The Duluth rip-saw. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1917-19??, 1918-10-05

but his petty graft, as outlined in the
previous issue of the Rip-saw, is not
his only adventures with the peoples
property.
In another column will be found
the story of an illegal, unlawful and
reprehensible bond deal in 1915.
whereby the people lost anywhere
from $4,000 to $1,000.
There was a time when the Biz
Interests handed in lists indicating
what taxes they would pay without
fuss or fight and auditor Halden saw
to it that those figures were put on
the taxrolls without alteration.
Along back in 1897, Charles o.
Baldwin was appointed a special
prosecutor in q number Of graft
cases in st. Louis county. The then
county surveyor was found guilty of
graft and given fine Of $4,000 by
judge Cant. Another official was
convicted and given penitentiary
sentence. The public felt and be-
lieved that he had been made a goat
by Halden, therefore very justly Sc
cured gubernatorial pardon.
Halden was indicted on charges OF
malfeasance. He stalled off trial and
eventually took a change of venue to
Carlton, Carlton county, Mimi, then
under the domination of the lumber
barons. There the efficient Harry
Hawkins so manipulated matters that
Carlton county jury returned ver-
dict Of not guilty. There was much
81 Al I>,.A
cation ever was made.
But if Halden's brother official
was guilty, then Halden was doubly
guilty. Even in that day, he as
sumed to dictate to and dominate the
other officials.
In the last 20 years, entirely too
many men have turned out grafters
or embezzlers in the courthouse. One
gained his freedom only a few days
ago. Almost without exception, they
have been men who were dominated
by Halden. In many cases, although
in other offices, they owned their
positions to his favor and dictatiun.
They faithfully and blindly obeyed
HaIden's dictation. Several have
served time in the penitentiary and
several have escaped through pull,
influence, complacency or lack of up
roar by the poor taxpayers.
It has been common talk in polit-
ical circles that Halden's friendship
and influence has been a blight for
most young men who surrendered
their initiative and principles to his
dictation. Some of these, noting the
twisty Halden methods, have adven-
tured with the peoples money in cold
blood. Others, being seduced by
wine, women and song, favorite di-
versions of Halden in his palmy days,
have gone wrong because of those
dangerous agencies.
Some of the ultra-dry citizens who
have been deceived by Halden's
cheerful prevarication and some of
the big but honest taxpayers who
have been hornswoggled into the hon.
est belief that Halden is the acme Of
honesty and economy, will do we'll 10
really and truly inform themselves
concerning the true record and char
acter of the man who has played both
ends against the middle and been all
things to all men during the six
years that he was deputy auditor
and the twenty-four years that he
has been auditor. If they wish to
make his private life an issue in
arriving at a true knowledge Of his
character and methods, they will be
doubly amazed and convinced that he
is not the unselhsh, answering,
faithful servant of the people and
ideal citizen that he has made them
believe.
Some years back, auditor Halden
had a habit of drawing his salary
before 1t was due. His custom was
collateral an unregistered county
warrant against his salary. On the
first of the month, 1t was a foot race
to get to the courthouse to exchange
that unregistered warrant for reg
istered warrant. For several years,
Frank Buell., as greedy loan shark
as ever charged usury, handled Hal
den's monthly salary most Of the
time.
Once upon time, auditor Halden
issued several unregistered salary
warrants. He then issued registered
warrants and cashed them, leaving
the loan shark with worthless col
lateral, but the paper that put Hal
den on thin ice and made him GRIM
inally liable.
A certain lawyer in Duluth had
to threaten this phenomenal auditor
Of st. Louis county, Mimi, with in
dictment before he hustled around
and, in some way, paid up his bogus
paper, which held his face towards
another criminal indictment by the
grand jury and trial in district court.
To show what peculiar people there
are among the lawyers, the Rip-saw
Ia Informed that the advocate who
had to threaten criminal procedure
against the county auditor Is for him
this year because he does not like
some of the people back OF Bergen"
His peculiar twist of mind makes one
think Of Adam when questioned on
why he ate the forbidden fruit. Some
lawyer Psychology Is peculiar stui.
After reading an item about SOL
der boys in France mailing 7,000,-
nm 1--we letters IN their American