The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1908-07-15
County Com mis- siOners
Shaken Down by Shrewd
Attorney.
Paid $4,000 for Service
Which Melted County
Nothing.

The business 6ministration" Of
the present board 81 county com.
miasiouers Is marked trsome wild
and uncanny stunts 10 high finance.
but none that better illustrates the
Application Of their gentlemen
agreement than the results Of the
Lawton eacheatmsnt process.
In this case the commissioners
made a bid fof first honors IN the
line Of =. = Marks
ON February 8 81 this year n. n.
Eaton cashed warrants valued o.
81 600. which carried Interest at
the cote OF per cent for several
years. The counsJ commissioners
authorized the payment Of this
amount out Of money which had
been paid in by taxpayers. Ia re
turn the county got nothing. The
commissioner proved conclusiyeiy
their ability TO purchase gold
bricks.
Eaton Makes Contract.
Nellie Lawton. n resident Of this
city. died on February Z. 1908.
without heirs Her property con.
sisted Of tract OF ground az 18th
hy. and Ycaier way, valued then
AT sl4 900. On Octobsr -, 1908.
Eaton. a local attorney. made hie
famous contract with the then
board Of county commissioners
whereby he was 10 receive half the
value Of all estate be could escheat
60 the county.
Five days later the court cap.
pointed James Nugent as admin.
istrator OF the fAwton estate, and
Eaton a. once started escheatment
proceedings. Judge Bell entered
an order Of distribution ON Feb
ruary /. 1904. but about this time
public indignation compelled ufe
county. commissioners 10 withdraw
from their infamous deal with
Eaton. ard the warrants covering
his half Of the estate were held Up.
on February rs. 1904. the ad.
minlatrator was discharged and his
accounts approved. Title was vest.
ed IN the county Eaton could NOS
get hts warrants. and waited with
the hope that the commissioners
would find an opportunity 10 let
him draw the money after the
scandal arising from the brazen
terms of the contract had died out
County Loses Title.
On August II. 1905. the then
Prosecuting Attorney Scott APP
peared before Judge Bell ia the
superior court and had the decree
vacated By which the county had
been awarded title 70 the valuable
property There is no record 10
show the reason Of this remark.
able action. On August Is. 1904.
the order Of vacation was signed
BY Judge Bell and filed The
prosecuting attorney never ap-
peared 20 make any argument or
take further steps 20 project the
county. 70 far as the records show.
on February Of this year
Judge Morris rendered a decision
which held the original contract
between Eaton and the county com.
mlssioners valid. Eaton iit out for
the county auditors office az mile
a minute gait and secured his war,
rants. which he cashcd
Wake Up Too Late.
II Was not until the next DAY
that tho commissioners learned
from Deputy Prosecuting Attorney
Prigmore that the county held nc
/ title 10 the Lawton estate. which
was then increased in value until
IL was worth approximately $40.
600 Chairman Abraham also hot
footed 20 the county treasurer "a
stop payment on the warrants
Like the man who missed his
train he was too late.
To the spectator up a tree u
looked very much like the county
commissioner had been bunked
One real gronehy taxpayer was
heard n remark that the IBIS
1 Three" probably liked 60 keeT
money In circulation Now ths
Nellie Lawton estate viii puobabl,
go TO the state school fund. ans
the Taxpayers well. they have u
stand the gaff
lsTocK MARKET FURNISHED sS