Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-09-15

A CARD.
Decorah, Iowa, Sept. IL, 1896.

Decorah, Iowa, Sept. II, 1896.
EDITORS OF PUBLIC OPINION:
In card published by myself in the
last issue of the Decorah Republican 1
stated that had been told that Mr.. E.
P. johnson had been making certain
statements around the county concern
ing my connection with the first school
house bond election held in Decorah
some weeks ago. The following atfi-
davit is part of what L have been
told in that connections:
STATE OF IOWA,
WINNEsHIEK Co.
township, Winneshiek county, Iowa,
being first duly sworn, depose and say,
that T.. Z. johnson called at my house
in said township Sept. 6, 1896, and re-
quested me to support him in his can
didacy for the nomination as County
Attorney; that among the statements
he made against Mr.. n. Willett was
that he, Willett, was the City At
torney of Decorah, and while acting in
that capacity advised the Board of Di-
rectOrs of the Independent District
of Decorah in the matter of calling an
election for the issuing of bonds by said
District for the building of a new school
house, that mistake was made in the
matter of such election and that Mr..
N. Willett was to blame for the error,
having advised the Board in the mat
ter; that if Mr.. N. Willett was not
capable of drawing up as ordinary le-
gal notice as that connected with school
affairs that he, the said Willett, was
not fit for the office of County At
tOrney and Mr.. E. p. Johnson further
stated to me in that conversation that
Mr.. N. Willett would not serve out his
term as City Attorney; that Mr.. E. P.
Johnson further stated in that cOnver-
satiOn that he was among the first to
discover the error and that Mr.. n.
Willett was untitled for the office of
County Attorney. All of which is
true as / verify believe.
(SIGNED) ANDREW KNUTsON.
Subscribed and sworn before me this
10th day of Sept. 1896.
,-, w. M. ANDERSON
SEAL Notary Public.
For the purpose of showing Mr.. A.
Knutson's standing in Military town.
ship to those unacquainted with him,
the following certificate of well known
parties is attached.
Ossian, Iowa, Sept. 10, 1896.
We hereby certify that Andrew
KnutsOn is highly respected resident
of Military township, Winneshiek
county, Iowa, and man Of truth and
veracity.
(sIGNED) g. j. MILLS,
P. Nj. JEWELL.
AS disproving the statements of Mr..
Johnson set forth in the above affi-
davit L annex the certificate of the
Board of Directors of the Independent
School District of Decorah.
Decorah, Iowa, Sept. 8, 1896.
We hereby certify that in the mat
ter of the first DecOrah Independent
School District Election for the issue
of bonds, that neither Norman Willett
or Willett Il Willett were consulted in
regard to the notice or in any way
about it, and they had nothing what
ever to do with it.
AS matter of fact, the first notice
was drawn up by Mr. Hopperstad with
the assistance of E. P. johnson, but as
Mr.. Hopperstad failed to consult him
fully about the matter, we consider
that Mr.. Johnson is in no way to
blame. Mr.. Hopperstad did not ask
Mr.. Johnson to look up the matter
fully, and the defect-if there was one
was first discovered by the attorney
M tho YNor rftoS yhn, y, sod fh hNn6o
1t is not the duty of Norman Willett,
as City Attorney, to give the Board of
directors any legal advice.
T.. w. d. HOLwAY,
Pres. Board of Directors.
HENRY ELvIDGE,
A. f. ANUNDSEN,
l.. l.. CALDWELL,
A. N. VANCE,
r. +. b. PORTMAN,
JUL j. HOPPERsTAD,
Sec. Board of Directors.
wish to say that this certificate is
not as a matter of course an official
act of the Board, but only the indi-
vidual act of the members of the
Board, and further that l publish the
above as defense only. BY way of
explanation wish to add that Mr..
Knutson several weeks ago said that
he would support me, but after his
conversation with f. P. Johnson as re-
lated in the above affidavit he told me
that must disprove the statements of
Mr.. E. P. Johnson, otherwise he would
not support me and hence the above
affidavit and certificates.
Yours Respectfully,