The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-22
POINTERS BY JULIEN
The Tribune's References to Matters
Pertaining to Butte.
A NOTICE TO THE AUDITOR
Suggestions In Regard to the Thug
Element in the Big Campfire
Reported Sale OF Ana
conda Stock.
A NOTICE TO THE AUDITOR

auditor, has become involved in a long
distance controversy with the Great
Falls Tribune over a hospital bill for
the care and treatment of the Lynch
boy. who was stabbed and fatally in
jured by David Mansfield. The auditor
refused to allow the hospital bill be-
cause the dying boy was not taken to
the county hospital and the Tribune
took the auditor to task for his alleged
arbitrary action. Mr.. Winters took ex-
ceptions to the remarks of the Great
Falls paper and wrote a letter which
brought out the following interesting
editorial apology"
Mr.. w. H. Winters, the county au-
ditor of Silver Bow, takes exception to
paragraph in the Tribune a few days
ago, in which he was criticised for re-
fusing to audit the bill of hospital to
which a seriously wounded man had
been removed for treatment, and which
bill was afterwards ordered paid by
Judge Speer of the district court. AS a
Justification for his conduct the auditor
sends us the contract with the mana
ger of the poor farm, the contract with
the county physician and a written
opinion by Judge Mediation in a case
in which the auditor claims exactly the
same question was raised and an ad-
verse decision given
The only reasonable point that the
auditor makes in his letter and the ac-
companying documents is that in it's
contract with the county physician the
county had provided for the treatment
of emergency cases at the hospital of
the contract physician. which is but a
little further distant from the scene of
the tragedy under discussion than is
the hospital to which the victim was
taken. This the Tribune did not know
when the article complained of was
written, and II goes without saying that
the policeman who took charge of the
wounded man should have removed
him to the emergency hospital. Yet the
ignorance or mistake of an officer does
not excuse the auditor for refusal to
pay the bill. The owners of the insti-
tuition were innocent; after the patient
had been received ii would have been
dangerous to remove him, and as a
matter of humanity and justice they
should have been paid and the police
notified to, in future, take such cases
where they properly belong.
I'm his letter to us Auditor Winters
makes no effort to conceal his animus
against the court, the county attorney,
the proprietor of the hospital, and,
lastly, the policeman. He rather takes
especial care to give them all a roast.
AS these gentlemen are all able to take
care of themselves we will drop that
branch of the subject and take up the
opinion of Judge Mediation. 1t appears
that during the session of the legisla-
ture in 1898 the commissioners of Silver
Bow county made an order directing
the chairman of the board to go TO Hell
ena to urge certain needed legislation.
Upon his return he presented a bill of
expenses which Mr.. Winters, then and
now auditor, refused to approve. APP
lffa I'm ia 10 tn ATAI
for an order compelling the auditor to
approve the same. The Judge after
quoting the law giving him authority
to review the disapproval of the auditor
in cases arising from arbitrary action
or mistakes in Judgment on his part
concludes: 1T is only when II clearly
appears that the claim which has been
disapproved by the county auditor is
properly presented legal one against
the county that the judge should inter-
fere to order 1t paid. 1t is only neces-
sary for me to say that the claim be-
fore me does not meet this require
ment'
The decision applied to a special bill
and the auditor has no license to say
that had the hospital bill been before
Judge Mediation he would not have
done as Judge Speer did and ordered II
paid.
Whether Mr.. Winters is right or
wrong in his contention, he has, curl
ously, forgotten, or wilfully suppressed
an important incident that was part of
the dispute over the lobbying bill of
the commissioner out of which grew
the Mediation decision. At that time
Winters also had business at Helena
in connection with legislation affecting
his department, and the county clerk
was in the same boat. Both of them
went to that city. When, upon his re-
turn, the commissioner presented his
bill the auditor and county clerk also
presented their accounts and the form
err notified the commissioners that II
that body would pass his expense bills.
and that of his friends, he would audit
and approve that of the commissioner.
The offer was declined, and none of
them got a penny. AS was previously
mentioned, Winters lisa candidate for
state auditor"
Editor Julien keeps in close touch
with affairs in Butte. The last issue
of the Tribune contained the follow
ing editorial references TO matters per-
tanning to Butte:
IF the thugs and holdups who are
now infesting Butte and successfully
carrying on their depredations, con-
tinue the game much longer, in def
ance of the authorities, they will be
entitled to recognition as belligerents,
If not complete independence from the
city government. The audacious ma
rauders appear to have adopted the
tactics of the Gomez raiders. and
Butte is making as little Roadway in
suppressing them as Spain is i'm stamp
ing out the insurgent Cubans. The
Butte jails are filled. but IL is very evil
dent room should be made for a few
more boarders, If the citizens expect to
enjoy the privilege of being absent
from their homes after O'Clock in the
evening. IL is a bad state of affairs.
Do the people intend 20 grin and bear
it,"
Among the bills pending in congress