Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1907-05-23
BECOME DESPERATE, and TRY TO
STEAL PETITION.
The Knockers Are Beat at Every Turn
By the Boosters. Governor Mead
OverruleS the Knockers and Sends
fiatfer to Judge Rice. $4,000 Fee
Held Up Inde finitely.

That the opponents OF county division
approached to file the division petition
has been well known to the divisionists,
especially their attempts to secure the
petition before it reached the governor.
To be able tie destroy this petition would
defeat the wishes OF Is per cent. OF the
voters of Grays Harbor county, as it
would be impossible to have a new petit
tion signed up in the time required by
the division act.
Up to last Friday night they were con-
tent with efforts to bribe some OF the di-
vision workers to steal, or destroy, the
petition. But, when it was learned the
petition would be taken to the governor
very soon, burglary was resorted to.
Some time during Friday night, the law
offices OF w. w. Bcner, who has had this
matter in charge, WAS entered, and a
dilligent search made for the petition.
But, the ants have all along proceeded
on the theory that they were dealing
with incompetents-it being characteris-
tic OF a couple of their leaders to consider
everybody but themselves fools-and
were silly enough to think this precious
document would be left where sneak
thief might lay hands on it. That is
where they fell down. The petition was
safely kept, and the thieves only sue.
ceeded in getting typewriter copy,
which they might have had for the ask
ing, as a number of copies were made.
The petition was presented to Governor
Mead Monday, who gave both sides
hearing occupying several hours, and
then decided to send the matter to Judge
Rice, of the Lewis county superior court.
Attorneys Ashton and Abel argued for
the antis, and ]. G. Hogan and A. W..
Wade for the boosters. Judge Rice will
Get date for hearing the case, probably
at Aberdeen, when the suficiency of the
petition will be decided. Ii found to
contain majority of the voters in Grays
Harbor county, the judge will so certify
to the governor, who will then proclaim
the county duly created.
On Tuesday the injunction asked for
by Samuel Ben9 against the county com.
missioners' action in appropriating 1000
for attorney fees to fight the division,
was heard by Judge Griffin, of Seattle,
at Montesano. J. 9. Hogan and w. l.
Agnew appeared for Mr.. Benn. and ASH
ton and Abel, who were to receive the
money, represented the commissioners
or rather their action.
The temporary restraining order issued
last week by Judge Irwin, expired Tues.
day, and the efforts OF Attorneys Hogan
and Agnew were directed to the procure
of temporary injunction pending trial
OF the matter ON its merits at a future
date. This would place them in position
to appeal to the supreme court should
the lower court 60 against them. Ashton
and Abel strenuously endeavored to go
into the merits OF the case then and
there, but were overruled by Judge
Griffin, who that evening decided to
grant temporary injunction until next
Tuesday, when the matter will be heard
on its merits.
This effectually bars the antis from
using this money in the division fight,
as it places the ivisionists-should they
lose their contention in the superior
court-in position to take the matter to
the supreme court, where it will take a
year to get decision. and long before
that time Grays Harbor county will be
an established fact.
This will interfere seriously with the
plans of the ants, who had raised quite
a fund with which to buy petitioners to
swear their names off the petition. They
will now have to devote this money to
the payment Of counsel instead OF cor
ruption fund.