The Bowbells tribune. [volume] (Bowbells, Ward Co., N.D.) 1899-1969, 1915-05-21
John .|h|! # RoniDe d !. Sues Ste|onoI: 10 0 !.
.WiiCZ For Five Thousand.

ditor OF Burke county, has brought
suit for $5,000.00 against B. A.
Stefonowicz, publisher of the Bow
bells Tribune, and has employed
Bradford & Nash of Minot to prose
cute the case for him. He alleges
that he was damaged to this extent
on account. of certain article pub
lished in The Tribune on April End,
which he claims was false and de-
famatory. The summons and COM
plant were served on the publisher
of The Tribune last Saturday after
noon. The case will no doubt. be
tried at the next term of district
court unless it is dismissed before
that time by the plaintiff. O. -
There are many people in Burke
county who failed to read the article
in regard to Mr.. Romine at the lime
it was Published, and fer their
benefit we republish the said article.
1t was published as follows:
&c. X. Melby, the new county
auditor, will take his oath Of Office
and commence work on Monday of
next week, and John Romine, who
has been drawing the county audi
tor's\ salary during the past four
years, will no doubt be checked out
tomorrow. The people throughout
the county seem to be highly elated
over the retirement Of Mr.. Romine.
His two terms in Office have no
doubt cost the county more than
twice what they should. He spent
very little time at the court house.
and his farm was always his first
consideration. At one time he nev-
er went near his Office for nearly
three months, but he drew his sal
ary just the same. Then again he
always insisted on hiring incompet-
ent clerks in his Office in spite Of
the fact that the county board OBJ
jected to it, and on account Of this
his records were in nearly all in
stances bawled up and In bad shape.
His incompetent clerks. tf course
required three or four times as
much time to 60 through a piece
Of work as it takes @ competent
person, but John didn't care-the
salaries did not come out of his
pockets. He even went SO far as to
try to keep fees collected in his, of
fee which the law says eshouid be
turned into the county 4 treasury.
This was too much for The Tribune
and we went afer him, quoted the
law, but he defied US until Cove; n
or Hanna sent man to examine
the accounts of the office and found
John keeping money belonging to
the county After the examiner
made his report to the governor.
that Official instructed, the states at
torney to give the auditor one more
chance to make good, and IL he re-
fused, to Immediately start suit
against him 1t was not until then
that John turned over the !, fees
amounting to seyeral hundred dol
lars. ! The county = officials, III and
practically every person that had
very much to do with the county
auditors Office will be Cad to See
John CO." @
r Statement Of the Publisher
: I am, glad that Mr.. Romine has
finally Brought his suit, as this will
give me the opportunity. have been
looking for to prove that the duties
looked after during the past four
MI. Romine had been neglecting
his office, that he tried to get away.
with some fees belonging to the
bad shape. Every statement made
in the article will be proven in
court, and many other things are
very likely to come. up which will
prove Of interest to the, people OF
the county. IT'have nothing per-
s0nal against MI. Romtne, but In
my opinion when a county officer
fails to live up to his oath of Office
like John has failed to do then the
taxpayers should know it. and as
long. as I am publishing q newspa-
per in the county they will know
it. A libel suit every now and
then will not preyent me from Civ
ing the taxpayers u such infOrma-3
ton. Although I feel that have
no right to ask John for favoiss3
I'd like to ask him for Just one ats
this time, and that is that he let:
this case 60 to trial, and give me
q chance Ito prove, my statements
!. dom want the case dismissed be-;
fore trial i want 1T tried and
want the opportunity OF proving
every statement made In regard
to him. M I am not wi ling to re
tract anything have eInployei8
Attorney Il. r. |. Sink Ter OF MinOt to-
look after my interest in this case
and am glad the light is ON. am
not worrying any as to 8 what the
outcome will be.
b. .A. sTEF'o ON OWIG s;S Il J; l5.2
ublisher BoWbells Tiibh less..$
Two large kerosene sng; mes nade
5hy the Int ernational Harvest CO.