Dirty Politics

 Duncan Dingwall was involved in the very heated election campaign of 1886 against the Sligh-Durand ticket for Montana State Senator. The political candidates from Granite county all visited Quigley in October, believing that this was an important voting element. They were greeted by the Quigley A.F. of L. Union president Elliott. The candidates were: Dr. J.M. Sligh running for state senator, J.K. Pardee a former state legislator now running for county treasurer, D. H. Dunshee of Combination and D.W. Hennessey of Flint running for county commissioners and Thomas Glina of Combination running for the state legislature. 

The Record announced the election results on November 14 as follows: J.K. Pardee as treasurer, Findlay J. McDonald as sheriff, Thomas Glina and Israel Clem as legislators, B. (or D.) H. Dunshee, James McDonel and D.W. Hennessey as county commissioners. 

During the election campaign the Mail published the following: That Boycotted Road “A gentleman, a former employee of the Combination company, has hauled into this office a copy of a notice served on him while in the employ of that company. It is an interesting little document and one which caused a great deal of adverse criticism at the time it was posted in various conspicuous places around Combination and handed or transmitted to employees. By reference to the boycott notice it will be observed that it applies to everybody excepting Frank Durand, D.H. Mellan [sic] and Hugh Mellan [sic]. These three gentlemen out of the entire county are the only ones permitted to traverse the road and do business in Combination. If the road had done anything to seriously impair the “general welfare of the community,” it does appear a little strange that the three gentlemen named above could traverse it without injury to the community. 

Following is the circular letter: “Combination, Montana, July 30, 1895 Notice is hereby given that on and after this date all residents of Combination as well as all employees of the Combination Mining and Milling Company will be expected to cease purchasing any meats, vegetables, produce dry goods, clothing or supplies of any kind, from any farmer, person or firm, from the lower valley adjacent to and driving over the road from Stone Station to the Combination Mine and known as the Stone Station Road. 

All persons hauling goods and supplies of any character over or in any way found traversing said road will not be permitted to sell or dispose of same in the Combination camp excepting Frank Durand, D.H. Mellan and Hugh Mellan. All persons in this camp will avoid the patronage of the Horton stage and whether employed or not are expected to live up to the letter of these instructions as we believe it is most reasonable and certainly worthy the co-operation of our employees and beneficiaries, and any and all violations or failure to comply will result most seriously in the general welfare of the community. 

This matter will receive the closest attention and we insist upon it most rigid enforcement. Combination Mining and Milling Co., F.H. Bird, Agent, by order of Chas. D. McLure, president.” 

The Mail continued: “There is not a business man in the county, nor a rancher, miner, laborer or anyone else who can afford to vote the Sligh-Durand corporation ticket if he believes in the free institutions of America. Remember that it is the same corporation tactics that are being used by Mark Hanna to defeat Bryan, that are being used in Granite county to elect Sligh. Down with the corporation ticket by voting the Dingwall ticket straight.” 

As a point of interest:Sligh owned 2,750 and Durand 4,602 shares of Combination stock. 

After Duncan won the election, Sligh by manipulation, went to Helena and occupied the Senate seat. The December 4, 1896 Mail carried the District Court happenings where: “Dr. J.M. Sligh instituted injunction proceedings against G. J. Reck as county clerk of Granite county to restrain him from issuing a certificate of election to Duncan Dingwall as senator from Granite county. The case was ably argued by Honorable W. B. Rodgers, counsel for Dingwall and W. E. Moore of Philipsburg, counsel for Sligh. The court took the case under advisement and on Monday rendered its decision, in which the injunction was denied. Judge Brantly, in rendering his decision held substantially: “That his court has no jurisdiction to pass injunctions… and Duncan Dingwall, having received a majority of all the votes cast at the last election, for that office, was regularly and duly elected as such senator and is entitled to receive a certificate of election from the Clerk of Granite county.” 

The reader is reminded that Granite county received its charter in 1893 and prior to that time was represented by Deer Lodge county, so this was their first election.