The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1901-01-08

HILL I'll I1lusC1l I'll sUAAO oAN
business force Of this newspaper.
When I was appointed to the Grow
Agency position and leased my paper
to Col. Babcock of Billings, it was
through my efforts that Boardman
was placed in active control of the
plant. It was I who again came to
his rescue, took him out of Carbon
county where he betrayed the party
and all the friends he had for a price
less than $500.
When the trouble began at the
Grow Agency, in which I was to be
the principal actor, it was this man
Boardman, whom I had SO loyalty be-
friended, that was n Of the most
active workers in securing perjured
testimony against my character. A
drunkard to whom I attempted to
show the error Of his way and in
duce him to refrain from wallowing
III the gutter, and whom / had always
aided and b%efriended, Boardman was
the first to connive with a band of
conspirators and do their bidding in
any piece Of treachery necessary to
the successs Of the political conspiracy
Matched to bring about my removal as
agent for the Grow Indians. Board
mans pay for his part of that per-
Torrance was the gilded promise OF
ownership of the Billings Gazette.
When he found that he had been gold
bricked and had to leave Billings, a
town in which he would not dare
make his ~re-appearance, he would get
mad and fly all to pieces at any ref
erence which might be made to his
checkered business career.
The personal attacks of the Helena
Herald do moi cause me any uneasi-
ness. I have lived in Montana since
boyhood and here I propose to remain.
My character and my manhood l am
certain will average with those who
made false affidavits against me at 9
time when in my opinion it was done
to enhance their own peouniary gain.
If these men think they proited by
the dirty and damnable lies sworn tc
about me they are welcome to all the
glory they can find out Of that kline
of a life. The authorities at Wash
ington removed me as an Indian agent
upon manufactured evidence supplied
by certain men, who designed to make
, money out of the transaction. They
succeeded in bringing about my re
) moval for which I am nov sincerely
J thankful. If their consciences are a
ease for the part their hands took IL
the dasta1dly piece Of conspiracy thel
l misjudge very much.
I here repeat that the records Of tn
treasury department., which SHOW
that I disbursed as Indian agent 5000,
4 900 in funds during the brief term
acted in that capacity, are the best ev
l idence as to whether or not I was off
s cially honest. Or still better to &c
! at the real facts as to the cause of m.
s removal from that position, which tn
Q Helena Herald has discussed for som
months, it might seem appropriate t
t publish a few afidavits of people VIII
were invited to join in that foul con
o spiracy and refused the offer, althoug
4 the inducements were great.
It's a poor bird that befouls it
own nest and the "holier than thou
man whose name disgraces the busj
ness management OF the Helena Hell
h aid, that once loyal republican sheet
S might possibly find a mote in his ow
eye if he would but look over tn
S record he made while a resident {
a eastern Montana. E. H. Becker.