The copper era and Morenci leader., 1918-07-12

speak TOT MT. DuttOn, as ne IS Out1 of the State at present I have nd means of ascertaining whether he promised to confirm MT. Franz nom ination or not. So far as am con cerned state most emphatically that never gave any such promSe to MT. Franz or any other persory no. was I ever requested to do so until the three members of the board had met and passed upon the matter.
 The record of this transaction is substantially as follows:
 The letter appointing MT. Franz al member of the State Council of De- fense bore the Phoenix postmark of June 20th. It was handed to me by MT. A. L. Terry. clerk of the Board of Supervisors on the morning of June 22. I took the letter, saying toI the clerk that would see Super visor Witt as soon as convenient, intending to go to Duncan to see Mr. Witt that day. This was unnnec- essary, as MT. Witt came into Cliff ton on some other business. and didI not know that the Board had receiv-| ed the appointment until informed him.
 MT. Witt and repaired to cafe| where we dined together, and discus-| sed the advisability of approving the| same. Both agreed it would not bel to the best interest of the Council to confirm the appointee. I suggest ed to MT. Witt that he and I go at| once to confer with Supervisor Dut-| ton at his home in Morenci. Both went in MT. Witts car to see Mr. Dutton, and the three of us unani- mously agreed that the appointment would not be confirmed. After this agreement we returned to Clifton, and so far as any member of the Board had any knowledge no one knew of the appointment of MT. F'ranze ex. cept we three supervisors and the Clerk of the Board. We conferrel with no one, and MT. Dutton had not been informed of the appointment, SO far as am aware, until we arrived at Morenci on the afternoon of Juno p.
 After returning to Clifton from Mo renci I arrived at the Court House after the arrival of MT. Witt. HG was in the County Attorneys office. and as I arrived heard MT. Franz remark We will say no more about it." MT. Franz prepared to leave the court house and invited me to- accompany him to his home. ac- cepted, but told him could not go right then, that r would join himself and another friend in few minutes. The business in the office detained me longer than I anticipated. and did not go to his house at all. As MT. Franz left he stated that he hoped I would approve his appoint ment. r. That night while attending pic ture show fin company with my wife, Ben Fehrman came to me and said a party wanted to see me on the outside a moment. went out, and Mr. s. T. Morton spoke to me and said he would appreciate it if I would do what could to secure the confirma- tion of MT. Franz appointment. I told him then that the Board had al- ready acted, and had refused to con firm MT. Franz. MT. Morton said he was sorry, and then Fehrman re marked that it was frame-up.
 This is the record of the whole transaction, and no one can truth fully say that I ever promised to approve the appointment. All will readily see that could not have done so as no one knew that he had been appointed, so far as my knowledge goes, except the four above mention ed officials, until the full member ship of the board had taken action.
 My reasons for wishing the matter disposed of at once was the fact that was the only member of the Board in Clifton, and knew would be be- sieged by friends and enemies of the appointee, and not wishing the an noyance, and to assume the conse- quent' full burden of the matter, advised an immediate disposition of the case by the full membership of the Board of Supervisors.
 w. H. MOON,
 Member Board of Supervisors Vof Greenlee County, Arizona.