The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1915-04-08
HEpplRLER REPLIES
TO CHARGES MADE
BY FORMER DEPUTY
Admits Number Ct
Statements But De-
MES Significance.
HIS SONS SALARY
Will All Go to His Son.-De-
MES Undertaking Laud
in His Home County,.
HIS SONS SALARY

Pierre, S. D.-State Land Com
missioner Hepperle has given out an
answer to Ex-Deputy Hanson's
charges against the land department
in which he says that the resignation
of Hanson was asked for because he
was working against the best inter
ests of the state in that department
and Hepperle denies that Governor
Byrne had anything whatever to do
with his action in any manner, and.
says that Hanson himself was re-
sponsible for his resignation.
Hepperle admits the charge that
his son is drawing S110 per month
as Il clerk in the department and is
getting but SIS of it personally, but
states hal the balance is deposited
to the credit of the boy in a savings
deposit hat he has received no bene-
fit from it personally.
AS to the charge of keeping q
brother-in-law in the forest ranger
service he claims that he is employed
because OF his efficiency, and on
recommendations of the forest rang
err to that effect and that the increase
in salary mentioned is one which the
legislature provided for all rangers
alike to place them on Il par with the
government rangers in like work. *
He enters a general denial as to
the charges -of favoritism in selling
lands and cites instances where he
asserts Hanson shifted valuations to
suit himself
Mr.. hanson states hat | am put
ting in moro time at my desk than
,n,y or ,,,- ,r6lnnnccnrc orr~ did Inv
taking care of the routine and detail
correspondence relating to trespass
cases etc. | wish to add here that
some of this time was also used to
look over his daily work each day.
Besides I collected over $4,000 in
t~respass. money, during the two years
/ have been in office. This is more
than all the former years since state
hood will show. Still the competent
Mi. Hanson calls this wasting time.
Admits Wanting Expense Money!
CAS- to asking any OF my clerks
TO see their friends and speak a good
word for House bill 211, this is true,
except that / did not put such a vast
Importance to the bill as Mr.. Han
son would have the people believe.
will say that 1 myself spoke to
i only two or three members. THIS IS
tho bill introduced by Hon. Albert
Dahl, and provided $50 per month
! expense money to the constitutional
officers.
MIR. Hansen also states hat one
of the forest ranger has nothing to
| recommend him for the position,
more than that he is married to
| Mr.. Hepperle's sister. In reply TO This
will state that our report shows
that this very ranger is II OF the
best men we have, at least he has ac-
comflished more work in his district
than any of the others. In regard TO
his paw l will say that he started IN
at SOS per month. On the recon-
m%endation of the state forester ms
salary was made equal to that OF the
other rangers, SIS per month. UP
to July LIST, 1914, the state furnished
horse-feed for the rangers horses.
II was afterward thought best 10
allow each ranger 500 a year for
horse feed, adding this amount TO
his salary and requiring him TO pay
for his horse-feed. This not only
%applies to the ranger referred TO by
Mr.. Hanson, but applies to all OF
them. The last Legislatures, on the
Recommendation of the state forest
err and myself raised the ranger sal
aries to $1100 per year. winch Is
the same as the United States v
eminent rangers receive. inns VIII
explain the three raises OF salary OF
which Mr.. Hanson speaks i'll his tai
sifled statement.
No Increase in Force.
"When l first took possession OF
this office on March list, 1913, l
naturally looked to him for informa-
ton. as he was the deputy under
Mr.. Brinker. Among the things i
asked him was whether or not all
the clerks in the office at that time
were required. He replied oh yes,
the work in the office is growing
right along and think we Will nave
I have one more nan before long
Since that time the increase in the
income of the department is o
$500 10 annually. but l have man
aged to get along with the same num-
Der OF clerks as we had on March list,
El913, but Mr.. Hanson now claims
THAT we could have gotten along
nicely last winter with one less
fclerk.
'.As to the retaining of sos from
my sons salary j will say that this
lis the truth, and that the amount is
lplaced to his credit on savings de-
post. Had Mr.. Hanson a guardian
likewise he could provide for his
family nicely the necessaries of life
from the $135 per month which he
has drawn from the state for the
last ten years. AS it is he not only
twas unable to make both ends meet
lbut used OF top of the S135 per
month all the money he could get
from his friends, some of whom laid
claim to his salary warrant for April
fwhile others ] am afraid will have
Ito wait for a long time.
|, As to Land Values.
HE accuses me of not taking his
ADVICE in regard to appraising school
tslandG--ln .reply--win say-that I,know,
che gentleman too well by this time
ito send him out appraising land, In