
You have said in a former letter to the
Reporter that IL county officers did their
duty there would be no taxes dccreed
invalid. Now, you were paid the sum OF
one hundred dollars for making out the
assessment roll Of the township of Crys-
tai Falls for the year 1892 and the
taxes for that year were decreed invalid
by Judge Stone because the assessment
roll was not properly made out. And
YOU accepted the sum OF one hundred
dollars from the township OF Crystal
Falls for the bungling job YOU did upon
this roll. Yourself and the supervisor
knew at the time that the roll was not
correctly made.
The supervisor kept this knowledge TO
himself, but you went TO the different
merchants in the village who were willing
to pay their taxes, and communicated
your knowledge Of the illcgality OF the
assessment roll TO them. Did you stop
there No; you even went TO Mr. Hans
com, the attorney for the Tax Associa-
ton, and slyly whispered il 10 him, so
YOU could get witness fee amounting
TO one dollar and ten cents for testifyine
as to the manner in which the roll was
made out.
And did not Mr.. Hanscom subpoena
you as witness, and did you not swear
that tho assessment roll was illegal, and
thereby beat the township out Of thous.
ands Of dollars Of tnxcs which the Tax
Association would have been compelled
TO pay had YOU acted for the welfare Of
the township ~ did the supervisor, and
kept silent az To the irrcgularity OF the
making OF the assessment roll?
And possessing all this knowledge, you
expect me 20 interview you in regard to
your true motive in becoming an active
member OF the Local Tax Payers Asso-
citation. No, Josh, first let me see you
Get out and hnstlc for living like other
men before you undertake TO convince
me that you have had change of heart.
Stlll, / desire you To fully understand
that am ready TO do my duty even
upon your complaint. Therefore, in
your investigation Of the public books
and records, should you find IA misap.
preparation Of the public funds, re-
quest YOU TO communicate that TACT to
me, and | will prosecute the offender,
whoever he may be, as diligently and
faithfully ms though 1 were an active
member OF your committee.
You have started into this matter and
/, rs citizen Of the County OF Iron, de
sire TO have IL thoroughly investigated
and will willingly contribute to carry on
the good work to the end, and will pros
ccute anyone whom you have reason to
believe 60 be guilty Of official corruption.
The only thing | regret il that the men
who were the instigators OF this move
ment are insinccre, cndcavoring to pro-
mote their own individual interests.
but while am Prosecuting Attorney
will do what / can TO punish anyone
whom you find guilty OF any dishonest
official act. Very truly,
NJ. II. MORTALITY.