Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1898-10-21

tn6a ne mas Qulte n0m0er OF bills due
him outstanding, some of which he will,
perhaps. never get. I would feel like
gsg!ng nm credit spazingN
Respectfully. H. A. ARMsTRoNa.
II would be interesting 10 know how
many other Emmons county settlers the
states attorney has "backcapped" to the
mercial agencies that seeks TO pry into
the affairs of private citizens. The writer
gets number Of these inquiries every
year, and be at once turns them over to
the parties inquired about, for they best
know the condition Of their own business.
Yet some people say that y sneak and a
backcapper should be elected because,
forsooth, the other man is ~ stranger"
An Illegal Tax Levy.
During Mr.. Armstrong; term az audi
tor he put on the books county general
fuud tax levy for 1888 of mills on the
dollar and for 1894 OF 7.3 mills on the
dollar. Yet the law stated plainly that 6
mills was the highest that could be levied
for that fund. Aud this wholly illegal
tax came out of the taxpayer. We give
this item to show that while in the audi
tors Office Mr. A. did Just rs he pleased,
regardless of tax laws.
Mr.. EeFnald Wants to See Him.
Mr.. g. 8. Fernald is tax.commissioner
Of the Northern Pacific railroad COM
pany. He 10 the man whose duty it is to
try to get railroad taxes cut down, or
thrown of, or in any other way to get
such action as will allow his company to
crawl out Of paying its share Of the taxes
necessary for running the county. What
wrote to Mr.. Fernal1, the Record does
not know. But one thing we do know
Mr.. A. Is the only county officer who has
ever had free ticket sent him by the
Northern Pacific railroad company with
request that he come to st. Paul to
"tslk over matters" Certainly the rail-
road officers do not treat Auditor Brad.
dock that way. They don't send him
| passes to 60 to St. Paul to consult with
their officers. We give the following
letter, which Mr. A. forgot and left with
| 9 lot OF other papers when he went out of
the auditors Office:
Northern Pacific Railroad Company, OF
fice of Tax Commissioner, st. Paul. Minn.,
Jan; I,., q, 1898. III: A; Armstrong, Esq,
Wflliamsport N. D.: Dear Sir: Yours Of
tho oath inst. to hand, and 1 herewith in.
close you trip pass No. IL. $50, in your fa.
vor, from Bismarck to st. Paul and return,
good until Feb. 18th, in order that you may
be able to come down here that may CON
suit you about the business written In youi
favor Of the Oath. Hoping to see you soon,
an yours, very truly, G..s. F1aNAID.
skins ths Treasurer.
When Mr.. Merrill, q straightforward
honest citizen of Winons, was elected
treasurer, it was understood that n. W.
Allen "a man against whose honesty a
word has never been said before OF
since wac to be -his deputy: Mr.. Allen
/ was to meet Mr.. Merrill! al WilIiamspOrl
on q certain day and be appointed deputy
treasurer, and on that day he came. Bul
Armstrong got hold Of Mr.. Merrill, and
law, MIR. 8. e. Kurtz, was appointed
deputy. The Record claimed then that
while filing the position Of auditor, Mr.
Armstrong would also run the treasurer 6
Office. These are two offices which the
law supp0ses are 10 be check one upon
the, other, as they have tO receipt fire.
qnently for papers passing from one Il
the other. The Record also claimed tina,
the people paid Armstrong we'll for doing
the work of auditor, and that he had M
right to take time which the people pait
for to run the treasurer's Office. HI
dgnied to dOzens Of persons that he hsC
and would not get q cent for. any assis
tance that he might give Mr.. Kurtz. Th.
following letter from Mr.. Merrill
forgotten by Armstrong when he left the
county building-shOws whether OF no
he told the truth:
Cranberry River, Wis, Feb. Z, 1888
Friend Armstrong: Your letter has JUS
reached me. In regard to your pay
I will say that it was my understanding q
the time I saw you, previous to the ap
pointment of Mr.. Kurtz as deputy, that h,
was to work tor the same amount pait
you, and that was to pay you to instruc
him. But you made contract with hin
giving him three-fourths Of my salary.
did not kick; but 1 thought that. if his por
ton amounted to more than 5000, he shonl,
settle with you. Now, do not know th
amount we have received from the count,
since Mr.. Kurtz has attended to the bust
ness. but somewhere near $1,1OO. Tha
would give him over $500 Ii this state
ment is correct, think he can afford 4
pav yOu. y JAMES D. MERRILL,
Iron River, Wis.
After Mr.. Kurtz had been appointc,
deputy, and MIR. Allen had gone home
Armstrong turned to another county
officer and said: ''If Mr. Allen want
anything, let him come and see me-" 4
fine state of affairs. isn't it. when maj
wanting any official position must 60 T.
/ tu0 kECbt 0CS0 ~ 66A AOE III
Refer 1t TO the states Attorney.
II In letter to the treasurer Of thi
I, county, in 1896, Mr.. G. 8. Fernald, th
aforesaid railroad tax commissioner, ask
to be allowed to pay the taxes on pal
tax list, SO that the part coaltl,be sold an
q deed given, which deed could not b
recorded while taxes we're owing. In hi
}, letter to the treasurer, Mr.. Fernald, lh
same man who sent Armstrong, the aud
. tor. q pass OF which to 60 to st. Pau
says: Il feel quite sure that, II 70
4 would refer this matter to your count
attorney, he would advise you that ths
would be the proper course TO pursu,
Will YOU Kindly advise me il you cannt
do this?" Evidently Mr.. Fernald ha
faith 10 the county attorney.
Appears Against . Csunty ORSscsl
|. In the summer OF 1891, while Jude
Sauter was here. Mr.. Armstrong appesre
before him 10 q tax matter in the interel
, Of nonresident landowner and againl
county officer. Mr.. Armstrong sske
Auditor Braddock TO certify 10 The Gas
the ground that certain taxes on th
books were not legal. The auditor +,
fused, and made certificate only u I
the facts. claiming that he had no rigt
TO settle point Of Law. Armstrong 81
piled for writ of mandamus to compt
the auditor to certify that the taxes wei
paid. He did not serve notice on M
! BraddOck until short time before th
hearing Of the case. The commissioner
were In session and the auditor vi
/, rushed with work. But the commission
ers let him OF and he prepared b
{ answer. When the case was called d
\ r. 4 49, ~tah