The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1911-04-07

Il hbSV mum. tHV tSnNiaA Juicy hi
whom at that time the appointing
power was vested, that he had
concluded that only one u. S.
Commissioner was needed in Cul.
bertson and that as Coulter had
been recently appointed, he would
not reappoint Mr.. Stafford. Being
postmaster and having other large
business interests on hand Mr..
Stafford abideI by the decision
and let the matter drop.
This was a neat switch in public
officials. Whatl Well, how was
it brought about? Ii was done in
the usual manner. Petitions. COM
plants, etc. Everybody knows
how such deals are engineered.
A year or so later w Mathews
moved to Culbertson from Cho-
teau, Teton county. As he was
u. 5. Commissioner there he asked
and secured PERMISSION from Judge
Hunt TO transfer his field of activi.
ty from Choteau to Culbertson.
This brought him IN competition
with Coulter and he must he killed
OIL When Mr. Mathews com.
mission expired about two years
ago he received a communication
from Judge Hunt that he mad con
cluded that one u. ). Commission.
er was enough IN Culbertson aud
that Coulter could do the work.
Very neat work. What Mr.. Ma
thews did not see ht to stand for It
without protest, however, and an
investigation was hal at hIs request
with the result that all complaints
against hIm were found without
foundation and he was exonerai' 4
and reappointed.
Bur not Tor long. The serpent
was on Mr. Mathews trail, lookrr =
Tor some flaw in his official work;
looking ior a chance 10 again stab
him ia the back with poison, Il
fangs. Ha! a chance appears.
Mr.. Mathews has made an enemy
besides Coulter. The two enerni,
get together during the absence of
Mayor Mathews in Helena and un
able to keep in touch with the go.
ings on IN CulbcTtson. While
Mayor Mathews was IN Helena
working in the interest of Culbcrt-
son and her people, it was an open
secret around Coulter's office that
Mathews was TO lose his commits
sion as a federal officer Affidavi,s
Of complaint were made before
Coulter as he admits. Mayor Ma.
thews was suspended from office
as u. s. Commissioner. The Ma
yor has again asked Tor an rnvesti-
CATION, his petition being signed
by nearly every business man IN
town, and We have no doubt that
when Judge Rasch gets around to
it the investigation and exonera
ton OF Mr.. Mathews will be COM
plete.
But to show the cunning OF the
serpent. A new federal Judge was
appointed. Judge Hunt had been
to a higher position aud
Judge Carl Rasch appointed to fill
the vacancy. 1t wouldn't do to
file any more complaints before
Judge Hunt, but a new Judge. that
was different. He couldn't know
all the circumstances. How is
that for secret manipulation?
But Coulter Was not yet through
with Postmaster Stafford. He had
cast his covetous eyes upon this
fat plum also. He wanted to he
postmaster. In order to get the
job he must get Mr.. Stafford out
Ii is currently reported that Coul.
ter has been working on this pro-
position for three long years, and
we want to say right here that a
man whose record can stand the
probing OF special inspectors that
Mr.. Stafiord's record has withstood
in the past three years, and come
out victorious and without a blem-
ish, is something OF man.