The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-10-25
COUNTY MILK AND
TAXPAYERS HOLD BAG
Important Statute Strained TO
Breaking Point By
Board

- Nh~ t0h1tlhNNiRli Va tCliuil DlOfiT
slons OF the Oklahoma statutes that
Is put upon them by some attorneys
who have been discussing the matter
the past few days Is one that would
be taken by the courts, County Com
missioner Oberholser may have some
thing more than an Incidental political
interest in the outcome of the race
for the county attorneyshp in Logan
county this year.
0berholser and members of his fam.
lily, it is claimed, have been making
such profitable proposition out OF
his official position in Logan county
that the commissioner now finds HIM
self on extremely thin ice, with a
possible chance that the sunlight OF
publicity will further weaken 1t to the
extent that he will fall clear through
and get bad ducking before the ac-
counts are settled.
Public office has been good
enough private snap for Oberholser
and his family during the past few
years that together they have drawn
from the public treasury the neat sum
of $S,166.77 and now the commission.
er Is spending some of his moments
that can be spared from his devotion
to the poor and insane of Logan coun.
ty to reading the following statu-
tory provisions:
Laws 1909, Chapter 25, Article LXl.
Sec. 2796. Relatives can not be
employed in certain offices Hereaf-
ter il shall be unlawful for any exec
utiye. legislative, ministerial of Judi
cial officer in this state to appoint or
vote for the appointment OF any per-
son related TO him by affinity or con
sanguinity within the third degree,
to any clerkship, office position. enl'
ployment or duty In any department
CT the state, district. county city or
municipal government OF waich sucn
executive. legislative, municipal or
judicial officer Is a member when the
salary, wages. pay or compensation oi
such appontee is to be paid out OF
the public funds or fees OF such of
flee.
The records show that Maxey 0ber-
holser Williams, from statehood to
september |, 1910, placed in the posi-
ton of deputy county treasurer by
request OF her father T.. ]. Oberhol.
ser drew $2.23O.O0 from the Logan
county public treasury.
The records shaw that Paul VIII.
llams, son-in-law of the commissioner
drew as tax ferret and as tax collect
or, appointed by SOMEBODY, the
sum of $2,26S.21.
Tho ..aoorde ohAtr fhn4 tho on.,,
sioner's sister. Mrs. Nettie Blodgett.
appointed by SOMEBODY at SOME
BODY'S request, drew $567 and her
living.
II may be said that these appoint
ments did not constitute a violation
CT the law. because Oberholser did
not make the appointments himself,
| directly. II is possible that by this
splitting of hairs, the spirit only.
and not the letter of the law has been
violated by this trusted servant OF the
taxpayers of Logan county.
But further:
Sec. 2797 Unlawful to pay out or
draw salary in certain cases: 1t shah
Hereafter be unlawful for any such
executive. legislative. ministerial or
judicial officer mentioned in section
one (2796) OF tbs act, to draw or AU-
TH0RIZE THE DRAWING of any
warrant or authority for the payment
out OF any public funu, OF the salary,
wages, pay, or compensation of any
such ineligible person, and 1t shall
be unlawful for any executive, legis-
latiye ministerial or judicial officer
q pag out OF any public funds In his
cas,ody or under his control the sal.
airy, wages, pay or compensation OF
any such ineligible person.
sec. $500: Penalty. Any execu-
i've legislative, ministerial or judi
1ial r. Ger who shah violate any pro-
ls.en ef this act shall be deemed
suii,g II a misdemeanor involving of
81 .lu,b Aand shall be
lu he'd by a line of not less than
A. e Hundred or more than one thous-
and daliors. AND SHALL FORFEIT
lis CFMCE."
1t MAJ be that by swallowing
camel Oberholser's political friends
can save him from suffering the pen
atty prescribed by law for the act
tbdt it uio NOuiiiiitttus dHu lhdi lit
may escape punishment for violating
the letter Of the law because IL can
be proved that he has violated only
the spirit thereof. f-fstA = q zs
This maiterAls not especially import.
ant to the public. -bedaase the money!
is gone, and there is no way by which
il is at all likely to be paid back
But THIS Is IMPORTANT.
Oberholser Is a CANDIDATE FOR
RE ELECTION THIS NALL. and his
reelection would be an endorsement
b. the tax payers that he has gloamed
in defiance OF the SPIRIT OF the law.
il in fact he can escape punishment
for violation Of us letter. and an en-
dorsement OF his entire record In Of
flee. II would be public stamp OF
approval on ms method ana an invita-