The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-11-19
THE BONDSMEN's PANIC.
Commissioner Holmes of Pierce County
Loses Another surety.

Commissioner Holmes of Pierce County
Loses Another surety.
Tacoma specsa1: Otis sprague. a
surety on the official bond Of Chair
man c. H. Holmes OF the board Of
county commissioners In the sum OF
$4,000. to-day filed a notice OF his with
drswal This makes the third surety
that has left Chairman Holmes bond
since Nov. s. Less than the required
$4,000 now remains on the bond.
For some time past there has been a
sort of subterranean agitation going
on among the bondsmen OF the county
officials. and particularly those OF
Chairman Holmes. just where X comes
from or Its purpose no one seems 20
know definitely. On Nov. @. w. Fife
OF the Fife hotel. served notice OF his
withdrawal. ne being a surety for
$1,000. Three DAYS later Theodore Hug
gins. a large property owner. who was
liable In the sum OF 5000, went off.
and to-day Mr.. Sprague concluded he
would Quit. The sureties remaining
are J. +. Stewart deceased. $40. 900:
a. w. Fawcebt and wife. $4,000; ]. NJ
Hayes. 10000 and T. c. Van Eaoon,
$4,000. An opinion from ex-Deputy
County Attorney Bedford attached TO
the bond says that the justification OF
Mr.. Fawcett and wife is not sufficient.
and that Mr.. Van Baton did not JUS
ttfy at ALL A recent execution against
]. NJ Hayes was returned without be-
ing satisfied. 50 that 1t looks as II Mr..
Holmes would have to furnish a new
bond.
Mr. Holmes was asked to-day TO ex-
plain why his bondsmen were desert
ing him He said be did not wish 60
say anything rust now. but might give
out statement later on He offered
no hypothesis to explain the nervous
ness OF his sureties. From other
sources " was learned that certain in
fiuences IN the order OF the A. p. A
are at work among the commissioner
bondsmen. and II Il said that these
are friendly to County Treasurer
Hedges. OF whom the commissioners
recently REQUIRED a new bond for $780,
600 IL ~ claimed that Mr.. Hedges
friends. believing that he was not be-
ing fairly dealt with. concluded to get
back at the commissioner and try TO
have his Office declared vacant. Al
torney A. II. Garretson. who Is known
as a prominent member OF the A. p. A..
has notified Commissioner Holmes that
he desired TO appear and examine the
sureties on his new bond when II was
ready for filing.
The action OF the commissioners in
keeping nearly $4,000 OF the county
lun1S &n put NdullS O[ the court mouse
under guard Is taken as another cause
OF the Withdrawals. II Is limited that
fears are entertained as TO the liability
OF the treasurer or his bondsmen for
this money. which was taken from the
city banks and late First National
bank OF Puyallup about Oct. Is. IL has
since remained In the court house.
County Attorney Conner said to-day
! that he did not know OF anything the
board had done that would relieve the
county treasurer from his Liability as
custodian OF the funds.
After a surety wirhdraws from the
bond OF n county officer his liability
remains for ten DAYS. at the end OF
which time the official must file a new
bond. The sureties on Chairman
Holmes bond are therefore stlll Liable.
and the bond Is yet I'm effect. The
courts have held that an estate Il la
BILE where the deceased was a bonds
man, and 50 the liability OF the Stew
art estate for $4,000 Is good. II IS not
believed that Mr.. Holmes Will be un-
able to furnish the additional sureties-
Commissioner Holmes has until Nov.
n TO do this.