Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1908-09-17

ali other matters where there Is lit
direct evidence, TO depend upon cir
cumstantial evidence. When Mr.
Heroic finally breaks silence anc
denies that he was priyy to any of the
board transactions in the bridge
matter, the only course 10 be pursued
Is To show his relations With the
county hoard for many years
The average county commissioner
who comes as , new member 10 Lintor
is entirely green as 10 the business
OF the board. lie must learn by ex
perience. No sooner has he come TO the
first meeting than Mr.. Herolz. with
his smiles aud caresSeS. begins e
WOO him. The new member, desiring
information, is only too glad to
listen to his suggestions and advice.
As result, Mr.. Herolz has for years
had more influence with the county
board than any other man in Emmons
county. They don't know him as
we'll IS We know him here in Linton.
When he was auditor his voice was
heard at the board meeting oftener
than that of any other Official present.
In his writing up Of the minutes OF the
board he was allowed by the members
to inject into them any extraneeus
matter that he believed might help
him in his political campaigns. In
one instance the editor OF the Record
was the subject of one of his "edito-
rails injected into the official minutes
that were to be printed. and for years
he never missed an opportunity to in
ject into the minutes an attack upon
MIR. Braddock, the man who had pre-.
coded him as auditor. And these po-
littcal inserts in the minutes were all
duly approved at the next meeting Of
the county board. 1t has become a
standing remark in Linton that if
you want to get anything through the
county board you must see Mr.. Herolz.
II q janitor was to be appointed, it
was Mr.. Herolz who secured the ap-
pointment for friend and political
worker. II a custodian Of the county
building was to be chosen, it was Mr..
Herolz. instead Of the sheriff, as is the
custom. Ii little dinky job Of any
kind about the county building or
anywhere else was to be given out, it
was Mr. Herolz that must be approach.
ed regarding it, If citizens wanted
q road laid out it was Mr.. Herolz that
they must go to to seek assistance in OBJ
tanning help to obtain favorable
action thereon. In fact. we venture
the assertion that in no county OF
North Dakota has there ever been a
man who was as much OF boss of the
county in the matter Of the letting OF
jobs aud appointments as Mr.. Herolz
has been for years
There Is purchasing committee in
each county Of the state. 1t is COM
posed ofthe chairman of the board.
the auditor and the treasurer. It is
usual for the auditor to act in that
capacity. In this county up to the
beginning of Mr.. Herolz's term as
treasurer it had been as In other coun.
ties. Mr.. Herolz so acted while he was
auditor. When he became treasurer
those OF as who had business with the
county supposed that the mantle Of
the purchasing board would fall on
the auditor. But, no: Mr.. Herolz was
MADE purchasing agent. and was again
In position to use the county lob
work and other petty patronage of the
county in whichever way he might
think it would do him the most good
as politician. In fact, it has been
utterly aud absolutely impossible
Tor any one to secure an appointment
or anything else from the county if
Mr. Heroic saw tit to oppose it.
The Record has not accused Mr..
Heroic or any one else of crime in con.
nection with the illegal letting of
bridges. 1t made the matter public
In its columns because its editor
believed it was mighty worthless
newspaper whose publisher would,
while knowing of such peculiar trans
actions. refuse to give such knowledge
to his subscribers. We connected Mr..
Herolz with the matter for the reason
that We and everybody else in Linton
know that Mr.. Herolz has more TO saw
about board matters than any other
man in the county. We did not be.
lleve, and do not now believe, that
the scandal could have happened had
Mr.. Herolz done, as he has done in
pretty much everything else for
years offered his advice, and said TO
one or more of the members Of the
board that their contemplated action
was illegal, unfair. and unjast to the
taxpayers.
DO you suppose for an instant,
Mr.. Herolz, that the public will
believe that, with the great influence
you have had with the members Of
the county board, If you had said to
them, individually or collectively,
gentleman, you have no right to let
these BRIDGES Mithnnt cnnnakiAixo-