Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1898-02-12
MAYOR GUILTY OF MlSREPRE.
SENTIN0 RECORDS.

can of Feb. s Mayor Norton charges
me with receiving one hundred dol
lars for my time and expenses in
defending the railroad right of way
case against the city of Baxter.
Now, I say without fear of contra
diction that this charge is false in
every particular, and all l ask of
the people OF Baxter Springs is for
theH to go to City Clerk Ryop who
has the records in his possession,
and look on page $40. l was mayor
at that time, and although might
not have been model mayor, l did
not receive "a dollar for my time
aud very little for my actual en-
penses. This was before the days
when the mayor of this city dele
gated TO himself the authority OF
being mayor, council and city at.
torney. This is what Mr.. Norton
says of my conduct as mayor; now,
read his statement and see IL he
did not try to traduce me and place
me in very bad light before the
people of this city with whom l
have done business all the years
| have lived in Baxler Springs.
Mayor Norton says: "On page
$40, ]. J. Fribley, nayor--the follow
ing entry may be found: Resolved,
that the sum of 800 be allowed and
paid to Mayor J. J. Fribley, time
and expenses, in defending the
railroad right of way cases agains,
the city of Baxter Springs. Kan, a
bill of which is here filed, that or
ders the uses the word orders) be
issued for the same"
Icalled on Clerk Ryon, after read
ing the above, and asked to see the
records. Mr.. Ryon went to Mayor
Norton's residence, got the records,
brought them to his shop. and the
following is what l found on page
$40 in regard to this matter:
"Mr. Perkins offered the follow.
ing resolution and moved its adop-
ton: Resolved, that the sum of 500
be allowed and paid TO {. d. Me.
serve. ]. g. Polster and J. J. Fribley.
their expenses in defending the
railroad right of way suits against
the city, bills of which are here filed
and that orders be Issued for the
same. Seconded by Mr.. Cooper.
Vote stood, Yeas, Humphrey, Coop
er aud Perkins; nays, none
Do you see anything in the above
that says l got one hundred dollars
for my time and expenses in de-
Tending the above suit. Which do
you believe, Mr.. Norton or the rec
ords made and written at the time ::
This ia not all / found on the rec
ords: The word "their," following
]. ]. Fribley, had line drawn with
a pen across il, and above ii was
written "time and" in a different
ink, and the handwriting of some
one that bore no resemblance to
that of C. S. McFadden, who was
then city clerk and kept the records.
Now, / don't say that c. S. McFad-
den did not write "time and" above
the word "their," but 1 do say that
il set me to guessing. l never did
and do not now think that Mr.. Nor
ton, because he was mayor of the
city, should not receive some COM
pensation for his time spent in
looking up the evidence, and his
actual expenses incurred, but /
claim with ninety per cent of the
taxpayers of this city that his bill
is unreasonably high, more espe-
ciaily so when it is known on the
authority of Mr.. Cooper, Mr.. Hornor
and other citizens of this city, and
the clinching evidence of Col. Chas.
Blair, attorney for the Memphis
railway, that Mr.. Norton had little
or nothing to do with the final set
tlement of the case.
/ fully agree with Mr.. Norton, and
regret with him, "that the 'contro-
versy should have found it's way in
the papers" still further regret
that Mr.. Norton with malice afore-
thought should resort to such un-
derhanded methods to injure me.
and other citizens of this city;
and what reason does he give for
this assault? He says We criticized
his bill for his services as attorney
in the Bond case. ls it not shame
that ]. NJ. Cooper, c. W. Daniels and
other "so,.th end animals" as he
sees fit to call us, should say that
his bill is too high? A $500 at
torney fee by man scarcely known
as a lawyer outside Of this little
town? Yet the tax payers must not
open their mouths for fear of offend
ing his majesty! Down with such
insolence and rot! Men who have
drop of manhood in their bodies
are going to kick when they believe
they have just cause to do so,
whether the Honorable Mayor fixes
il or not.
And now, Mr.. Norton, If you are
honest you will confess to the peo-
pie of this little town that / did not
get 500 for my time and expenses