The producers news., 1927-04-08

Foot Offers Assistance
The Attorney General arrived in
PlentywOOd Tuesday evening and
appeared before the Board We'd
nesday morning. All the Commits
siOners and tho County Attorney
were present. Attorney Paul Bah
cock was also present and kept
his eye on Commissioners French
and IversOn throughout the meet
ing. The Attorney General stated
that he would render assistance
to the county in the collection of
the claim against the National
Surety Company, free of cost. He
stated that if the County Attorney
assembled the evidence and made
rough draft of the complaint he
would assign his best men to the
task of bTiefing the case and put
ting the finishing touches on the
complaint, which he would sign in
conjunction with the County AttOr-
ney. If the case came uD for trial
in court hO would send one or two
of his best men to help the County
Attorney conduct the case. If the
case should happen to go to the
Supreme or any other court, his Of
flee would be represented there. He
promised the Commissioners that
he would aid the county in any
way within his power in the cOllec-
tiOn of the burglary insurance
claim against the Surety Company.
The Attorney General then left the
room and Commissioner French
again asked County Attorney
Erickson if he needed the assist
ance of BabcOck in preparing the
case. The County Attorney re-
piled that he did not. Commission
er French then stated that he did
not change his opinion and asked
Commissioner Kahle and the latter
replied that he had not changed
either. French then moved that
BabcOck be retained as special
counsel to help Erickson do the
work the Attorney General referred
to. French and IversOn voted yes
and Kahle voted no. When asked
| by one of the Commissioners what
his charge would be, BabcOck
guardesdly answered, 81 can't say at
this time"
Thousands of Dollars In Claims
The last Board meeting was a rec
ord one as far as the amounts of the
claims presented were concerned
Since the new Board assumed office
the first of the year it has incur
red considerable Indebtedness anC
bought much high priced machinery
and supplies. At the regular meet
| ings, and the frequent special meet.
ings, held recently numerous sales
men have mOpolized the attention oil
the Board members. Much purchases
have resulted from these conferences
The bills are now coming in sucl
rapid succession that they threate1
to deplete the money in the various
funds. Amongst the many claims al
lowed was one amounting to $7,124.7l
for grader. The claim did not show
any discount to the county but was
made out for the full catalogue price
Ask $I0,937.05 Tractor Bill Be Split
A Bill from the Connolly Ma
chinery Company of Billings for
two sixty Holt Caterpillar tractors
was received. These tractors,
which were consigned from the
factory on two flat cars. will cost
the county between freight and
catalogue price $10,937.05. Unless
the Connolly Company gave the
County the usual discount this
claim could not be- passed because
of the article in the constitution
which prohibits County Commits
siOners from paying more than
SlO,OOO III one claim. Instead of
asking the company to give the
county the regular small town deal
ers discount so that this claim
could come within the constitution
al limit the County Commissioners
ordered the clerk of the Board to
write to the Company to split the
claim in two so that they could get
around the law. It is stated, on the
best legal authority, that as this
was one transaction. that the COun-
ty Commissioners could not escape
the spirit and intent of the law in
this manner. and that if they did.
a Taxpayers suit to restrain them
would lie.. AS the Machinery COM
pany is anxious to receive their
money it is stated that a machine
agent may allow more than the
S5OO.OO, now allowed in exchange
value, for an old Holt Tractor own
ed by the county. Or the Machine
agent may allow the county the
dealers discount and try to per-
suade the County Commissioners
to accept this discount by setting
up the convincing argument. that.
if they did not, the taxpayers would
suspect the commissioners were re-
ceiving the commission themselves
in graft"
Other Claims
Attorney j. F. Kelly, attorney fol
a legal defense association, organized
for the purpose of protecting individ.
ual county commissioners agains
Taxpayers suits, ETC., wrote to Com
mlssioners French, Iverson and Kahl,
that they had to raise some none,
! to defend three county commission
ers who have been made defend
ants In suits, and asked the Commits
sloners to remit SIS which would bt
five dollars for each of the Sheridan
County Commissioners. The Com
mlSSlonerS turned the bill in tn tb.