The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1900-03-15
Choteau, Mont, March 9th, 1899,
To J. e. Erickson,
County Attorney,

County Attorney,
The undersigned Commissioners of
Teton county. Mont, respectfully request
that the case against G. T.. Bristol now
pending in the district court be dismiss
ed. We believe this to be the wish OF
almost all the large tax payers and OF
the citizens generally of the county; and
we further believe that the best in
terests of the county will be subserved
by thus ending the case. Ii therefor it
is not inconsistent with your sense OF
public duty we ask that the case be
stricken from the docket.
G. B. PERKINS, Chairman,
M. Connolly, Commissioner,
WIN. FOSTER, Com missi oner.
The people have entrusted to these
gentlemen the supervision of the affairs
of the county; by law it is their duty to
supervise the official conduct of all the
county officials, and they are charged
with assessing collecting, safe keeping,
management and disbursements of the
public revenues, to see that the county
officers faithfully perform their duties
and to direct prosecutions for delin-
quencies. While request of this kind
coming from the commissioners is per-
haps unusual, and while | am not ab5ol
utely bound by it do not feel at liberty
! to wholly disregard their wishes in mat
ter5 of this kind involving the expe1di-
ture Of the public funds
SECONDS: The defendants bondsmen,
who since the former trial have paid to
the county the full amount OF the short
age, have also requested that the pros
e ution OF the defendant be discontinued.
Their joint letter, the original of which
is herewith filed, to me is as follows:
Great Falls, Molt. March 2, 1899.
J. e. Erickson,
County Attorney
Choteau, Mont,
Dear Mr. Erickson;
! While we do not wish
rto interfere in the performance OF your
official duties nor do we wish to be con
sdered as interfering in matters which
do not concern US, we never the less teal
that it is our duty to write you and ask
you under all the circumstances of the
case to dismiss the prosecution you have
instituted and which is now pending
against Mr.. Bristol, the late county
treasurer of your county.
We do this for several reasons, among
which are the following:
First. We believe that Mr.. Bristol
never Intended 10 rob the county Of one
dollar, but through the performance of
his duties in manner TO: which he is at
fault and in order to help his friends out
we believe he issued receipts for monies
that ne Eever received and thus was
charged with the amounts.
Second We learn that it is the desire
OF all the principal tax payers OF your
county that this prosecution be dis.
missed, as they feel that Mr.. Bristol has
been cartainly sufficiently punished by
Icing obliged to expend money that he
was compelled to defend his case in the
district court and the Supreme court.
Third. The county has lost nothing
by the action Of Mr.. Bristol, as we, his
bondsmen. have paid up the full amount
Of his shortage,
Fourth. We believe that The old
gentieman can i'll afford the expense OF
another trial of this case and that the
Only purpose which another trial would
serve would be to harass him for those
who in his county have political griev
anc2s against him.
J Fifth. We believe that the interests
> of your county and of the tax payers OF
your county win be best subserged by d
discoatinuance Of this action.
And ia view OF all these c;rcum-
: stances we hope that you win entertain
this request with friendly spirit anc
take no offence at it, but give it due
? weight.
We are, yours truly,
GOLD T. CURTIS.
f. P. ATKINSON.
!. S. e. ATKTNsoN.
: DR.. j. II. FAIRFIELD.
$ Ia their zeal in Defendants behalf the
: int 70 bot tbic