Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-10-23

i
county attorney know this, or they are
untitled for their official positions.
Mr.. Holsclaw says he has been in
formed that these houses have been
running in Elk River for or years.
We insist that he explain why he has
not Investigated. Why did he not
inquire, when he had the witnesses
! under cath in the recent inquest, if
they were intoxicated, the nature OF
the house, and compel the witnesses
to explain how they came to be mixed
up in a drunken fight in house re-
puted to be a house of i'll fame.
The records show that the county
attorney avoided inquiring into airy
matter that would reflect on the house
or the people, ard did not go into the
case to see if the law was violated in
the matter of bootlegging or the run
ming of such a place as house OF
prostitution, also in violation of law.
We said we could not silently &C
cept Mr.. Holsclaw's Interpretation of
the law. It was his duty to have
gone to the bottom of the Elk River
tragedy.
The Republican is moved to discuss
this matter thus fully for two reasons.
First, because we would give the
county officials time before the cleo
ton to make explanation. Second,
because we feel that the people have
right to the facts, and we might
add third reason and say that silence
on the part of the Republican, in view
of the position we have taken regard
ing the county attorney in the past
ten months, would amount to tacit en-
dorsement of the Elk River case. We
are forced to admit that we must
speak, for our business is not to de-
fend or promote men, but to stand for
clean things, and opposed to rotor
conditions. We know that Elk River
is rotten, and we know the county
officials ought to know it.
Let us see if there is reason fol
such statement.
For weeks the Clearwater Republi.
can published the Elk River booze
list. We desire to state that this
was an accurate copy of the railroad
records at Elk River. 1t was never
disputed. We emphasized the fact
that one May Patterson was shipping
in booze as much as SIXTEEN BAR.
RELS in two days. We proclaimed
the fact that May Patterson was run.
ming house of i'll fame; that she
could not possibly consume such vast
quantities Of booze herself, and thai
it was prima facie evidence that shs
was violating the law.
| This was public notice that caused
Judge Edgar Steele to take judicia
notice Of condition in Clearwate,
county that was APPALLING. What die
the Clearwater county officials do?
Are they waiting for the editor O
the Clearwater Republican to gathe,
the evidence and make the complaint
Such defense would be rank insult
to the intelligence of any public Officer
elected and paid to do such work. Il
the officers want us to gather the evi
dence let them resign, have JUS ap-
pointed with authority to act, ane
we'll guarantee to raise more hell in
sixty days than Clearwater county
ever saw, and we'll guarantee to gel
results. All we would ask would be
a county board in sympathy with the
work to back US up, and county at.
torney to prosecute the cases.
We will guarantee results If Mr..
Sullivan is elected sheriff on Novem.
Der 8rd. But in the name Of common
sense don't handicap the sheriff b,
e!ecting democratic county board Of
commissioners. Give him . county
attorney who will not wait for the
citizens to gather the evidence ant
who will go to the bottom Of drunk
en- brawl when murder is committed
in house Of prostitution in tn,
county.