The article is devoted to the official relations existing in the Altai branch of control in the first years of the 20th century. For the first time the author reconstructs the personnel structure of the institutions in 1899–1906. The main content of the article is devoted to the analysis of a long-term conflict in the Altai branch of control between its head I.M. Matteev and some employees which began after the appointment of a new head who tried to restore order in the Department while maintaining its former staff. The deepening conflict was largely the result of the personal qualities of its participants. However, the response from the top management occurred only after One of the employees shot the manager of the Control Department. It led to the development of the new regulatory framework for activities of the Department and restructuring of its audit work. Consequently, the basis of the conflict involving the lack of precise instructions to the employees and powers of the head was destroyed. The author comes to the conclusion that the resolution of the protracted conflict among the employees of the Altai branch of control contributed to the transition to a new phase in the activities of the institution.