The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-10-05

stated, are not, as may be easily under
| sto5d. made part Of the records OF the
| superior court OF Pierce county; but those
records fully substsntiate these facts. as
more serious jc,,bery by which Commits
siOHer Mcdonald sought to cover his
tracks.
Rumors of Crookedness.
u was not until along In the autumn Of
1871 that rumors gained circulation o. dis
honesty and Illegal practices OF Dairy
Commissioner Mcdonald. Of which the
Nicely. the two Portmanns and the Albert
cases are samples. In addition TO these
wards became known among the dairy
men OF the state as the Baby's dirty lin
en- case In this case 1t was said that
Mcdonald has personally levied and coli
lected fine from dairyman Of Pierce
county named Barrett. for the alleged
reason that one Of the commissioners
household washing dirty baby linen in q
milk pail. hbf0lufely no record Of this
ease appears ir any Of the Pierce county
courts
These rurnor.. particularly OF the Nicely
and Barrett cases. gained such ciroula-
tiou that Commissioner Mcdonald be-
came alarmed, and, as subsequent inyes-
tigation provrs. toc, certain precautions
TO clean up, the face OF his ensavory rec
ori .@~~ ~
The Dairymen's Association was to meet
I'm December. isss and the commissioner
realized that upon Its Endorsement DO
pended his chance OF confirmation by tho
state senate ~ meet early. In January.
1893. From his headquarters In Tacoma
began 10 emanste. reports of the good
work done In behalf OF the dairysing sf-
dustry during hts brief time in Office; OF
the cxcellen. showing being made by the
>dairies and manufacturers IN ali parts OF
the state under his ofiicial surveillance,
and all manner OF stories nattering TO
those ntsresed z aaryns but 9 Msn Of
Of these reports and stories were publish
ed in newspapers throughout the state.
Accused before the Association.
when the l. airymens Association met
In Eilensburg, December "a, 1898, II soon
Lecame apparent that Mcdonald had In
some way gained the favor OF nearly all
the large dealers Much attention was
paid to him. and on the closing day OF the
convention, December 20, resolutions were
introduced highly complimentary to his
conduct in Office.
At this point OF the proceedings SEN
safion was caused by A. II. Meade. of
Auburn. one OF the leading dairymen and
cheese manufacturers. of King county.
Mr.. Meade objected TO the resolutions.
He charged Mcdonald with dishonesty,
with the adoption of Illegal methods OF
enforcing the laws and accused him OF
standing In with the dealers to the detr,-
ment OF the producers and manufacturers
OF the state and to his own. pecuniary adj
vantage. Mr.. Meade read the letter writ
ten by Deputy Commissioner Mcintosh
TO Mr.. Nicely, OF orillia and referred to
the rumor OF the Barrett case. in sup
port OF his charges.
Commissioner Mcdonald was given q
hearing and responded with show of
great INDIGNATION. According TO the re-
port Of the meeting published at he time;
sensational methods OF doing business
and did not feel like rushing into court
and piing up expenses. OF the Barrett
legged ofense was such that grcat injury
would have resulted to Barretts business
had the matter been given publicity
he repudiated the action of his deputy.
Mcintosh. saying that he had never au-
thorised the hning OF Nicely, although
II will be noticed that Mcintosh distinct
~ says In his letter that he had been In
structed by Mcdonald.
McDonnids explanation and appeal 10
the dairymen. coupled with his recog-
nixed pull among the dealers proved ef-
fective. The complimentary resolutions
were passed.
The Numors Investigated.
After the adjournment of the Dairy
mems Association those opposed to Com
missioner Mcdonald determined 10 trace
down other rumors concerning his
practices and II possible to secure
positive evidence TO be presented to the
state senate In . contest against his con-
drmation. Unfortunately this evidence
was not In hand un,il after the senate.
converting early In January. 1899. had con-
hrmed Mcdonald in the ONCE which he
still holds
The EFFORTS 10 secure the evidence. how
ever were entirely successful. and In the
course OF the Investigation. unexpected
Information was gained showing how
Dairymen's Association and later before
the state senate, had made a crude aud
farcical attempt to give color. Of legality
70 his unwarranted action In the cases
OF Frank Aihert and the two Anton Port
MAINS.
November H. 1897, e. A. Mcdonald APP
penred In person before the clerk of the
superior court of Pierce county and made
oath TO three complaints charging viola
tion OF the dairy laws. the dates when the
alleged ruisderneanors were committed
being given in each case a. ION or about
the day Of May. 1897"
y Knowing that - he brought these
charges agasast the Portmanns and Al
the money had been taken from them. he
would likely provoke resistance on their
parts and an exposition ~ all 'he ra-'r
In the cases, 4 Is said that Mcdonald
went 20 each Of them and told them thar
II had become necessary 10 put the cases
on record. but In consideration ~ their
In order not to iniure their business. he
would not make the complaints against
them In their real names. but would sub
stituta hctftiou~s defendants
The complaints filed In the superior
court a. shown By the records were
against Colin q Posner tPortmsnn a.
kauinl. posner Brothers (poFsrnann
nrothcr-l and Y. Olward fr Aibartl
Ne such persons or Arms as those men
toned In the complaints are engaged in
the dairNinH business IN Fierce county.
rertiAcd copies from the records ~ the
superior court Of Pierce county IN the
cases mentioned are AZ follows;
'couu asd rssnsr,"
In the superior court of the state %
Washington. for Pierce county The
state ~ Washington, plaintiff. vs.. Colin
4 Pesner. defendants Complaint. Ne.
MgS
On this 18th cay II November, A. u.
IST, personally appeared = A Mcdonald.
and on oath depa-e@ and says That here
tofore to viii on Or about the DAY Of
May a II, iss; the as-ove named defend
ants did lnniawf fully eel and Dispose OF
dairy produce 20 various persons. whose
names are unknown. unwholss0rse in alsI.
ity contrary ia the statutes 80 the state
| % Washington. ard n violation % tas
laws chapter XIV ~ the laws ~ tlta
state % WssAlngton far IT,, and toe