The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-05-23
LOUISVILLE LETTER.

The kentucky Press ana the Public LII
brary Fraud-Opposition of the Highly
Moral LOUSY fiIians To the Rsces-End
of the United states Court Troubles
The North American Saengerfest-A
Quarfeffe of Editors ON Lark-Episco-
nal Convention Fashionable We'd
dings.
Especial Correspondence of the Sentinel
LOUISVILLE. May l9-The case of the COM
monweath against Dent Whips, proprietor
of the Willard hotel, for the killing OF John
w Stockton, his superintendent OF the
house, last February, was brought TO close
Thursday night by the jury rem erlng YER
dict of not guilty. This homicide created
such an intense excitement at the time, and
the result of the trial now being the theme
of all classes. that brief account OF the
facts may prove interesting. few months
before the tragedy occurred the accused mad
met with an accident which prevented him
from performing the active duties OF man
ager of the hotel. and he accordingly em-
ployed John w. Stockton for that purpose,
Stockton having had great experience in the
business and being we'll acquainted and uni
versallv esteemed for his many amlable
qualities by the travelling public: Things
worked along pretty smoothly until
last January. when il is said Whips
became jealous of the popularity of
his employe, Ia fact WHICH seems
rather odd) and on more than one occasion
applied rather rough language to the de-
ceased regarding the manner in which he
performed his duties. This i'll feeling con
tinued to grow until IL eliminated IN an
omen rupture on the morning of February
10 when the parties met in the hotel Office
II was at an early hour and there were no
witnesses to the iir save those employed
about the house by Whips. Stockton, 1t
seems, had slept beyond his usual hour that
morning and when be came down to the
office was reprOached in very foul language
for his tariiness by Whips. Hot words fol-
lowed and the lie and id lie were given.
when Stockton struck Whips in the face with
his hand Stockton attempted 10 draw a
pistol, but was disarmed and the parties sep
arated. Stockton, however, shortly returned
in the direction of the office when he was
met by Whips, wn0 fired three shots, when
Stockton fell MORALLY wounded and died in
the course of few hours. Whips after the
shooting was placed under arrest and con-
fined in the hotel pa-lor. Not even after
Stockton died was be incarceratsd in Jail,
nor in fact from the first has he ever been
immured behind the prison gates. This un-
heard of legislation created great excite
ment. as we'll il might, and now his COM
plete justification of the bloody deed is
equal to any judicial whitewashing to be
found in the annals of crime in Kentucky,
even In the murderers palmiest days. when
he shook his bloody fingers derisiyely in the
faces of both judge and jury. But such is
Kentucky Justice and the accused In this
case had perfect right 70 claim the benefit
of the precedents established in similar
deeds OF blood.
TIE PUBLIC LIBRARY FRAUD.
That gigantic swindle, the Public Library
of Kentucky, by which millions OF dollars
were filched from a deluded public, has at
length been exposed in all its rottenness,
and the unexampled brazenneSs of its pro-
iectors and the venality of the Kentucky
press laid bare To the scrutiny of the world.
Pine storm has been impending for some
time, and was only averted through the in
fuence 81 the mighty dollar The facts as
now given were long known 50 the newspa-
per men OF Louisville, but fsDm the incep-
ton of the thieving scheme the press was
muzZled and any mixing OF irregularities
was only To be made through the medium of
foreign papers The head and front of the
enterprise Colonel r. uben Durrett himself
at one time a journalist and proprietor OF
he old louisville Courier, was shrewd
enough to fix the papers; and from the
success of this polite stroke one is apt to
have his confidence shaken in the integrity
of Kentucky journalism. All the city pa
pers were bought up by electing the promi-
nent men connected with them to the diree-
tory and the rural press was willing to re-
ceive hush money in the shape of literally
paid advertise ments When an editor
evinced disposition to kick in the traces
his puny voice was instantly sealed up with
good mouthful of legal tenders, and with a
few gentle taps on the head he was dis
missed, with the fatherly injunction to sin
no more Whenever an employee OF the con
Germ allowed his curiosity To pry into the Sc
cret workings OF the board be was instantly
promoted; and if he was unusually smart,
and inclined 10 tell tales out OF school, bis
superior intelligence and loquacIty were re
warded with gratuity of few thousand
- -.
ming TO the present time, was well laid
plan to rob the public; and from the devel-
Opnents thus far made, aud from those that
will shortly follow, it will be seen that the
interested parties were not novices in this
line Of business. The mere fact of setting
aside an enormous pile of money Though ii
would seem a smaller portion would have
been equally As effectual) TO bribe the press,
is of itself sufficient TO prove that the origin
ators of the scheme meant TO engage in an
enterprise that would not bear honest in
spection The board of directors received
millions of dollars from the gift concerts,
and now what has the public 10 SHOW for lis
lavish outlay? Beyond the building where
the library l. situated, which is unit for oc
cupancy. aud lot OF rubbish in the form OF
old books-noruing An idea may be formed
of the character OF the library % when IL is
known that after the expenditure OF $4,000
in preparing a catalogue. the board were
ashamed TO publish IL. as it would expose he
worthless nature IF the collection. Money
was lavished in all directions save the one in
which the people intended their millions
should be expended. ~ would ill columns
TO tell how the president and his minions
squandered the peoples wealth-no one
knows how much. there are no bills nc
books, no receipts. Like professional cracks
men, they are careful 10 leave no tangible
evidence behind that will blab of their evil
deeds. In the investigation now being held
the dead Bramlette and bis dead partners
Briggs and Clusky are proved IN be as culpa
bic as their living confferes. But cover the