The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-14
WINTERS TART NOTE
Rich Sarcasm Displayed in His
Letter 10 the Commissioners.
CORDlALlTY KNOCKED OUT
I he See-Saw Originates In the
Markley g. Arm strong-County
Controversy About Trans
fer of Orphan Children.
CORDlALlTY KNOCKED OUT

If this thing keeps up the honorable
board of county commissioners and
Auditor Winters will yet reach a state
where the cordial relations heretofore
existing among the county officials
may be seriously disturbed. A few
days ago the auditor disallowed a bill
of Markley & Armstrong, the tax list
contractors, and returned II to the
commissioners with his reasons for dis
allowing IL. The reasons were in type
written form and quite lengthy and
were attached to the returned bill as
part of the record.
Yesterday the commissioners made
an order. which was entered upon the
minutes of the board meeting that Mr..
Winters communication be detached
from the bill and returned to him, the
order further reciting the fact that the
board had previously received opinions
on the question involved from the
county attorney and the attorney gem
eral Mr.. Winters communication was
returned to him with the following
note written upon its back and signed
by David j. Charles. chairman of the
board of commissioners:
ordered returned as trash, and
should be consigned to the waste bas-
ket where ii properly belongs"
Later in the day Mr.. Winters sent
the original communication back to
the commissioners accompanied with
the following characteristic letter adj
dressed to the chairman of the board:
David j. Charles, NJ. p, Silver Bow
County. Montana: My Dear David
sincerely regret the necessity of hum
bling myself with noticing the colossal
ignorance portrayed in your attempt at
acting upon an official document. You
apparently are ashamed of the facts
connected with your official dealings,
and have attempted to destroy the rec
ords by detaching them. / return to
you, herewith, my report on the claim
of Messrs. Markley & Armstrong, and
l instruct you to leave this report at
tached to the bill. over my signature,
or l will apply the proper remedy to
you to confine your operations
TO a dignified execution Of the law.
You have taken occasion to question
my rights to address such a brilliant
aggregation OF lawmakers, Judges and
reformers as the people have identified
In your own. good selves. In this con-
nection, / want to say that l keenly
realize the strain on my dignity. caused
by the descension to a level that
might appropriately deal with your
actions. that come before me for Off
cial consideration. The duty of COM
with you on this subject,
would have gladly deputized the Fa-
nous Callahan to serve you but the
law makes 1t my duty. by virtue of |
section 1866 of the political code. and |
will not only perform 1t. but command |
proper respect as well. Very truly |
yours, w. II. Winters"
The commissioners have taken Mr.. |
last communication under |
serious consideration, and when they |
made an order yesterday afternoon |
relative to the removal of the children |
II the Women's and Children's home /
% the State Orphans home, they be- |
anne very deferential and asked the
auditor IL he would please take steps"
% have all county charges at the home
to Twin Bridges as soon as
possible.
The commissioners put in the greater
,art of the day in examining and
hecking up warrants against the
books. They will be in
ession again to-day.