The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-29
DECLARE OFFICE VACANT.
COUNTY COMMISSIONERS ACT UPON
sPORTsMEN's PETITION.
After q Hearing. st which Commit
tee From sportsmen and Warden
Beldiug Appear, the Board Dts
penses with Latter After July 4.

BY the passage OF a resolution declaring
the once of county game warden vacant
the board OF commissioners yesterday ter
minated the vigorous war which has been
waged for the past two months by large
number of local sportsmen to accomplish
the removal OF the present incumbent,
G. II. Bedding. The action was taken
after hearing at which all parties inter-
ested presented their sides Of the con-
troversy to the commissioners.
The petition for Belongs removal was
filed with the commissioners ten days ago
and on last Friday the body caused to be
served upon the warden notice to APP
pear before IL and answer the charges pre-
ferred against him. At the same time the
petitioners were extended an invitation to
appoint representatives TO appear In sup
port of their application. When the mat
ter was taken up for consideration yester-
day afternoon Josiah Collins. r. NJ. Pal
mcr. A. l.. Hall. ID. Arthur Upper and c.
Il. Yandel appeared before the body In
behalf Of the petitioners Warden Beld-
ing was present and entered a general de-
NAL OF the charges of Incompetence
and neglect of duty alleged in the petition.
urged the warden's removal on the ground
that since the incumbency OF tho office.
though frequently solicited to do so, Beld-
ing is said to have failed utterly in either
causing the arrest or prosecution of the
alleged viOiators OF the game laws. Col
Inns claimed that their violation was a
matter of general knowledge and cited
several instances wherein local restaurant
keepers are accused OF having printed
upon their bills Of fare and offered TO
their patrons game and trout In open vio-
iation OF the statutes.
Warden Belding replied that, of the
number OF sportsmen who petitioned for
his removal, but two had volunteered to
provide him with evidence upon which
to base a prosecution. He claimed to
have upon several occasions examined
the storage rooms of local restaurants in
an effort to detect the presence OF game
and trout which he said he failed to find.
member OF the committee representing
the sportsmen forced from Belding the
admission that his attention had been
called to the act of a local restaurant
keeper IN listing mountain trout upon his
bill OF fare prior to the opening OF the
season. The warden claimed TO have
warned the offender against a repetition
of the ofrense.
A. l.. Hall addressed the commissioners
IN behalf OF the Seattle Rod and Gun
Club. He said that II was the sentiment
OF the organization that the warden had
made dismal failure in enforcing the
laws and that many of the petitioners for
his removal were originally signers OF the
application for his appointment who now
realized the error of their choice.
Bedding replied that w. r. Mckee had
refused to sign the present petition but
admitted In response 10 n question from
the. sportsmeps committee that Mckee
had. not later than Friday last, advised
him to resign his office on the ground that
widespread dissatisfaction was present
with the administration OF his ONCE.
At the conclusion OF the hearing the
commissioners directed the formal draft
ing OF resolution declaring the ONCE OF
county game warden vacant on July l.
which was passed. No action was taken
upon the appointment OF n new warden