The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-05-18

seph Eldredgc, in gentlemanly way,
explained that the action of the Com
mlssioners was due to the fact that
comrades had been charged by the Re
publican with disloyalty by applauding
derogatory remarks about the Presi
dent. His actions, coupled with those
of the Commissioners, left no doubt in
my mind that the petition had been re-
fused -
Mr.. Cosgrif was visited Friday aft
ernoon. He said he had expressed him
self at the meeting of the board, when
the petition came up. as being unfavor-
able TO the granting Of the petition if
the Republican S charges were true, CO.
NEEDING with Mr.. Mackav's views. He
said it was finally understood, though
at the meeting that the petition be
granted, but he was uncertain Friday
afternoon as TO whether warrant for
the amount had been drawn until he
called Mr.. Clinton over the telephone,
The warrant was drawn the next. day
after the meeting, Mr. Clinton said, and
is ready for the finance committee of
the Grand Army whenever il is called
for No official notice has been issued
10 the Grand Army that the petition
was acted on favorably or that the
money is ready whenever called for
however. Mr.. Cosgrifl said that he and
Mr. Clinton, being new members of the
board, asked Mr. Mackay, a hold-ovcr
member, what had been customary in
past years in such cases, and were in
formed that ii had been custom with
the county boards for years to grant
the old soldiers petition. The mat
ter was placed in Mr. Clinton s hands,
Mr.. Cosgriif said, who, by virtue Of
| having charge of the health and poor
fund, would be the proper person TO
attend to IT. with power to act. with
the understanding with him that the
petition was granted.
Talk With Clinton
Mr.. Clinton, when called on the te)e-
phone by The Tribune, said in reply
to query about the old soldiers al
legged action at the American club ban
, quet: ''We wanted to know if the
chargc against them was true before
we granted the petition. We spoke of
II 10 Mr.. Burns. as we had q perfect
right TO, while considering the petition.
( We desired to know if any old soldier
had been guilty Of disloyalty or dis.
respect TO the President -
- Would YOU have allowed the peti-
( tron If the grand jury mon had been
! guilty of the charge IN the Republi-
| cani' was asked.
" Certainly; we intended to grant
the, petition all the time was the
reply.
ct MI losgrln and Mr.. Clinton,
! himself admitted that Mr.. Mackav
declared in positive terms, when the
petition came mp, that if the Rcpub.
lican S charge were true he was not
| in favor OF granting the petition. And
! Mr. Cosgrif said Friday afternoon be-
fore Mr.. Clinton was called over the
telephone regarding the matter, that
he and Ny Clinton agreed with Mr..
| Mackay in this respect
] Mr. Burns declared Friday afternoon
| that he is not in favor of accepting
the money, if il has been granted He
would not walk TO the Joint for it he
said. Department Commander Kent
also has said that he is of the same
mind Nearly all the old comrades are
hurt and angry at the action of the
County Commissioners. which stands out
IN bold and undesirable contrast TO
the city. 500 having been granted by
the city administration promptly for
use IN decorating the graves that con.
tain The wasting dust Of the heroes of
the Rebellion.
Mr.. Burns Record.
Comrade Burns. who bore the first
brunt of the rebuff by the county
board, served four wears IN the North.
eru army in the Rebellion, enisting
in Company II, Second PENNSYLVANIA
reserves. He was with Mcclellan in
the sevcn-day battles, Pope at Bull
Run. Mcclellan at Antietam, Meade at
Gettysburg and Grant in the Wilder
ness. For thirty five years he has lived
in Salt Lake and eleven Of those years
he worked for the city under a promi-
ncnt Mormon, George NJ Ottinger. who
was superintendent of the water works
once. also chief of the fire department
One of the Commissioners said that
Mr. Burns thanked the board for the
granting Of the petition as he was
leaving the room, q want to class
that statement MS a lie, was Mr..
Burns emphatic reply TO this Friday
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