The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1922-02-02
RECALLS DAYS OF
CAPITOL FIGHT
WHEN JOHN NJ. QUINN, EDITOR,
COAXED MINERS TO VOTE
FOR HELENA
Battle Ground Was Butte; How
Quinn Was Kept Advised of the
Inside Councils of the Anaconda
Committee and How Marcus DAILY
Discovered the Leak.
BY cram Trainor

BY Frank Trainor
The last big fight over the loca-
tion of the state capitol in Montana
developed many interesting, and
sometimes amusing, features in the
various towns of the state. But
there was one incident of that men,
orable campaign, the story of which
has never been told, and it contri-
buted in no mean degree to the sue
cess of Helena in winning the much
coveted prize.
Silver Bow county was the battle
ground of the campaign and Butte
was a seething caldron of frenzied
humanity. That DAY was counted lost
whose setting sun had not provided
a whole series of sensations for n
or both of the opposing sides. John
NJ. Quinn was the editorial writer
of the Butte Miner, which had es-
poused the cause of Helena, and
Quinn, luridly, verbally, adjectivally
and virulently "lambasted" his OPP
%ponents. Even Quinn's foes later adj
mitted that Quinn's hot-air blasts
aided largely in inducing the miners
employed by the Anaconda Company
to throw their support to Helena.
But much of the effectiveness of
Quinn's campaign thunder was due
to the fact that during the progress
of the campaign he was in full pos
session of the enemy's plans. This
information not only aided Quinn but
also the members of the Helena COM
mittee, who were able to forestall
or checkmate the operations of the
opposition. And the discovery of
the leak was made by Marcus DAILY
himself, but not until it was too
late to undo the mischief.
A Human Dictaphone
The Anaconda committee head
quarters were in a store room on the
ground floor of the Beaver block. At
the rear of this store room was an
air-well having a transom on the
ground floor and an opening on the
floor. A young man named
Hunter, a friend of Quinn's, rented
a room on the second or hotel floor,
room having a large opening on
the air-well. When the committee
meetings we're being held Hunter
himself from the opening in
room to a point opposite the tran
som on the ground floor. There, I'M
observed, he not only heard every
word uttered but was able to recog-
nize the speaker. After the meeting
reported what he had heard
to Quinn. Some of this information
was passed on to the Helena com
but enough was published in
the Miner each morning to show that
there was a big leak somewhere.
The members of the committee
astounded to find themselves
so accurately reported. Each mem
Der began to suspect the other of
babbling secrets, or worse still, of
being a spy in the camp, and much
blood was engendered. Strenu-
efforts we're made to u down
he 'informer." Suspected men were
watched from the time they
eft the committee room until they
their homes. A score of de-
trailed suspects throughout
he city. But still the Miner contin-.
led to accurately report the proceed
ngs. The lack of harmony among
he members began to be noticeable.
did not tend to help the cause.
There was something of a panic, too,
ior their plans were thwarted at
every turn.
DAILY Discovers Leak
One evening Marcus DAILY entered
committee room to attend an i'm
D~ortant meeting. CHANGING about the
his eyes fell on the open tran
som of the air-well. Turning to the
members of the committee, in that
sarcastic drawl of his, he
Say, you fellows" pointing to the
ransom, that's where Quinn gets all
lis news. Close that transom, and
Ieep it closed"
Hunter, at his listening post, heard
he unmistakable voice and hastily
:lambered back to safety. The Miner
text morning was silent about the
Meeting and no more authentic re-
,orts of committee meetings appear
ID. But the mischief had already
'een done.