The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1920-10-29
BunneN, Short
HaUe Chance-6
CONTINUED from Page u

ouv ~ bnoWh ~ y tele8rum puD-
lished in yesterdays Herald from
Harrison Allen Of Portland. counsel
for J. M. Dousan, plaintiff in the
courthouse suit, TO his colleague, G.
p. Stone, local attorney, the mana
gers Of the Detroit Fire and Marine
Insurance. company: the Connecticut
Fire Insurance company: The Ameri-
can Insurance company. The Fire-
mems Fund; Tho North River In
surance and Hanover Insurance COM
pany, have each made affidavit that
policies were written by their com
panies on July 20, 1920 By their Kla-
msth Falls agents on the now court
house on Block 36, the Main street
building.
These affidavits show. says Allen.
that these policies were written ae
the instance Of the county court;
that they were written In considers
tion Of certain premiums and that
the premiums were charged and paid
for.
And in the opinion Of Allen. rank
cd a. ono Of the best lawyers In the
state, the affidavits IN his possession
are sufficient TO snow that Judge X.
II. Bunnell, in his sworn statement.
fslsified.
And in the county clerks Office
here is that part Of the total insur-
ance. 1113,000 in all, allotted TO the
companies represented locally By ].
r. Mcguire on fife for inspection OF
any skepticai citizen-three separ-
II ate policies guaranteeing the pay
\ ment of S37 $50 against fire loss oe
| the new courthouse and other pro-
perty.
This agent delivered his policies
and billed the county for the prem :
ium-S444.47. J. H Driscoll and
Fred Buesing each took half OF the
remaining two thirds OF the 4113.-
900, but,-presumably because the
county court feared II might weaken
their position In the election II II be-
came generally known that they had
taken step that meant tactic accept
ance Of the Main street building.--
they did not file their policies and
bills.
The people who were wise enough
to elect Judge Bunnell and Commisr
sioner Short to conduct their busi-
uess did not .evidsntly. possess suf-
ficient intelligence to be taken inte
the confidence OF the county court
when this important step was taken.
Maguire's policies and bill were
filed September -. 1890. The eoun-
ty court met two days later bat a.
lowed NO bills. On Monday. Septem-
ber 81, the court met again and al
bills we're placed before II By the
county clerk.
All bills were allowed except Ma
guires insurance bill. Nov u Judge
Bunnell and Commissioner Short can
make the people Of klamath county
believe that they did not allow this
bill because they had never seen II.
nor handled II and did not know 1t
existed. they can rightfully ask them
to show confidence In their further
actions by re-electing them TO office
next Tuesday.
No member OF The Herald staff
was present at the session OF the
county court September ~. The Her
aid only knows Of its own knowleoge
that the Mcguire policies are on ftie.
in the amounts and for the purposes
stated, and that the bill for the
SA44.l7 premium IL on file with the
county clerk. II has the clerks In
formation that all bills were placed
before the court at the September
27th meeting. The record OF the
court shows this one particular bill
was not allowed.
And The Herald draws the 3ustifi-
able assumption that II was not al
lowed because the county court fear
cd such action would be used In the
courthouse litigation az showing
practical acceptance OF the Main
street courthouse as county proper
ty,
Could there be a clearer contra
diction established?
Could there be a clearer exposition
Of the secret methods pursued BY
this county court In transaction ol
public business?
On one hand they publicly de-
clare that the Main street building
il not a county building-in all thetI
public statements they carefully re-
fer to II as "The Dougan building
on the other they expose by actions
which always speak more clearly
than words. that they do consider u
a county building and as county
property they protect 1t with insur'
ance.
The handwriting Is on the wall. In
national politics next Tuesday the
voters Of America will overwhelming
~ retire an administration that fo'
secret methods and autocratic over
riding the will Of the people has
unique place In American political
history. =.
And. II the people Of klamath
county road right the lessons taugn'
in the larger domain OF national pol
itics. the same retirement OF an au'
tocratic administration will fo''ow
the exposure of the county courts