The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1913-01-23

To The People of Whatcom County:
Inasmuch as the county commits
sioners of Whatcom County are BE-
ing severely criticized by the Bell
ingham papers (which 1t Is pretty
generally understood are in the con-
troll of the big interests OF beihng
ham, including the Pacific Ameri-
can Fisheries }, for their action III
refusing to allow salaries to Sher-
if Thomas deputies: and inasmucn
as the public prosecutor Is well IN
formed as to the reason for said re-
fusal, it is probably my place to
set forth in a general way TO the
public why the action of he commits
sioners was eminently right ana
proper.
The chief duties of the sheriffs
offiye are to enforce the laws. and
to that end to gather evidence OF
law violations and present the same
to the public prosecutor, and then
during the trial Of the case to mar
shall the witnesses for the prosecu-
ton. When l took office as prose-
cutting attorney Of Whatcom Coun-
L
Bellingham had just become a dry
unit. and l found that Mr.. Thomas
who had just taken office as sher-
if of Whatcom County, had select
ed as his chief deputy l.. J. Elan
nagan, a man who for years had
been a saloon keeper and bar tend
er, and whose sympathy and close
friends were naturally. largely with
the liquor interests. However. l
endeavored to be friendly with him,
and work tremendously with that
office.
The first case of Importance was
the trial Of Fred l.. Stone for white
slavery. Stone was a man who had
for years been a saloon keeper and
heavy drinker, and who up to the
time the city went dry was secreta-
~ of the bar tenders union of the
City Of Bellingham. This case orig
mated in the City of Bellingham,
and Chief of Police ]. l.. Likens de-
veloped the evidence in the case for
prosecution. / noticed during the
time that the case was pending and
Stone was being held in. the county
Jail. and also during the trial OF
that case, that Mr.. Flanagan was
not in sympathy with the prosecu-
ton, and when the jury found
Stone guilty Mr.. Flanagan public
ly and angrily denounced the YER
dict as great miscarriage OF JUS
tice, and said that the case was
framed up to convict. lnasmuch as
Mr.. Likens and myself were the
parties who had taken the respon-
sibility of the prosecution this at
titude on the part Of the said CHIEF
deputy Flannasan was not condu-
Give to harmony to start with.
From this time on 1t was very
apparent that the public prosecutor
did not have the support OF the SAID
chief deputy, Mr.. Flanagan. and
that his influence extended both up
to his chief and down to the other
deputies. to the extent that he was
controlling and directing The poll-
cies of the sheriff's office.
Subsequently. reports came to my
office of violations Of the liquor
| laws in other parts OF the county
than the City Of Bellingham, and
( requested the sheriff's office to
gather me the evidence. but to no
avail. Finally, after enduring con-
tinual bombardment from the citi-
zens Of Whatcom County to pros
ecute blind piggers" in the eouh-
", | secured the consent OF COM
missioners Fell and simpson 10 hire
two detectives to gather the evil
| dence.
Afer considerable expense to the
tax payers of the county these de-
tectives secured the violence OF sew
eral blind pigs operating in the
county, one being a full Pledged one
running at Maple Falls by one Pat
Flannagan, a brother of said CHIEF
deputy, AIRY Flanagan. The de-
tectives reported that Pat Fianna
gan had q wagon load Of booze and
left with me a bottle OF whiskey
that they had purchased from him
that / might use the same in evil
dence. An information was prepar'
ed and filed, u warrant issued, AND
| the sheriff took an automobile the
day of the Mt Baker barbecue and
went over to make the arrest and
search the premises. The sheriff
reported on his return that ma IL
luor was found. At the trial the
defendant admitted that when the
detectives were thr a few days be
1 fore his arrest he had quantities o.
liquor, but denied that he had sole
any. The trial ended after consld
cradle expense in a hung jury.
Subsequent to the arrest OF Pal
Flanagan l learned that the nigh
before the sheriff went 10 Maple
Falls to make the arrest, that sall
Larry Flanagan, chief deput!
sheriff Of Whatcom County. hae
been in I.arson's Livery, Belling
ham. and was endeavoring to tele
phone to Maple Falls. and failing
TO get into telephone communica
ton, had sent a letter that nigh
by automobile messenger to hi
brother, said Pat Flanagan. Thh
the next morning the sheriff o
Whatcom County hired the same au
tomobile to go over ana made thu
arrest and search.