The Lake County times., 1913-10-23

yised him that $3176.11 of his bill had
already been allowed and did not need
to be included in any law suit. That
all he had to do to get this was to
have them sign a warrant in accor-
dance with the above order. and SO we
concluded to first get a warrant for
said sum and then try to adjust the
balance and if they did not adjust the
balance we would bring suit and let
the court determine the amount due.
1 went to Miss Hansen, the clerk,
to get his blank warrant. 1t was given
to me voluntarily and as a matter of
course and without any snatching,
grabbing or tearing it out of the book
on my part. 1t was done openly and
above board and there was nothing
wrong about 1t. The lady clerk Will
tell you this. 1, as attorney for Mr.
Hutton, in the performance of my
duty, desired to get the warrant sign
ed by the school board officers, be-
cause the same had already been al
lowed and the date fixed for its pay
ment was long past due. There was
no deception used to any person at
any time or place. concerning this war
rant l presented the warrant in open
meeting before the board that night
and wanted the president and secre-
tary to sign it. 1t was my duty as the
attorney for Mr.. Hutton to do So /
did not shirk my duty. | never have
shfrked a duty for a client and 1 never
will At this open meeting of the
school board. at which the board and
Supt. McDaniels were present, / pre-
sented the warrant for signature. Mr..
Bicknell signed it and Mr.. Krost then
made the statement that he did not
care If the president and secretary did
sign it: that he was treasurer and he
would not pay it until inundated to do
so by the court. Mr.. Krost had become
a member of the school board after
the bill was allowed and before this
meeting of the board. 1t was between
these times that public sentiment had
been aroused by the Caldwell &
Drake contract and some of the mem
bers of the school board were afraid to
pay this amount to Mr.. Hutton on ac-
count of public opinion, although it
had been regularly passed on and al
lowed as shown above. After Mr.. krost
made said statement Mr.. Dresser said
he knew the bill was correct and that
| 1T had been allowed; that it ought to
be paid but that he would not sign the
| warrant and would let Mr.. Hutton
bring a law suit for it And hence the
school board failed and refused to is
sue a warrant on an allowance that it
had already made.
We were compelled to bring suit on
the whole claim and the case is now
pending in the circuit court at Crown
Point I desire to ask the attorneys
and the papers that have made a
"bugaboo" about this matter what the
dishonorable thing Is that I did as
Mr. Hutton's attorney? did not draw
the contract with Mr.. Hutton, nor did
/ allow the bill. After it was allowed. as
| Mr. Huttons attorney, / tried to get
| the board to issue the warrant. I
| W ould not have done my duty as his
attorney, IL / had not done so. Sup
pose the City Board of Public Works
/ should make an allowance to- anyone
| for services or materials furnished and
direct the comptroller to issue a war
rant for it, and the comptroller failed
| to do so, would the person in whose
| favor the allowance was made and
! who was entitled to a warrant on that
allowance be doing anything wrong IL
I to get him to sign a warrant for it?
| and duty to do so And If he did not,
| he would be a chump. and it would be
the duty of the comptroller to sign
| the warrant. When the school board
passed on Mr.. Hutton's claim 1t was its
duty to allow 1t or refuse it or allow
II in part It did allow the claim in
part and ordered II 10 lie paid in Feb
ruary. 1911, and it was the duty Of