Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-09-28
The Bodell Matter.

Our readers will remember that in tn
canvass OF two years ago, the Bullet
charged DR.. Bodell, of Winthrop, VIII
was then working with might and mair
and, as he has since expressed it, doin
all sorts of dirty work for Mr.. Van Ors
dol, for Sheriff, had been promised tn
deputyship Of the Office for his service
The statement was denounced at tina
time as a falsehood, and great deal O
cheap indignation was gotten up owe
what was termed the BULLETINS lynn
accusation against Mr.. Van Orsdol, tina
he would appoint man like Bodell
We simply call attention to the fac
that Mr. Van Orsdols organ, with hi
sanction, now makes confession that tn
BULLETINS charge was true, and tina
he did promise Bodell the deputyship il
consideration of the work done il
his behalf, and that he attempted to full
fill that promise, but, banked by tn
Board OF Supervisors, paid in lieu there
of "a certain sum of money, for wha
purpose the reader can judge So mucl
for history. Now let us examine Mr.
Van OrsdoFs plea in mitigation of the
above record.
He has chosen not to make his lex
PLANTATION over his own signature, bu,
entrusted the duty to the editor of the
succotash organ across the street, and ir
this has perpetrated a cunning stroke Of
policy, for the editor can discount ever
him in double dealing, and would have
no sort of conjunction in stating things
as facts that Van might pause over. He
can confidently expect his advocate tc
make out good showing for him, ire.
spective Of merits or facts. We have
reason to knoao that Van appreciates
this, and, therefore, his placing of his
cause in such hands was sharp dodge
Here is the case made out for him by his
tool:
Two years ago, or about the time Van Orsdol
was nominated for Sheriff, Bodell sought his
acquaintance and informed him that, although
a Republican, he was in favor of his VANS
election, and should help him all he could; and
we believe he did work for him during the can
vass and really pretended to Van that his sue
ly persuaded him to promise him the deputy
ship, not doubling that his credit and ability
according to BOdelPs own story, would justify
this selection. But alas, when he came to make
inquiry about his proposed deputy in Indepen-
dence, he found Dine-tenths of the people de-
cidedly opposed to his appointment, and the
Board of Supervisors opposed to his cOnfirma-
ton. Then, in order to act honorable with his
quondam friend, he asked him how much he
would take and release him from his promise.
To which inquiry Bodell named a certain sum,
and Van paid it, and thus it ought to have end
ed. This money was not paid to suppress any
secrets or dark transactions but money to buy
a release from promise unfairly obtained.
Now, the first thing that will strike
the reader of the above is, that it en-
bodies a confession that Mr.. Van Orsdol
made traffic of the deputyship in return
for political work in his behalf; the very
thing which in the campaign two
years ago Van Orsdol and his friends
falsely charged upon Mr.. Laird, and
which they used as conclusive reason
why Mr.. Laird was not fit man for
Sheriff. 1t seems, also, from the above
confession, that Bodell approached Van
Orsdol with the prefer of his services,
and the demand for the deputyship as
and that Van Orsdol,
only of the use he mi ght make
Of the tool to accomplish his own cleo
ton, and without inquiry as to his fit
ness, closed the trade at once and set
Bodell at work. 1t was every and any
thing for success. no matter by what
means. 1t also appears that Van Orsdol
was only prevented from performing his
part of the contract, and inhicting on
the public as his deputy a man whom
he now pronounces corrupt and unfit, by
the fact that nine-tenths of the people
decidedly opposed his appointment and
the Board of Supervisors opposed his
The assumption that Van
Orsdol did not know about Bodell until
he began to make inquiry, after the
will strike most people as rath-
thin. The fact is, that when Van Ors-
dol nominated Bodell to the Board as
his deputy, at the January session, 1876,
he by that act discharged himself of all
obligation. Bodell had no further claims
upon him so far as his promise to make
him deputy was concerned, for he could
not, of course, control his confirmation.
This being the case, what plausible, not
to say honest reason can be given why
he should afterwards go and give Bodell
$500? His apologist says it was to act
honorable with his quondam friend, and
that the money was to buy" mark the
word, to buy a release from a promise
obtained" Why buy release
when the promise was already fulfilled
by the appointment of Bodcll? and how
obtained? 1t looks as if Van
can only escape the imputation that the
money was paid to suppress something,
by accepting the imputation of having
acted very foolishly.
Another unsatisfactory feature of the
above confession in connection with fact
as above stated, that at the January
session, 1876, Mr.. Van Orsdol found
that Mr. Bodcll was decidedly opposed
by mine-tenths of the people" and that
this feeling was shared by the Board, is,
that his apologist does not explain why
at the April session following, Mr.. Van
Orsdol again appointed Bodell as his
deputy, and presented his name for con-
firmation by the Board. Was this in
spired, also, by desire to "act honora-
BILE with his quondam friend?" or was
it to placate him? Mr.. Van Orsdol's in
terested apologist says that the payment
of the money to Bodell Ought to have
ended this matter. Doubtless they
wish it had. But they forget that dark
and corrupt transactions usually return
to plague their participants, and this is
no exception. Upon the whole, we think
that Mr.. Van Orsdol would have done
better to have made his explanation and