Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1898-11-04
soL1o1TEDH1soL CLIENTS.
The STAR gladly publishes the fol-
lowing from Judge Cleveland, and then
the republican central committee hits
back one body blow:

Vne republican central committee hits
back one body blow:
In 1893 one error made about one
fourth of the tax invalid and another
made all of it invalid. Nevertheless
the property owners paid their tax, ex-
Cept few. These few were about to
be forced to pay the tax by means of
tax sales and the threatened issuance
of tax deeds. Gilbert M. Cleveland, q
lawyer, ferreted out and hunted up
these errors spoken of. He went to
the men who we're about to be forced
to pay their tax and informed them
of these errors aud of the law that
made the taxes invalid and asked them
to let him begin suits for them to "beat
the tax" Not only did he solicit them
to begin suits, but he offered to work
on the half-shares. That is, il he failed
to win the suits, il he failed to beat
the tax for them, he was to get moth.
ing But if he won then he got one
half of the winnings.
The foregoing portion of the article
published in the last issue of the STAR
and signed by the republican county
central committee is in every respect
false, SO far as my connection with it
Is concerned. I was employed by a
large number of the heaviest taxpayers
In Hot Springs, whose names 1 need
not give, but many of whom were lead
ing republicans, to fight against the H.
legal taxes of 1893. Before made any
Investigation whatever of the law as to
the legality of said taxes or suggested
to anyone that said taxes were illegal,
1 did not "ferret out and hunt up these
errors spoken of until was hired to
do so and paid in advance for so doing
by parties aggrieved by reason of said
illegal tax. After had been employed
and paid for SO doing did "ferret out"
and found that the county officers had,
In most reckless manner land as I
know of my own knowledge, in direct
violation of the instructions of Cham
bers Kellar, then county attorney
disregarded the plainest and most i'm
portant requirement of the law, in le-
vying such taxes, and found that the
defects were such as could not be re-
medied. then went to a number Of
those who had not employed me, but
who would, as knew, reap the benefit
Of the work was doing for others, and
had them sign an agreement in writing
to pay their share of the costs and at
torney's fees in the test cases to deter
mine whether or not said taxes would
stand, but none of said contracts called
for a greater attorneys fee than one
third of the amount saved to that tax
payer. There were some parties later
after had won the cases in court had
small amounts involved, who paid me
me ono half of the amount saved, but
there were many moro who took the
benefit of my work and obtained a re
bate on their illegal taxes, who never
paid me at all; and they are the ones
who are now criticising me. This fight
against illegal taxes in Fall River coun-
ty was not started by me but by my
clients, and if they had not employed
me they would have employed some
other attorney, and there was not an
attorney in Hot Springs or in the state
who would have refused the job.
G. NJ. CLEVELAND.
After reading the foregoing article
signed by Cleveland, by which he tries
to, but does not succeed in clearing his
skirts of the fault of which he is ac-
cused, read the following affidavit,
signed by John Oak, resident of
Edgemont:
STATE OF SouTn DAKOTA,
County OF LAWRENCE, SIS
I, John Oak, being duly sworn, say
that am the husband of Hannah Oak
who is one of the plaintiffs in the suit
of Hannah Oak and Hermine Wesch
plaintiffs. against Tho County of Fall
River, James Bradley as Treasurer OF
Fall Riner County, South Dakota. and
H. j. Thode, which suit is an action to
prevent u tax deed from issuing to