Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1876-11-01
DAWLEY, REFORMER.
RGfcrmer Because the Grant
dministraiiOn Turned
him out Of once
for Fraud.

well as other men of the human spe-
cies are not always so good and hon.
est as they pretend. Sorry we must
puncture the Dawley Reform bubble.
Mr.. A. Nj. Dawley, candidate for
Presidential Elector on the Cooper
ticket, is likely to become gentle
man of fame. But that his fame
will be an enviable fame is some
what in doubt just now. Mr.. Daw-
ley is Reformer, and perambulateS
the country preaching political Re-
form. Mr.. Dawley was once rad
ical and active Republican; but smit-
ten with u spasm of virtue, he left
that party on account of its corrup-
tion. He is a mortal enemy to all
men and all parties not perfectly
honest, pure and upright. Those
who heard his speeches here last
week ought TO be able to decide as to
his morality and eminent fitness to
preach reform in this ungodly age.
lie is welcome to the field, and we
trust he may succeed in winning
some wicked and corrupt men from
their ways of political trickery. For
the benefit of those who had not the
exalted privilege of hearing his
speeches in this place, and those who
heard him and may wish to know
something of his history and record
for the past few years, we have few
matters to relate, which will facili-
tate judgment as to his qualifications
for the humane work of reforming
the political world.
In 1869 Mr.. Dawley was appointed
Register of the United States Land
Office for the Fort Dodge District,
which embraces large portion of
the territory of Northwestern Iowa.
He was then Republican, and So
licited his appointment from Presi-
dent Grants Administration. OF
course it was very corrupt arrange
ment, or it would never have been
made by that "infamous administra-
ton" This position gave Mr.. Daw-
ley an intimate knowledge Of all the
public lands i'm that extensive dis
trict. Under tho Homestead laws
passed by Republican Congress, all
the public lands had been withdrawn
from sale and appropriated TO the
benefit of actual settlers. BY the
provisions of these wise and just
laws a citizen of the United States,
or one who had declared his inten-
ton to become such, had the right to
settle upon quarter section OF land
not sold or otherwise disposed of,
and acquire title thereto without any
charge except the entry fee of $l4.
Mr.. Dawley, having charge Of all the
records, was cognizant of all the en-
tries made in that district. Persons
wishing to make entries naturally
came to him for information as To
unsold lands. Being a salaried gov
ernment officer it was his duty to
impart such information and impart
it correctly, Mr.. DawIey, being
reformer, was Jealous I'm the per-
formance of this duty, as the follow
ing facts will show:
CRooKEDNEss.
Sometime after he became Regis
ter, as before stated, an honest and
confiding citizen named Rogers,
wishing to make homestead for
himself and family, applied to our
moral reformer for information con-
cerning vacant lands. Mr.. Dawley
told him, with much apparent re-
gret, that there was very little land
remaining in his district subject to
homestead occupancy, but he knew
of an excellent quarter section which
had been entered by n man named
Flanagan; that he was agent for said
Flanagan and authorized to transfer
the certificate. Mr.. Rogers, suppos-
ing that nothing better could be
done, concluded to purchase the land
mentioned, aud did purchase, for
$500, which he paid in cash to Mr..
Dawley, as the pretended agent OF
Flanagan, together with the entry
fec Of s14. A few months later Mr..
Rogers discovered that this great
Reformer had been mistaken, that
Flanagan was myth, .hat there
was no such man, and no such entry
had been made. Thereupon Mr..
Rogers, being a corrupt Republican,
brought suit against Mr.. Dawley In
the Circuit Court of Webster county,
before Judge Rose, to recover the
money fraudulentiy taken from him
by Dawley. Mr.. NJ. ID. O'Donnell,
present Prosecuting Attorney for the
18th Judicial District, was Mr.. Rog-
ers' attorney, and Hon. Jno. +. Dun
combe was attorney for Dawley.
The cause was tried by jury and a
verdict returned against Dawley for
the full amount of principal and in
terest.
ANOTHER cRoOKEDNEss.
Another case still more cxtraordi-
nary occurred In regard to quarter
section in Hardin county, in which
two settlers, Mr.. Samuel Curtis and
Mr.. Cornelius Rosa figured as the
victimized parties. Mr.. Dawley OBJ
tanned from these gentlemen prom
issory nete for the sum Of $500, by
pretending that quarter section ol