The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1905-08-25
HEPBURN GIVES VERSION
City Attorney Claims He
Was Fully Justified in
All Things.

Dpnr Slrt 10 reply 10 thN aitltW N
your paper Of yesterday evening headed
Mr. Hepburn Rackpcdols-Giyes decis-
Jon and then revcrsoe himself" deem
that in justice TO myref as wen as 20
the public generally. true explanations
regarding the present troubles existing
in the city Council are necessary.
was Informed yesterday afternoon
over the telcphone by Dr. HiXon tina; he
was responsible Tor and would stand be-
hind the article in yesterday evenings
Leader Therefore believing that ,ne OBJ
jcct OF he Leader IS TO arrive at the
truth OF the whole matter / take his
method OF advising your readers OF the
facts as J am copversant with them AS
"a the trouble in the council m ttni
have taken no part whatever believing
10 to D personal matter betwccr " r.
walker on the one side and % ltisv
ana Or Hixon ON the other : have nj
always done an IN my power to assist pr
Duke and his administration in oon
ducting the affairs of tie city OF Guthrie
in q manner that would be- credit to
thein and AN honor 20 those rsno elcct-
cd them. Aly associations with Dr tiy-
on have been most pleasant ard agree-
able and why be- without any notice
should vent his spleen upon NJ through
the columns Of the Leader in his most
choice Bmlngseate. is something that
cannot understand.
In his article Tn yesterday afternoons
Leader pr. HNon makes several state-
mtnis. among which are the following
'"rhe Facts are SIMPLY ~ at the last
meeting Of the city council Hepburn
was asked as TO the Legality Of merg-
ng tho separate city fund into one pen-
eral fund lie said il would Doe an easy
.way out OF the d.dicGty and would be
Ian rient Hc said This to Dr. uixon. the
ciry treasurer and six other councilnen
Upon lhe advice the back bills were all
lowed ana an oiinnnce drawn covering a
ger erh fnd for the payment Of all
hack bills. The city attorney was present
until the end Of the session. aIr Hixon
suggested that no warrants bS irawn BY
The city clerk until written opinion
be had from the city attorney for the
.pretewion q the coancil and treasurer.
This was assented 70 by the o,her coun-
cilmen." No such statements were
ever made by me. The statement made
by DR. Hixon 20 the representative Of
the LeaCtr to that effect Is absolu, 4ly
urquaufedly and maliciously false and
the falsity OF fis statement was wen
known 10 Dr. Hixon az the time Il was
made. Further on 10 his article IN the
Leader Dr. Hixoa says. Hepburn ap-
pears 70 be a lobster" Gle balls up
everything he does" "Ie must be in
Competent" "After advising That the
council was proceeding legally he waits
several DAYS ara comes across with the
opinion tbat we cannot cover the separ
ate funds into general fund and issue
warrants. This means that ibe council
must hold another session and 90 eil its
work over before creditors can get .heir
money
As 10 the statement that ] advised the
city council thai IL was proceeding legal
Is IN the matter. that IS absolutely false
az above stated. As for the chargo that
/ am lobster" and incompetent ]
am OF ne opinion, judging from Hixon's
actions as a councilman Tor the PAST
few months and especially from his at
iempts" IN the matter of these claims.
that he IS a Far better authority on
lobster than on competency" Ny
actions as q public official have always
tcen open and above board and / fully
r,alize ihat az a public servant they are
an oren TO comment
The facts regarding he allowance and
payment Of hack claims ageinst the cIty
Of Guthrie and the connection the city
attorney on Dr. Hixon has md in the
matter are as follows.
Dr. Hison has repeatedly made tho
statement and makes the statement now
mat he Is In favcr Of turning an claims
against tae city OF Guthrie Tor lhe laltei
months OF the fiscal year 1904 into Iudg-
monts he Is IN favor OF these clpims
I being 80 disposed Of knowing that al
present, and for the past several weeks
1 there has been cash on hand in the clts
/ treasury 10 pay two-ghirds OF THESE out
standing claims and wen knowing hai
there viii be enoush co elected from de,
/ iinqucnt taxes OF 1904 20 ray an OF near.
lly am of the balance of said claims. Dr
/ hiXon hos repeatedly informed me an,
others that parties holding caini
against the city were wiling 10 wait On.
u these taxes were collected rather mar
20 take Judgment against thc city an,
Inold lhe same for three Years Afte
throshinr the matter over repeatedly q,
thc ciiy council and elsewhere. Dr
nixon, as cnairman OF tine nnanee com
mitco of .he city councu. agreed Z.
meet and allow ep0ggh of slid bacl
claims to c1rre spond with the wmom
lof cash on hand 90 tne city treasury col
l.scted for The fiscal year 1904 las
Thursday evening Dr. HNon interviewed
'ine as city attorney ana informed m
that the city treasurer Carl Havih
lhoist dcsir q 10 have ai' thc morey o
! hand ane an the money that would o
! collected from lelnQr ori uxes of lsO.
IniHccd into one general fund end war
fants lr7wn ur1n that general fund @
Ipay the hack bills in question Dr. BiN
on took The matter up R.,-. me as 20 th
ltgahtv ai suc' procccure. ufoime
pr HlXon, and also informed the clt
treasurer. that the legislature had rro
vided tie PROCEDURE hy whl,h 'ncse biu
shogld bee paid and that the m.tt,
suggested hy him would be technically d
/ legal Df HXon's contention WIS tina
it would simplify maucrs and save th
! city treasurer great amount OF un
necessary work and these bills woule b
paid much qui,kcr THAN they would d
by following the routine laid out by stat
ute. ; Informed Dr HiNor that al
though his method mishi De- ihe best an
lquicker it was technically legal bot
the holders of these elfims nude no OH
sections 20 ihis method that D. as Ga
attorney would maEe no objections, Iro
/ Vide a the Ulnffaf vna nof rafefred fo r,i