Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1916-10-14
IDAHO STATESMAN, SEPT. q,
Act Two-Soene One.
Coffin Claim Raising Dust
Barker Brings Up Mondays Action
Of Land Board and Long Wransls
Is Result.
PAYMENT STANDS As "FEEr
Miss Mccoy Makes Motion Dlvorelne
Foreclosure and Allen Dis.
putes
MT STAN Ds

Tho claim allowed Attorney +. q.
Coffin Monday for handling a num-
Der Of mortgage foreclosures for the
state was formally divorced Wednes-
day by the state land board from the
fee he claims in the o. v. Allen en-
bezzlement case.
The divorce was allowed on motion
Of Miss Bernice Mccoy, superintendent
Of public instruction, after George
r. Barker, secretary of state. had
opened for discussion in a board meet
ing the intention of the board in pay
ing Coffin $3.50 Monday for work done
for the attorney generals office
Barker, Miss Mccoy. the governor
and Fred L. Huston. state auditor.
were present in the board meeting
Wednesday. The attorney general was
out of the city.
The Coffin claim for services in
cleaning up the mortgage foreclosures
was brought UP by Barker, In OPEN
ing the discussion of the boards vote
on the claim Monday he said that he d,
had voted to give Coffin $3.50 q month
for three months work in the attorney
generals office. and did not want 1t
understood that he had voted to give
the young attorney fee of $3.50 for
his services while employed in the at
torney generals office.
"Fee," or Just SALARY"
1t was over the question of whether
or not Coffin was to get fee" or a
salary of $3.50 that the attorney and
the governor quarreled Monday at a
board meeting. Coffin had insisted
that II he accepted the money due him
in the form of salary check 1t would
have a direct bearing on his case now
In the supreme court. In that case ne
seeks to collect a fee of $4,000 for SER
vices performed In the Allen case. The
two claims presented against the state
by Coffin are entirely separate, but for
weeks they have been associated by
the land board. the state depository
board and the board of examiners.
The land board had been willing to
pay Coffin $3.50 for handling the mort
age foreclosure, and Coffin was will
ing to accept payment in that sum.
but he wished 1t to come as O fee. The
land board had nothing to do with the
fee he claimed in the Allen case. The
two are, and have been. entirely sep
arate matters.
When the board voted Tuesday to
discharge the obligation 1t owed Cof-
fin the governor insisted that the at
Miss Mccoy and Huston voted to give
Coffin fee instead. BY tho wording
of the motion made at the time, and
for which Barker voted in the affir-
native, the secretary of state also con-
scented to pay Coffin a fee and not a
salary.
No Such Intention.
Tuesday he declared he had no such
intentions when his vote was called to
his attention and Wednesday brought
the boards action of Monday up for
A further discussion that he might make
clear his position.
What Barker Said.
The secretary OF state led off with
the first talk. Briefly he said:
81 want 1t understood that voted
to give Mr.. Coffin $3.50 a month for
three months. or $3.50, for his services
in foreclosing the mortgages. and not
as a fee"
What Huston Said.
I want 1t understood that ala not
vote to allow Mr. Coffin a salary; I
voted that it be paid him as a fee"
spoke up Huston.
What Mccoy Said.
7 wanted to vote to Mr.. Coffin $3.50
for handling the foreclosures" she said
month, or three months. or six
months"
What All the Republican Members
Said.
Resolved, that it Is the sense of this
board that the compensation allowed
Mr.. T. c. Coffin in the foreclosure
cases, and the votes recorded by the
land board at that time (meaning at
the board meeting Monday, are in no
way connected with the Allen embez-
element case, and is not to be consid-
cred in such way
Barker Voted for II.
Miss Mccoy, Huston and Barker vot-
ed for the resolution. The governor
voted against 1t.
Tho Minutes Read.
The minutes of the meeting read
that Coffin was paid $3.50 for "serv-
In, ho