The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1919-04-25

Inc Times tnlS Week pTlHtS III iuH
a filing with the County Clerk, by
Prosecuting attorney W.. E. Golfer, in
regard to the suit he has brought to
compel the County Court to return
the $500 expense money that body re-
Gently voted to Messrs. Munger and
Mathews, in the effort and hope OF
finally securing needed legal assist
ance in collecting 100000 which the
Court teels is honestly and legally
due the county from the great mining
corporations doing BUSINESS in this
county for the 1913 taxes.
Since Prosecuting Attorney Golfer
has thus put himself on record, not
withstanding verbal statements he
has previously made to the County
Court Judges, as well as to the Attor-
news that are now employed to look
after the interests of the county.
which appear to believe such posi-
tion, it is now cup to him" to "stand
or fall" on his published position,
which, to layman, appears to be alb
solutcly contrary to the best inter
ests of the county, and to the people,
in regard to the 1918 axes.
This chapter in the proceedings in
the proposed big tax suit is but an
other that adds considerable cloud
mess" to what was previously a
"cloudy" situation. For instance, the
Prosecuting Attorney says he must
decline to proceed further in any liti-
CATION" las though he had actually
startcd) ''because | am contesting the
payment of $500 retainer by the
County Court" 1t must strike the av-
| erage taxpayer as somewhat strange
that tie officer elected to look after
the county's interests should so in
terest himself in $500 allowance by
the County Court, and yet set SUI
pinely by and attempt to justify the
mining companies in their effort TO
hold back 100000 of the 1918 taxes
assessed against them.
! He further says: at is my opinion
| tlat the Court is bound to accept
James j. Croke's final settlement, in
the face of that judgment" The
County Attorney fails to state, how,
ever, that the Settlement" referred
to was confessed judgment" en-
tered by the Collector, perhaps on the
advice of his attorneys, which
attorneys were also supposed te
be representing the interests Of
the county. But such judgment
was confessed without the knowledge
or consent of the County Court Judg
es, whose consent, so The, Times IS ad
yised by legal authority worthy o
credenca, is quite necessary in sucl
matters.
The County Attorney speaks o
that Judgment" more than once II
the following argument, but invariab
ly fails to even intimate that it was
Confessed Judgment" absolutely op
,, posed to the opinion or desire OF th'
County Court, with which it shoult
have been in thorough accord. 1t il
the opinion of the lawyers who for
tunately are now looking after tn
county's interests that the Interests
of the county have not been fairl!
,, presented in the District Court-il
fact they have in no way been i'm
: paired in such decision--and that
: fair hearing of all the issues involves
! will result in compromise of tn
taxes--not sluffing off of the enor
nous sum of $107,0 in last year
taxes.
!. The Times is impressed with wha
appears to be very noticeable weak
ness in the argument presented in tn
following instrument filed in tn
County Clerks office by County Al
T torney Golfer. Read it carefully an
9 decide for yourself as to its apparer
!. merits:
y Gentlemen:-Wherea there was o
the Bird of April, 1919, February &C
n journed term, by your order Of ret
y ord, on that date, made and entere'
y among the ether things the followin
entry:
"The Court now directs that w.
Golfer, the duly elected, qualified an
, acting Prosecuting Attorney with
! and for the county of st. Francois an
State of Missouri, in conjunction wit
n Thomas A. Mathews and o. L. Munge
n special counsel, proceed according
f law to collect the balances due s
= Francois county in the State Of Mi
"a souri, from said corporations (St. j
II seph Lead Company, Federal Lea
. Company and Desloge Consolidate
Lead Company, and to take SUI
d other actions in the premises as Il
r circumstances demand and justice r.
d quires."
e And whereas, in conformity to sa
q order I have diligently and honest
- investigated to the best of my humb
!. ability all of the facts and law i
"a volved and being satisfactorily i
1 r. f. as,ac