Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1922-11-02
SHERIFF EIMERS IN
ANSWER TO ELLER


1t appears from the tone of an ar
tiele furnished all newspapers of the
county during the week Of Oct. 10Th
by w. II. Eller that have caused to
be printed in a former issue of two
papers a statement which, he claims,
falsifed the records of Idaho county.
The figures which Mr. Filler refers
to are as follows:
Eller 3 expenses for boarding pri-
soners during the year 1920, $577. Ny
expenses for boarding prisoners during
1921, S453.19. My automobile hire for
1921, $990.55; Mr.. Eller's auto hire
for 1920, $1,249.40. Fees collected bv
Eller in 1920, $1,20499. Fees I col
lected in 1921, $1,S72.97. The number
of cases handled by my office in 1921
was more than twice the number hand
led by Mr.. Eller in the preceding year,
being the last year of his term, or
1920. This included both civil and
criminal cases.
Referring to these figures Mr.. Eller
says: Gin truth and fact wholly con-
trary to the records which anyone can
examine and see for himself" Mr.. Ell |
Ter further states: "To go into details |
would take too long and be too vol
luminous
If Mr.. Eller had gone into details he
would have found my figures correct,
and since the records seem to volulni-
nous to Mr.. Eller, I am willing for
him to hire an accountant and 90 over
these records.
And as a special inducement to Mr..
Eller / will place in the bank a certi-
fed check for $500 to be paid to him
if he can pOve that l have falsifed the
records, as quoted above, and if he can
prove any Justification of the above
figures to the amount of one dollar in
dollar and cents he may have the
heck.
There are no strings to this propo-
iition. Mr.. Eller has made the state
nent that my figures are false. He can
make $500 by simply proving his state
nent true.
Mr.. Eller makes reference to the
tenn of auto hire and substantially
.dmits that my figures are correct, but
lie says / furnished my own transpor- D.,
alton at cost less than he could hire I.
itneys. l agree with Mr.. Eller that s.
ONE of jitney hire was exorbitant.
n one instance, particularly, when he Z
aid 500 for an auto to transport him .
o 4th of July celebration to admin
'ter to two DRINKS who had already
cen taken into custody by Mr.. Eller 3 .
pecial deputy on duty at the celebra- Y
on. Upon Mr.. Eller's arrival at the
celebration the culprits had been re- y
'ased. No fines were imposed and no. II
ody out cent-exeepting the bill >,
500 for fifty miles auto hire which
iaho equity paid. This expenditure
r. Eller attributes to "high cost
living during war times" u
Mr. Eller speaks of the high prices -
; was compelled to pay for board .,
prisoners. I find that he paid 35 :,
nts per meal for prisoner food dur -
g 1920. IF I resorted to the same n
atb0d TO feed prisoners that he did -
could not procure the meals for any W. W
IS at this time.
With some pride and more sarcasm @
r. Eller concludes his published ar
lie by stating: fI do not know the "
act number of arrests made by N.Y.
4 or Mr.. Eimers during said period,
Z they fail to state how many con- as
,tions he secured out of the great 40
mber of arrests.'' oil
Replying to this Twant to saw be
~ the sherlh nor any other one Off
i cannot be held responsible for pr
X Of convictions. frequently, how pc,
err one lonely citizen does throw fol
nself in the way Of the prosecution. ev,
other citizens had rallied 20 the sup gre
TT of defendants in Idaho county fol-
lrts during nv term as sheriff as an
sely as Mr.. Eller did in criminal for
ses, I doubt IL we would have had pri
gle conviction, except in case is
ERE \ bootlegger pleaded guilty and 30
:. Eller was on his bond. siv
presume, Mr. Eller, that the case boz
II have in mind in whichswe failed TO she
'ure conviction was the bootleg hoy
~ case Of Tom Lindsey. You were pul
the district courtroom when this dis
'e was tried. During recess Won acc
mt TO table in the courtroom and ali
tied the contents of bottle which CO.
d been introduced as evidence. La act
you conveyed through the defend hay
to his attorney the announcement sig
1t IN your opinion the evidence was con