The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1910-03-25
The Fires of Factional Dissen-
sion Famed Into Flame After
a Long Period Of Peace.
|OSTOFF|CEAPPLE OF O|sC0RO
\ Dark Lantern Proceeding That
Has Stirred Up the Community
To Enter Stenuous Protests.

A sensational expose this week shook
his community from centre to circum-
Fence, and created more excitement
han has existed in the place for years.
he cause of the commotion was the
occidental unvileing of underhanded
ecret work of a cabal, the personnel
y which is unknown, to secure the dis
hssal of Postmaster J. F. Samson,
md the substitution of some one who
Fould be pliable in the hands Of the
ictators. The public was not taken
hto the confidence of the conspirators,
ind small clique attempted to per-
petrate an outrage upon the commun-
by. This is plain language, but it is
case probably without parallel in the
history of the state, and cannot be
handled with kid gloves. 1t is not so
nuch the men implicated as the meth
IDS employed that has aroused such
bitter resentment and indignation
lmong a vast majority of the patrons
bf the office. If reasons existed for the
removal of the postmaster, or II an
Element desired to have him removed
hrough purely personal motives, the
ght could have been waged in the
ppcn, and no offence could have been
taken, nor fault found, by the public.
But it is the star chamber proceedings,
Violating every ethic of fairness and
ustice, that has aroused the people,
or if that method Of procedure is to
ucceed against citizen, what citizen
s safe in life, liberty and property ?
Some weeks ago Chas. F. Sigrist left
bstensibly for visit to Columbus,
fOhio 1t leaked out last week that his
real destination was Washington, and
that his mission was to secure the dis
&missal of the present postmaster. This
Estatement is made upon the strength
Sof reports now in circulation. 1t is
Hfurther said that three or four resi-
Sdents of this place furnished the funds
Ito meet the expenses of the trip, and
Fthat the same parties intrusted their
plenipotentiary with letters containing
charges against the postmaster. OF
course in time, under the rule of the
department, the nature of these charges
and the names Of those preferring them,
will be made public, if such an &C.
tion was taken. For the present they
are not known. If Mr.. Sigrist has
permitted himself to be used as q tool
in an affair of this kind he has stulti-
fed himself before all honorable men.
He has violated a sacred obligation by
attempting to injure a brother without
warning, and he broke his plighted
word he gave when he secured his
election as chairman Of the Republican
County Central committee. The writer
has always held the young man in the
highest esteem, and is loath to believe
he would resort to such despicable
measures as charged, and only trust he
may be able to vlndicate himself be-
fore the people Of Oroville.
The public at large did not stand
supinely idle when the report Of this
high handed outrage leaked out. There
was busy lot in evidence. A petition
was circulated demonstrating against
any change in the postoffice, and in a
very few hours over 200 signatures
were obtained. That number will yet
be doubled in all probability. People
signed willingly and eagerly, express
ing their adherence of the scheme set
on foot by the postmaster's personal
enemies. They protested against any
change, not only because Mr.. Samson
has made an accommodating official,
but also on account of his faithful as
sistant, one of the most competent and
popular young ladies in the town. The
ruse employed may succeed, and pros
sibly would have gone through without
remonstrance had not some one let the
cat out of the bag. 1t can be said,
however, that II a change is made
through the means employed, life to
the man who succeeds the present in
cumbent will be just one damned thing
after another, judging from prevailing
sentiment.