The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1923-08-10
ARE GOVERNMENTS UNTHANKFUL

constituted the secret of perpetuity In
that office. That charges in official
uom were not made upon the whim
Oh some one higher up. but that II a
man IN office did his duty he was a
iiNIure In that office for life. The
iuea prevailed that office holding was
altogether different across the line
than ON this side where change of
party control meant a change In the
personnel of office. Moreover. II was
not supposed that any trumped up
charges OF malfeasance in office, gen.
orally known among the profession as
lrame-up', would be entertained
against an officer in British Columbia.
lie evidence OF wrong doing had to
come from reliable sources. must be
backed by corroborative evidence. and
every officer accused must have his
DAY in court to clear nis skirts Of
suspicion 1t now appears that we
were laboring under wrong i'm
preston.
lew weeks ago mention was made
III the Gazette of the activity of VIM.
Lakeland, provincial constable. In
cleaning up bootleggers at Osoyoos
ana this paper gave him the credit
that his activity deserved. for Osoyoos
nas been sore spot along the border
since Volstead put a crimp In the
liquor business on this side of the
border. Now, we have known Mr..
Lakeland for some time, more by
reputation than through personal con-
tact, although meeting him frequently
In the past. knowledge Of his reputa-
ton came through official channels
on this side of tne line. His Official in
tegrity has never been questioned In
our hearing. On the contrary, he has
been always spoken of as a most eff
cient officer. willing and ready at all
times to cooperate with the officers on
the United States side of the border,
and working in combination with Mr.
Lakeland, a good many wrong doors
have been brought to pot. Now, 1t
seems the powers that be have decided
| that he was too active In breaking up
the Illicit liquor trade at OsoyoOs
and in consequence Mr.. Lakeland has
been broken. Our views as set forth
above are based on the following COM
muncation:
Fairview, B. c. Aug. I, 1928.
Oroville Gazette,
Oroville. Wash, U. s. A.
Dear Sir:-In your issue Of July |
goth last you had an article about a |
big haul of beer by the B. c., Provin-
cial police at the boundary line be-
tween Oroville and Osoyoos, B. c.
The chief essentials of the article |
were practically true in fact and sub
stance, but | think you laid 1t on a
little too thick about the ability and
smartness. of the person at issue.
In other words, you peddled 1t lit
tie too strong.
However, what | wanted to tell you
now is Of the way the authorities treat
the ones placed to keep law and order
on this side of the line. and in that
marvellous efficient force of which you
speak.
There have been continual COM
plants about the bootlegging element
at the line and vicinity from both our
own citizens and from American cit
liens. / was instructed to carefully
and surely clean out that element and
endeavored to do my duty with what
consider fair amount of success.
So much so. that the people on this
side of the line are pleased with my
past two years work, and think that
the law abiding people on your side
of the line are glad to realize that the
bootlegger at Osoyoos is far from be-
ing as active as he has been in the
past.
| have apparently made the mistake
of being too conscientious in the dis
charge of my duties as after clearing |
out that point Of crime and nuisance
and also others in the district 1t has /,
become necessary for my department.
to call a halt and although l had
three cases to come up for trial at
Penticton on August 1st, my services
were considered no lOneg required
after the 31st Of July.
You will naturally say, there is |
something more to this than appears.
So there is. / have been warned of a |
frame-up against me since last No
vember. but having clear conscience |
| did not attempt to let 1t bother me
one iota. But to Gut the story short as |
possible must inform you that on tle
unsupported testimony Of three con- !
victed bootleggers and without hear
ing. my services were dispensed with
charges still pending, and on sup
posed charge of accepting graft |
amounting to the large sum of sixty |
five cents a month. 1t may look fool |
ish to you, Mr. Editor, but the amount
is $500 covering a period or three
wears and from three persons, two OF
whom | have prosecuted with success |
ON several OCCASIONS and the otler |
without success
I thought that l would give you this
information, Mr.. Editor, as you have
always appeared to want to treat a
matter Of this kind upon its merits
and to give the credit where 1t is due.
would like your readers to under
stand that this is not in the nature OF
squeal. as my job does not count,
but my AZ years character and reputa-
ton does.
Respectfully yours,
VIM. LAKELAND,
Ex-Provincial Constable.
DOING A BIG BUSINESS.