Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1916-08-18
THE NEASE DECISION.

THE NEASE DECISION.
In due course of time Clearwater
hopes to give its readers,
not only the full decision in the
Nease cruise case, but to give the
people some idea of the able WORK of
the attorneys who handled the case
for Clearwater county. 1t was
County Attorney F. Elliott Smith
who advised the county board that the
$44, 900 of Nease warrants were il
legal, and advised against their pay
ment, and also advised the County
Treasurer not to pay them; it was At
torney Fred Butler of Lewiston, who,
having had occasion to go into the
law covering much of the issues in
volved, concurred in the opinion of
County Attorney Smith. Attorney
John r. Becker of Orofino, who, it
happens, is an expert abstractor and
accountant, as we'll as sound law
yer, and who has always contended
the Nease warrants illegal, was given
the difficult task of gathering the evil
dence. Few people appreciate the
extent of his labor, and the thorough
ness with which it was done. Start
ing with slender clue here, trace
there, trails were followed until alb.
solute evidence was obtained. Before
Becker had finished he went to Port
land, Oregon, gathered more evil
dence, and crowned his labors with
verified copies of all of Mr.. Nease 4
records in the case. He got many
of the original cruise books. He
had 1900 acres recruised, and his
work was SO complete, SO thorough,
that the best attorneys on the coast
could not hammer a dent into it. II
stood out big at the trial, and left
the Nease and the Dexter Horton PEG.
pie, who were suing to collect. moi
an inch of substantial ground upor
which to base their claim.
This does not mean that Attorney
Fred Butler of Lewiston is not en-
titled to credit. Mr.. Butler did his
part, cooperating with Attorney
Becker, and should be cred ted with
putting up stonewall defense, anc
with helping to win one of the big
gest legal battles ever fought in the
state of Idaho.
The effect of this case is far-reach.
ing. 1t is the determination of laws
that will hereafter stand out as bull
works to protect the taxpayers Of
every county in Idaho against extrav
agance, incompetent and unworthy
county officials, when public business
as was the case in Clearwater county,
gets into the hands of gangs and rings
And while the people are discussing
this case let them not overlook the
fact that the Nease case would never
have been submitted to court had il
not been for the fact that the people 4
business is today in the hands of ar
honest, worthy county board, men de-
termined to serve public interest az
we'll as they would their private bust
ness. 1t took determined, homes,
county commissioners to resist pay,
ment and start suit; it took an honest
capable county attorney to investi
gate the law and advise the county
board as to the proper course t.
pursue. 1t took an expert account
ant, lawyer specially equipped fol
searching records, like John R
Becker, to gather the evidence anC
piece it together.
The county was ably defended. A
no stage of the case were the inter
ests of the people jeopardised. TIT
county board did as any successful
business concern does-employ ampl,
legal talent to handle every detail o
this great legal battle, and won
Critics may complain, and the Blak,
crowd may criticise, but the underly
ing fact is that the gang is sore be
cause the county won, exposing theil
nefarious scheme. 1t has left the
gang with hole punched in the side
of their campaign thunder, and inter.
feres with their scheme to go or
deceiving the people. AS a matter
of fact the Orofino Tribune crowd is
opposed to any effort on the part OF
the republicans to expose their dirty
work.