Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1898-03-25
ter secretcd it in Bismarck after he found
that Treasurer Allen was In town.


-.
1t is matter for congratulation that
the man who robbed the mail was found
out. Had it not been SO, everybody
would have been suspicious. There. we're
some friends of the Boutlliers who were
sure that the Williamsport postmaster
was guilty, and we regret to say that G.
few of them seemed quite sorry that
the guilty person was found and the load
of suspicion lifted from the head of an
innocent mana suspicion that would
have stuck to him through life. And the
Record would fail in its duty as public
chronicler should it hesitate now to re-
count the manner in which systematic
effort has been made TO ruin Lincoln
Cell, the postmaster at this place.
About year ago Mr.. Cell, who for
number of years had been farming about
five miles from Williamsport, knowing
that there was sure TO be a change as
soon as the democratic postmaster's
four years had expired, circulated peti-
ton for the place. Mr. Cell had been
courteous with everyone aud an accom-
modating neighbor. and he had no
trouble in securing the signatures Of
four-fifths of the patrons Of the office.
The man most enthusiastic for Mr.. Cells
appointment was j. L. Boutillier. who
not only signed Cells petition, but kept
it in his store and secured number of
signatures thereto. Mr. Geil refused
J..I, al, <o 1o.,x 4 l., - Il n.
to obtain the removal of the democratic
postmaster before his term had expired,
although solicited to do so. And thus
matters stood until last fall, when Mr..
Cell opened store at Williamsport
Mr.. j. L. Bou,illier at once became
his enemy and went back on his previous
efforts to assist in procuring the Office
for Mr.. Cell. Mr.. Cell was appointed.
Then Il remembrance WAS gotten up. 1t was
| circulated by Robert Dickson, sr., who is now
and WAS when he circu latcd the pa eer-un-
der bonds for appearance ~ the next term Of
the district court on charge of assault with e
dangerous weapon. The remonstranee was ono
of the most ihamous documents ever put forth
in an effort TO brinsruin and disgrace upon an
Innocent man and upon his family. This re-.
nonstrance was signed by the Dicksons, and
| by the Boutilliers except j. L., who had signed
| aud obtained signatures for Cells petition, and
| could not therefore sign the malicious, lying
| screed which the conspira,ors dignifed by the
| title Of Remembrance" 1t was also signed by
few other people whose names were obtained
through Misrepresentation OF the facts. Very
few of Cells friends SAW the remonstranoe
| and mOst Of them were ignorant OF it's contents.
The screed was sent to Washington, and that
| lyu he lust NJ IT. 4 Ia Il h.t
every appointment Of a postmaster the depart
ment gets just such malicious stuff from some
ono more OF the app ontee's enemies.
! Now, mark the conditions existing at the time
the mail sack was robbed. A paper had been
circulated accusing Cell OF crime, and thereby
quitting him under suspicion. Is il not prob
able that it was thought that, after the package
lad been stolen, suspicion would pass tho
guilty one and attach to Cell? Is II not more
than likely that young Boul,llier believed that
Gei-whom by signing Dickson's paper he had
accused Of crme-would be the one who would
be arrested and prosecuted, and not himself?
And what was the charge against Lincoln
Gel that WAS made in the paper signed by the
Dick sons and the Boutiilsrs aud sent to Wssha
ington-the charge that was So industriously
circu lated Immediately after the robbery? Let
US see7
The Remembrance circulated by Dickson
against Cells appointme ent stated that when he
was postmaster At Winchester, several years
ago, he stole money from y reg istered letter and
then left the country. The facts are these:
Some eight or nine years ago q. H. Bumstead
was postmaster At Winchester, In this county.
Lincoln Cell was his deputy. g. W. Lynn
| m i1rda n ixtare0 lat m H.n.v " T~,a.
Manitoba horseman who had been in the Beaver
creek valley with horses for sale, and for whom
Mr. Lynn was acting as attorney. MIR. Lynn
had witnesses when he put the money in the
letter. He saw Ar. Cell seal tho registered
package, but, like Mr.. Allen in the recent case
he did not SEQ him put It In the mail sack. Nj.
Cell did not run away from The county. The
Record ales Of the time stats that Lincoln Cell
and Charles A. Foster would soon leave Win.
chester aud 60 70 Fort Pierre, where they would
establish . general store. When they left, .hs
Record also stated the fact of their lesvius,
They did goto Fort Pierre and they did open
store; but there was . store In nearly every
building. The boom caused by the opening Of
the reservation died out, and the enterprise oe
Tho two, young men struck bottom Within :
month mo 1n Gsii, i, then went 70 Detroit Mich, his
Bros, one OF tne largest firms of ofmanufsctuFtng
chemist. che, ia tue Uni!ed States. for whom Af.
l
ling 70 NUrCh Dakota, he secured q situation 10 x
= slree.-csr conductor, at . salary Of .sont S66
month. The Rsoosd also aanounesd that Gsil
bad obtained position at his old home. Yha&
s diant M lock &. 2. shoaKh young Cell Was fugt-
Two years after the young man leit Winchss-
Ter he received word from the postal authorities
thai ~. Jones, 70 whom the registered letter
had pasn:b :bent BY Ar. Lynn, charged that the
j packdk6 had been opened and the money Come
Snsi @ y Ss snsrsfro% He was Also aformel
age :. Winchester for tte mail, he would hsys
ttoEg{SAck 70 North Dskots and aasiststA clsAs-
iak the matter up. He wrote TO his pTopls hese
ddIps .hs trouble, aanyiaE positysly that
no'nsG been connected IN any WayWisA tha q.
10, isEsd loss Of the money, and esssrsns shas 3:
package was placed by him ID slc unaN 80.
9uss e every other xegistaro6 paAkaeaWa6 -
placed. But thsre va 70 way out g tnS =.
tortunats Greoicainent-a pre- adannsn& u 81
! any postcdhce smployo may b placed WN3is 81!
Ieg1eaefed package that has passed ShxouGh Sf6S
n9no9 has oeen STOLEN OF lts contents A1laGoAl6
i nave psea saoisn-except - sasi1fy H. MA1 I
lcontisssd on Rbsrtk