The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-26

4 u
animation of the bills filed with the
county clerk of Ravalli county by }.
r Faulds, during the time he had tne
contract for the county pruning IN
said county, and after a comparison OF
the items therein charged with salo
contract, beg to report that the touai
of overcharges which L ma In saiu
bills amounts to $42O.29 cents.
"1Signed) w. S. Fortiner."
AS published exclusively in the
Standard to-day, the grand jury,
through their foreman, also turned
into court an indictment against >.
r.. Faulds, editor and publisher of the
Northwest Tribune of this place, for
criminal libel of Lew T.. Williams,
county clerk, and ]. f. Hendricks.
county commissioner, in charging
them, in a recent issue of his paper
with tampering with and altering
sealed bids for the county printing, OF
which charge the grand jury complete
ly exonerates them. The court hxed
Mr.. Faulds' bail at $500 and ordered
that he be brought into court for ar
raignment Monday, Jan. q, at o'clock
p. m. A warrant was at once issued
for his arrest and placed in the hands
of the sheriff. Court then adjourned
until s o'clock this morning.
Mr.. Faulds was arrested by the sher-
if this morning. He gave bonds for his
appearance in court next Monday
night.
The Tribune office, Mr.. Faulds' paper,
and its building, presses and entire out
fit, were attached at a late hour last
night, by Sheriff Chaffin, on an at
tachment suit yesterday filed in the dis
trict court by the Missoula Mercantile
company against him, on a promissory
note for $3.50. Sheriff Chaffin locked up
the building. 1t is open to-day. but the
sheriff is in charge. 1t is thought that
the Mercantile company, which has
held this note for a long time, is fear
full that the county will recover judg-
ment against Mr.. Faulds for 1920 and
that IL forestalled that action by get
ting in its attachment first. County
Clerk Williams and Commissioners
Hendricks have announced their inten-
ton of bringing civil suits for damages
against Mr. Faulds for libel and mali
cious. defamation of character. The
county commissioners had already or
dered the county attorney to bring suit
against Mr.. Faulds for the 1920 over
charged the county on county printing,
and as soon as this term of court is
over this will be done. The expert ac-
countant of the grand jury, w. S. For
timer, makes out Faulds' overcharges SO
more than the commissioners and the
county clerk had figured II, the COM
missioners and clerk making IL SAT-.
These overcharges extended over a pc
riod Of two years. while Mr.. Faulds held
a former contract for the county print
ing at specified rates. 1t is fair to state
that this was not done under the pres
ent county commissioners. The pres
ent county commissioners refused to
relet the county printing TO him and
that is the cause of this row, which has
eliminated in a grand jury and the ex-
posture Of the true state of affairs.
The report of the grand jury is a COM
plete vindication of the present county
officials, from all charges of fraud,
whatever, and from all charges of ir-
regularities. even, save a mild censure
of the county commissioners i'm regard
TO letting the present contract for ccun-
ty printing. But as nothing fraudulent
is charged and as the report distinctly
says that the commissioners let the
contract to the lowest bidder and act
ed in good faith, the mild reproof is
taken as evidence of a mistake In judg-
ment, only, on their part, and not of
any wilful wrong doing. The other
county officers, save one, are highly
compllmented. j. w. Lancaster, the
public administrator, is the only coun-
ty officer who is condemned by the re-
port of the grand jury. He is one of
the county officers not attacked by Mr.
Faulds.
The report of the grand Jury Is a
complete vindication of the officers who
have been so viciously attacked by Mr.
Faulds. and gives general satisfaction
To-day there is but one opinion ex-
pressed in town, and that is one of
commentator of the work of the Jury
Ravalli county is put right In the sight
of the state. 1t is to be regretted that
the matter was ever brought up, but as
II was, the result is the one which
every good citizen would desire.
The grand jury is now investigating
the murder of Pat Strongue at Flor
ence. AS stated in the Standard, last
week. new evidence has been discov-
cred and 1t is thought that the mys-
terry of the murder will be solved
Court adjourned till Monday evening.