The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-01-28
COL. ROOTISIN TOWN
He'll Look Into the Woodward Whit
taker Timber Cutting Case.
FOR A FARMERS INSTITUTE
An Anonymous Letter to a Billings
Saloon Keeper Creates a Little
Comment-The M. c. Rail-
road Answers to Suits.

Great Fails, Jan. 27.-Col. John L.
Root, special agent of the interior de-
parrment, who is devotang his time TO
protecting the timber on government
land, is in town on official business, the
nature of which will crop out within a
brief time. While in this section OF the
county. the colonel will also visit Log
ging creek, the locality where the Whit
taker-Woodward shooting ARRAY &C.
CURED 10 days ago. and endeavor TO
find out what right either party had TO
cut timber on government land. While
in Helena the colonel received a letter
from the senior Whitaker demanding
that the inspector visit Logging creek
forthwith and stop Woodward and Sam
Dodd from cutting timber on the public
domain. Mr.. Whibtakers protest, II is
said, was backed by the assertion that
he wanted the timber himself. ana he
threatened to report Colonel Root to
the cretary of the interior unless the
inspector stopped his enemies from rob
bling the government. before he had a
chance to cinch the timber himself.
From present Indications, both the
Whfttalxers and Woodwards will be
gathered in under the col oners wings.
The coloneis report ON matters OF
different nature Is likely to create a
sensation upon his document being filed
with Secretary Hoke Smith.
The officers and directors Of the Cas-
cade County Agricultural association
have decided to hold a farmers insti-
tute at Belt on Friday and Saturday,
March and Z. and the secretary WAS
instructed to invite s. NJ Emsry, direct
or of the State Agricultural society, to
attend the institute and deliver an ad-
no faf rhga 70 rim faF~- M
Fergus, Teton, Choteau and other cOun-
ties will be invited to take parI in the
institute and prepare papers on various
farm and stock-raising topics. The date
for holding the fair at Belt has not yet
been decided upon.
lngs Gazette of recent date has at
tracted considerable comment here:
Tom Collins, the South Side saloon
keeper, received the following let
ter this morning, which rs self-explana-
tory:
"'Great Falls, Jan. 2O.-Mr. Collins
Standing unobserved in a certain place
in this city, l overheard a plot to kill
you on the 9th of February. / could not
hear any of the particulars, only IT
seemed as If 1t was some old grudge
against you, and knowing your name
and where you lived, 1 thought it my
duty to inform you, 80 as to put you
on your guard, and l hope You viii
take heed to 1t. Yours truly,
(Sfgned) IAN Old Soak"
The picture of the skull and cross
bones was drawn on the back of the
letter, which was written in a good
hand, but ii was evidently disguised
Mr.. Collins says he has no friends or
enemies in Great Falls that he knows
of, and takes very little stock in the
letter. He argues that If the writer
was friend of his. as he claims to be,
he would have signed his real name.
He believes the letter was not intended
for him at all, and thinks 1t may refer
to Tom Collins, the stonemason who
left here for the coast two or three
months ago. There are also several
men in the county named Collins, but
he knows of no other Thomas Collins"
Questioned tonight by a Standard
reporter. Chief of Police Germ said:
Yes, have read the anonymous letter
sent from Great Falls to Collins of
Billings, and hardly know what to
think of 1t. II 1T is Josh there is no
wit about 1t, and If there is any truth
in the letter the writer owes IL to Col
Inns as well as to himself to notify the
police of this city when and where the
conversation occurred. 1t will do no
harm for the Billings man to keep a
lookout for his alleged enemies, and
yet II / were Collins, / would lose no
sleep over the letter, which has been
written by some crank with a desire to
frighten him.
The Montana Central company filed
an answer to-day to the injunction pro-
ceedings instituted by the Great Falls
Water company to compel the railroad
to permit larger water mains to be laid
underneath it's tracks near the water
works. The railroad denies that the
wafer company has any title to the
land underlying its tracks at the point
mentioned on the ground that such title
was forfeited by the failure of the
water company to fulfill the conditions
OF Its franchise as to the size of mains
that should originally have been laid.
This between the water company and
the railroad promises to be a long
drawn out legal battle and in the event
OF an adverse decision in this court viii
appeal to the supreme court The rail-
road company made answer TO the suit
of Mrs. Dahlgreen and two children
against the Montana Central for 500. 900
damages on account of the death of her
husband, a fireman, who was killed near
Riceville. on the Neihart branch. last
August. as the engine was passing over
a bridge. The company denies that the
bridge is not up to the standard i'm con-
struction. and alleges that the death Of
the deceased was due to negligence on
his part.
DR. Brady is reported critically I'M and
has been removed to Columbus hospital
for treatment.
The ladies of the Liberal church will
give leap year ball at Elk's hall. Fri
day evening. II promises to be a swell
AFFAIR and will be largely attended
NOW AND THEN.