The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-09-15
AN IMPENDING WRIT OF
.fMANDAMUs.
NORTH Helm sTIRs THINGS
THE RECORDS OF THE
OFFICE.
SULLIVAN AND ANDERSON,
II
After Speedy Consultation, Decide
to Let Mr.. Helm See What
He Wants.

County Auditor Sullivan has narrow
City Comptroller McCardy occasion
ally runs up against-to his sorrow-a
mandamus. Mr. Sullivan invited At
tcrney MoritZ Helm to serve him with
one yesterday, but later Mr. Sullivan
concluded he would see the county at
torney and ascertain whether his Of
fetal constitution could stand the dose.
The county attorney, after hearing Mr..
Sullivan's description Of his predica-
ment, decided that it would be well to
call off Mr.. Helm before he could apply
his heroic remedy to the county au-
ditors case. so the county attorney
sent a message to Mr.. Helm, and Mr.
Helm didn't apply for mandamus.
1t all came about in this way. Mr..
Helm desired to gain access to certain
records in the county auditors Office
for the purpose of acquiring informa-
ton for a client. He called at the Of
flee last Wednesday morning and the
clerks allowed him. as they do all
citizens, access to the book he desired
to see. He called later in the day to
1OOA>
must see Mr.. Sullivan. He saw Mr..
Sullivan. Mr.. Sullivan, he says, re-
fused to let him examine the record.
Mr.. Helm insisted that he had the
same right of access to the public rec
ords as any other citizen. Mr.. Sulli-
van, he declares. denied him that
right MIR. Helm wondered If Mr.. Sui
Ivan treated him that way because
MI. Helm had played such an active
part in multiplying the acti of the 1896
board of equalizatio which Illegally
boosted the assessment 20 per cent in
the East Seventh street district. Per-
haps Mr.. Sullivan YVES sore against
him en- that account, thought Mr..
Helm
Perhaps you would like to go to
law over the question of my right to
examine any of the public records in
your office" suggested Mr.. Helm.
County Auditor Sullivan is not the
biggest man in the court house, but
he is bigger than Mr.. Helm by about
two inches longitudinally and several
more laterally, so he accepted the
for Mr.. Sullivan. Had he not con-
strued. applied and taken other liber-
ties with it himself?
So Mr.. Helm went out and hied him
self to the Office Of his friend, Thomas
d. O'Brien. If there is any labor o.
love that can tie proposed to Il. D.
O'Brien, it is the drawing of manda-
mus papers requiring a recalcitrant
county auditor to show cause. why h,
| shouldn't audit-that is hear-a citi-
zen when the citizen asks permission
/ to inspect the records.
| SO the papers were drawn. Scarcely
! had Mr.. Helm reached his own Office
| with the papers. when his telephone
rang. The County attorney was at the
ether erd of the line. That official in
! formed Mr.. Helm that a communica
| ton was en- It's way and would sooli
i be there. Five minutes later the doc
| ument arrived. 1t was Teprieve for
the county auditor. Stripped Of its
| legal verbiage, it read:
Dear Mr.. Helm: You or any other
citizen can walk into County Auditor
| Sullivan's Cffice today, tomorrow OF
! the next day and examine the contents
| of any book of public record there.
The county auditor hasn't word to
say. His duty is to do. net to say
The letter wasn't worded just thai
way, but that was it's purport.
! And this is how County Auditor
Sullivan got cut from under q crush
| ing mandamus.