The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1899-09-20
AND ERsON SLIDES OUT.
The Town Board Dismissed the Case
Against Him.

|
| Against Him.
| At meeting Of the town boar
last F riday evening resolution wa
passed, signed by Chairman Nc
Beath and Supervisor Arseneau
Supervisor Nelson voting no, dis
missing the action of the town o
Washburn against Mike Anderson
This case involved between five anG
six hundred dollars, and grew out Of
Mr.. Anderson s administration as
town treasurer in the year 1886
The circumstances were familiar tC
almost everybody at the time, but as
it happened several years ago it is
perhaps necessary to state the orr
gan of the case. Along in the tax
paying time in the winter Of 1895 and
1896 P. J. Peterson was acting as
town treasurer. A number of the
lumbermen and heavy taxpayers re-
fused at that time to pay their taxes,
and litigation ensued between Mr..
Peterson as treasurer and the Com
panies. This dragged along until
after the spring election, when Mr..
Anderson was elected in place of Mr..
Peterson. The matter as to whom
was to continue the work of collect
ing the litigated taxes then came
into dispute, but the courts decided
that the rolls should remain in the
HANDS of Mr.. Peterson and that it
was his duty to collect the taxes for
the year in question. Mr.. Peterson
very vigorously proceeded to do
this, and was hampered, annoyed
and delayed by Mr.. Anderson, who
mad scarcely been elected until he
filed a boLd, most of the sureties up
on which were the litigants against
the town. Mr.. Peterson finally col
lected the taxes as he had been auth
orized to do and after having deduct
ed his fees, turned over to his success
or, Mr.. Anderson, what money he had
on hand. Anderson served one year
as treasurer, and when he went out
of office it was discovered he had
collected the same amount Of fees
which had subsequently been paid to
Mr.. Peterson. Anderson was in no
way entitled at any time to any por-
ton OF these fees and his only con-
nection with the collection of the
taxes for that year was as a tool for
the people who were fighting the
town and who had put themselves
upon his bond as soon after the
election as possible in order that
they might use him. But the courts
would not permit this and Anderson
could not figure even as fgurehead.
He neither worked for nor earned a
cent in reference to these taxes.
Last year the town began action to
recover from Anderson and his
bondsmen, and instructed Attorney
Mcleod to bring suit to collect
the amount due the town. The suit
had been commenced, the summons
and complaint had been filed, to
which Anderson made no answer.
At the term of court next month
judgment would have been ordered
against him as in default, for the
whole amount of the claim. Ander-
son realizing this, a short time ago
was practically ready to make pro-
position to settle with the town by
paying about one half. The town
board knew this, but for some unex
plainable reason, knowing that the
claim was worth one hundred cents
on the dollar and without consulting
their attorney who had the matter
in hand, summarily and without Civ
ing any reason therefor dismissed the
case. They might just as consist
emily have issued an order for six
hundred dollars to some one who
had done nothing to earn it as t
| have allowed Anderson to keep the
money which he has thus wrongtully
withheld from the town for three
years. He had absolutely no righ'
to it, and if this suit had been al
lowed to have taken it's course ht
would have been obliged to have
soc@eeeesoeoooeeseee9eee0g
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