Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1914-03-20
ABEL'S LETTER
CREATES TALK
Attack of Erstwhile Boss of
County on Officials Est
eemed as a Boost
HIS WORD DISCREDlTED
Failing to Get Part Of Re-
ward, Attorney Casts Dis
cretion to Winds

MONTESANO, March 19.-The let
ter Of w. H. Abel to the county com
missioners Monday has created top.
ic Of almost universal conversation
at the county seat, and placed the
erstwhile boss Of the court house in
an unenviable light. Even his few
friends deplore the letter as a grave
mistake that can only be accounted
for on the theory that he was SO pro-
voked at the disappearance Of what
he considered his slice of the Tor.
now reward that his ordinary discre.
ton deserted him for the time.
1t is we'll known here that ever
since the killing of Tornow, Abel has
planned to get part Of the reward
He solicited a case from Quimby to
collect the reward and was turned
down, Quimby saying he would in nc
event sue the county. If they gave
him the reward, we'll and good, If not
he would be content Sheriff Mat.
thews says he was called up on the
phone by Abel, and asked to inform
Quimby that unless he called at
Abel's office and settled, he, Abel
would see that he did not get cent.
Quimby did not call, and suits were
soon brought to stop the payment
ostensibly on behalf of the heirs OF
Lathrop and Blair, but really to pre-
vent the county paying the reward al
all.
Knocks Are Boosts
His attack on Commissioner Wilson
and Sheriff Matthews is a boost for
those officers in this community, II
not all over Chehalis county. viii
son defeated a relative Of Abel fol
his present position and Matthews
forced the bully-ragging attorney te
pay his delinquent personal property
taxes for 1912, which circumstances
are generally regarded as the cause
of the knock The fling at Attorney
w. E. Campbell is accepted as the
penalty for defeating Abel in the
Quimby matter before Judge Sheeks,
and both attorneys being we'll known
in the county, Mr.. Campbell may well
regard the slur as a compliment from
that source.
Mr.. Abers solicitude for the county
his dread that they should pay out
public funds illegally become anus
ing when one recalls the $4,000 he
received from the county commission.
ers few years ago for defeating the
county division act, whereby he made
the people of Grays Harbor pay four
fifths of the sum for the pleasure of
having their wishes thwarted.
AS for the attack on the other COM
missioners' connection with the Quin-
iault road, people point out that Mr..
Abel volunteered his services when
the building of the Quiniault road
was in court to defend the building
of the road Just where it is and just
as it has been and is being built.
They argue IL the road is milestone
on the county's neck, Mr.. Abel more
than anyone else is responsible for
putting 1t there.
II people are honest in their re-
marks there is practically no one
~l,,
tually threatened Abels life. They
don't credit Mr.. Quimby with being
that sort of man. He has a lot OF
friends in Montesano. He is quiet
unassuming man and they argue
would never have gone to Abers Of
fee without an invitation and would
never have said an angry word un
less provoked into 1t.