Camas Prairie chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1901-1917, 1916-10-06

of the 81 per cent the republicans
were asking.
T. c. Coffin, who brought the
injunction to prevent the pay
ment of this money to the state,
is a young attorney, who never
had any practice in courts, or
other experience as an attorney
until he was taken up by Attor-
ney General Peterson and made
an assistant in the Office Of the
attorney general.
After serving for some months
an assistant in that Office. Coffin
and Attorney General Peterson
entered into partnership agree
ment which was to become effec-
tive at the conclusion of the at
torney generals term of Office on
next January. Meanwhile, Cof-
fin was appointed special repre-
sentative of the attorney gener-
ais Office to prosecute the case
against the Surety Co. on Aliens
bond and it was generally sup
posed and understood that he
was acting only as representa-
tive of the Office of the attorney
general. After taking up the
Allen case, he announced his
resignation as assistant attorney
general and his removal to Poca-
tello where he entered the law
firm with D. w. Standrod and
son.
1t was also announced at the
same time following the close of
Attorney General Peterson's
term of Office that Peterson him
self would go to Pocatello and en-
ter the same law firm, but Coffin
having begun the work of the
suit against the Surety Company
would carry the case to judge
ment. This he did and secured
the full amount of the states
claim as demanded by Governor
Alexander. After judgement
was secured, Coffin filed alien
claiming $12,5OO for attorneys
fees for prosecting the case. So
great was the howl made by the
public against this procedure that
Coffin publicly announced a with
, drawal of this lien and stated he
would accept as attorneys fees
} such amount as the depository
board of the state felt was due
him for his services in the case.
Arrangements were made with
: the sanction of Attorney General
: Peterson, where it was agreed to
| pay Mr.. Coffin his salary of $3.50,
; month for a period of three
monts to cover his services as
: assistant attorney general in the
; prosecution of this case. It was
: supposed the matter was then
ended and in due time the secur=
) ity Company would pry over to
! the state the full amount of the
judgment and therefore it caused
great surprise when it was found
that an injunction was brought
preventing the payment of the
: amount being made to the state.
Private attorneys, not connect
/ ed with the Office of the attorney
| general were employed to repre-
sent the state in opposing the
claim of Caffin with the result
that Judge Mccarthy ruled that
! the Surety Co. must pay the full
amount oyer to the state, but
Judge Mccarthy rules in addition
! that a special fund of $4,000
} claimed by Coffin shall be set
; aside in the Office of the state
: treasurer to be held until Coffin
: shall prosecute his case in the su-
preme court and bhfore the board
r Of examiners should he 80 decide,
The case affords another in
stance of the many in which
Governor Alexander has had to
: hold out against intense opposi-
ton Of republican officials in or
; der to protect the interests of the
people of the state, and it only
one of the instances in which he
standing alone has effected great
, aaUino t0 tho DaOnln