Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1878-10-31
HE IS POOR, BUT HONEST.

A short time ago we published an article,
induced by the developments of the cam
paign, by way ofan explanation of the. fact
that Judge Bennett owns n property in.
Dakota. The article was made up from q,
somewhat imperfect knowledge of his con.
dition and was, of course, subject to cor
r%ections. Judge Bennett read the article at
Bismarck. and has written us a letter which
Contains q detailed statement of his bust.
ness transactions and embodies o complete
vindication of the malicious charges put up
against him by his "gentlemanly and truth.
full" opponent and his henchmen, who are
running the campaign chiefly upon this
issue.
From the letter we learn that in the early
part Of 1874 Judge Bennett removed to
Chicago and sold his practice in Washing
ton, Iowa, to a young man in whom he had
perfect confidence. To his business sue
cessor he turned over a large amount 10 the
way of collections against which parties
held Judge Benefits receipts. Judge Ben.
nett surrendered control of everything 10.
the young man and went to Chicago, leav-
ing his family in Washington. In the
course Of about six months be discovered
that his successor was making collections
and failing to turn over the money to the
parties to whom it belonged. He was there.
fore compelled to return to Washington
and buy back the business and save him
self. Judge Bennett then discovered that a
considerable sum had been embezzled. For
the entire amount he became personally re.
sponsible, though there was q large portion
of the deficit which he was not legally Oh
lisated to pay, as the parties to whom it
was due had recognized his successor as
their attorney in numerous communications
in which they had directed him personally
in regard to the details of their business.
In these transactions Judge Bennett INCUR
ed heavy losses. When he went to Chicago
his property in Washington was cucumber
In Chicago he made Investments in
real estate, making part payments and Sc
the balance by giving mortgages on
The property. Real estate deprecated rap
idly. 1t became a drug on the market. In
common with thousands of others Judge
Bennett found that investments of this ma.
.ure could not be realized on. Although
MS property in Chicago and in Washing.
has been. on the market from the day |
re came TO Dakota he has been utterly un-
to dispose Of ii, or any of it, and will
probably lose the whole of it, together with
avipgs from his salary applied to save it.
n the meantime every cent which could be
pared from an economical support of bis
1mily has been applied on the settlement
t bis Washington matters, brought upon
I'm by the crime of another. After Judge
transfer to the Black Hills dis
riot bis necessary expenses were so great.
y increased that, out of q salary of 81, 900 {
&c was unable to Law aside much with which
0 meet past obligations and the dept pay.
process has been a slow one
Judge Bennett, in concluding his letter,
avs.
S'upiy WY 1 AA W udy pOOI
nd have no property in Dakota. I GER
ainly could not persuade myself that it
you'd be right to invest my money here,
'hile NJ honest debts remained nppaid.
seems to me that this is a most cruel
barge to bring against me, under all the
The foregoing is the defence of the re-
ublicans of Dakota against the chief charge
{ the democracy Of Dakota. That their
andidate is q poor man they admit, but
ley show conclusively that his condition
the result of his honesty. We have no
comments TO make upon this most
ocular phase OF a political campaign.
Tripp, with his great wealth, holds
poo man in contempt and is not back
ard about giving open expression to that
onten,pt upon the stump. Just how much
eight this sort of argument has with the
oters Of Dakota will be demonstrated at
le polls on Tuesday next. |.