The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-12-29
GOV. MCCONNELL ACTS
He Assumes a Duty That He Says
DtvOlVsS Upon Him
NAMES COUNTY ATTORNEYS
II Is Among His Last official
Moves and Legal Complications
Are Likely to Arise No
Pen Contract.

Special Dispatch TO the STANDARD
Boise. Dee. 2S-CoyeTnor Mcconnell
has decided To- take the bull by the
horns in the matter of the district at
torneyships Al the recent election II
constitutional amendment was adopted
providing for "A prosecuting attorney
for each county instead OF district at
torrleys, The district attorneys, i've In
number. IN the state, were state uui-
GERS. elected every four years and those
In office at the time Of the adoption of
the amendment had two years more Io
serve. The question was then raised
as To whether the adoption nt the
amendment had abolished the office of
district attorney, and II so, whether the
county attorney Is n county or state
officer. In view of the fact that an
other constitutional amendment. which
was adopted at he same time, IN emu
mcrating county Offices, made no men
tion Of prosecuting attorney, Governor
Mcconnell. after first coming to the
conclusion that the district attorney
office was abolished. decided that the
new offices were state and not county.
and he proceeded to-day to name the
men to MI the places for term ut two
years. He named prosecutors for 10
out OF 81 0f the counties and VIII APP
point Others at once. This VIII cause
quite a row.
The district attorneys u Is said. VIII
refuse to give up their Offices and other
legal complications will arise. Poliu-
cal disturbances will also follow as the
demo -b"pulist fuslonisls see in the gov
ernor's action on the eve Of his retiring
from office little political startcgy
that they do not at all relish.
The men appointed to-day are as
follows. Bannock. e. 4. Warner, Po-
eatcllo; Cassia, Il. :. Howells, Albion
Deer Lake. X. :. Spencer, Montpelier
bingham, H. X. Linger Idaho Falls
Oneida, ID. &. McDougall, Malad; Lin
coin, V. llierkower. Shoshonc; Blaine.
y. VI. Bruncr. HALEY: Custer y, j,
sharp. Challis, Lemhi, +. j. Clowan.
salmon city Elmer, w. &. HOWE.
Mountain Home; Ada, $. L.. Upton.
Boise; Canyon. J. I. Morrison, cald-
we'll; Washington, John w, Ayers,
Welser: Nez perCe. Jumes T.. Babb,
Lewiston; kootenai. q, l.. iieitman,
Rathdrum: Latah. j. II. West, Moscow.
The litter of notification In each In
stance Is in this form Boise, Idaho,
Dee. ~. lss6.-Dear Sir, have this day
appointed you as attorney for your
county. This appointment is made To
NIL the vacancy by the adoption of the
amendment of the constitution provtd-
ing for such AN officer. and In conform
ity with the provision ot the amend
ment which provided for the office of
county superintendent of public
schools. and states that no other Of
fees shall bc re-estahlishcd, In nam
ing these officers the office of county
attorney was not named. consequently
the office not being a county Office, the
commissioners cannot Ill IL by appoint
mcnt and the duty devolves upon nae.
Hoping that my action may be agree
able To- you and satisfactory Ia the peo-
pie OF your county. am, with the com
plimcnts OF the season, very respect
fully.
Nv. ]. Mcconnell. Governor"
The state prison board held a special
session to-day To consider the bids sent
In 10y Conley a. McTague. the Montana
contractors, for the maintenance of the
penitentlary. They offered TO take the
contract, including payment of all sal
aries and expenses incurred in running
the institution. AT the rate of AN cents
per man per day for the first loo prison
ers and - cents for all In excess of
that number II was rejected and the
matter uf letting "A contract lapsed so
far as this administration is concerned