The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-28
A Fake Interview.

Some of the republican newspapers OF
the state have been mentioning, with
considerable frequency and applause.
the name of Mr.. Niedenhofen, of Butte,
in connection with the republican nom
ination for secretary of state Mr..
Niedenhofen is an ambitious young
gentleman of the republican persuasion
and has a reputation as a republican
worker. Mr. Niedenhofen is now in the
city of Washington. We don't know
whether he went to Washington 10
drive out the Crees, or to increase the
tariff on wool. or to attend the silver
conference, or to boom government
building for Butte, or to see whom
Senator Carter wishes to run for secre-
tary of state, or what. 1t is nobody's
business but his own why he went to
Washington, anyway. 1t is sufi1clent
for the public TO know that Mr.. Med
enhofen is in Washington in propria
persona and that he has been talking
to the Washington Post, in last Thurs
DAVIS issue of which esteemed contem-
porary is printed the following:
1.-THE last legislature of Montana, of
which l was a member, passed a law pro-
hibiting gambling" said Nj. ii. A. Med
enhofen, a prominent business man OF
Butte, at the Riggs house. For TWO
months last year all the gaming houses
In Butte ceased operations, and then the
supreme court having decided that the
law was unconstitutional, the houses re-
opened. These places are licensed. and
are run openly on the ground floor OF
buildings on the principal streets IheHe
are about 20 sporting establishments, and
| they turn in a big pile of money to re-
plenish the finances of the city, county
| and state. Faro is the leading game, and
| the total tax on each table amounts to
about 5000 per annum. As nearly all the
| houses maintain three or four layouts,
| IL is obvious that they must take in
large sums of cash. All of them have the
reputation of strictly honest dealing.
"A large percentage of Buttes popula-
| ton are given to bucking the tiger Bust
| ness and professional men drop i'm during
| the day or evening to try the tickle god
| dess of luck, and the mining population
| constitute a steady clientage. There are
| about 5000 men i'm the mines whose wages
| average s.. SO per diem. Most OF them are
! without families, and as they make more
| than enough to live on, IL is natural Tor
/ them to seek the excitement OF the card
| table. The business is conducted in very
| orderly manner and boisterous scenes ART
| rare The places are kept tightly closed
| from midnight Saturday till the same
hour of the next day. During the interval
that the houses remained closed last sum
mer business of all kinds suffered. One oil
the leading druggists in the town told
me his trade fell 40 per cent. Public senti
ment will have TO undergo revolution
out our way before open gambling can b'
done away with"
| IL MIR. Niedenhofen is correctly quoted
by the Post. we would respectfully bel
leave to differ with him I'm several i'm
portant particulars. But we do not be
lieve he is correctly quoted by the Post
In the first place he was not membe
of the last legislature; and we hardl
think he would care to boast of it.
he had been. 1t is true, we believe, tina
Mr.. Niedenhofen was in Helena durin
the session. There is no doubt at a
) that he was there during Mr.. Carter
campaign for the United States senat,
Mr.. Niedenhofen was a Carter man an
rendered Mr.. Carter all the assistanc
he could. When Mr. Carter took up hi
, headquarters in the Helena hotel. the
say Mr.. Niedenhofen carried his gri
, into the hotel for him. The porter prob
> ably was not around. 1t was one I
, those pleasant little acts of courtes
: which make polite society so delightf'
5 TO all who can appreciate II. Mr.. MED
A enhofen was very industrious aroun
the Helena hotel those days. AS W
, said before. Mr.. Niedenhofen is a n
q publican worker, and his work is nC
! as coarse as a rail fence.
( Still he was not a member of the las
legislature, and we don't believe }
eyer said so. Nor can we bring oul
0 selves 10 believe that he ever hbeled II
business and professional men
| Butte" in the manner described in II
e interview. Nor is 1t credible that Oh