The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-06-01

oiotSN Vi flaJCAf oNuACSSSS ny MdiOI
Eastman, Col. Buckner, Judges Buck
and Culver and Col. Feighan, and the
recitation of an appropriate poem by
May Randolph. The speakers were
ali duly impressed with the
grandeur of the theme. on which they
dwelt in eloquent terms, lauding the hero
ic spirit of sacrifice which sent men forth
into the red carnage and dead-failen air
of battle, that the glorious heritage CON-
mitted to this nation by its fathers might
be handed down intact TO generations
yet unborn.
ESKRIDGE AND THE POST OFFICE
ROBBERY.
Having Done all he Could to Prevent
Getting Evidence He Now Attempts
to Screen the Criminal.
Our attention was called yesterday TO
an article in Sundays issue of the Re-
publican in reference to the late post of
fee robbery. We suppose it would be
just as well for US to pay no attention TO
the partizan statements of that sheet ia
reference to this matter, because the au-
thor's motives are well understood
among all who know him, but as the
article is remarkable only for its attempt
to create false impressions, word may
be due the public. Mr.. Eskridge has fed
his perverted mind for years upon the
hope of building up his failing political
fortunes by tearing others down. Look
at his course for two or three years in
keeping the people of this county in
strife and turmoil over the sale of the
A, T. & S. f. railroad stock. Failing
in his attempts to boost himself
into position he finally dismissed
the case, virtually admitting all
that had been charged Icy The
NEWS, that that whole scheme was got
ten up 10 breathe the breath of life into
his dead political carcass. Coming into
the possession of a so-called newspaper,
kept up by a corruption fund, and
which does not pretend to run upon its
legitimate earnings, he is like a drown
ing man catching at straws." Every
little bit of misfortune, every transac-
ton of his neighbors out of which he
hopes he can manufacture little poIiti-
cal or personal capital is seized upon,
and used for his selfish purposes. He
shows disposition 10 make the mcanest
use of the post Office robbery, not
against the thief, but against the person
robbed. From the start his endeavor
has been not to aid justice, but by pub
fishing falsehoods, and by the use of
cowardly inuendoes, first to prevent
detection and now 10 shield the
criminal by casting doubt on
the public mind as to the guilt of the
party under arrest. We shall not he at
all surprised to find him using the fact
that the post Office in this city was rob-
bed. as political capital to build up his
ever declining political fortunes. He is
just about man enough for that sort OF
work. He is desperate So far as we
are concerned he is welcome to all he
will make out of his course in this mat
ter. If he wants the post Office why
doesn't he come out and ask the people
for it like man?
Now, a word as TO the false statements
in regard to the arrested party. 1t was
deemed better to turn the case over 10
the United States officers, as the crime
was one directly against United States
law. The boy was not taken before a
United States commissioner, but was
indicted by the United States
grand jury. The opinion expressed
that the wrong party has been arrested
is one given without a word of proof to
sustain it, and therefore is simply an
assertion without the slightest proof,
and is entitled to that respect which is
due the political opinions of Eskridge
in general. The public knows how
much they are worth. The next SEN
tence is so utterly ridiculous in the
minds of all intelligent people as to
need no notice. It is this: ut is our
opinion that the government should
never reimburse the Emporia postolfice
in the amount claimed by its postmaster
to have been stolen" Now, If EskrIdgc
knew anything about the law in the
case, or the practice of the department,
he would know the government never
reimburses such losses. If he
did not know the law, he
ought not TO have made the assertion.
If he did know it then he is guilty of
groundless falschood. He is either a
liar or an ignoramus, and he can take
whichever horn of the dilemma is best
suited TO his taste. The impression is
sought to be made that we are endeav-
oring to have the government reimburse
US, when the truth is We never thought
of such course. 1t would do us no
good 10 make the attempt If we desired
TO do SO. It would be as futile as an
expectation that Eskridgc would tell
the truth about the postmaster. We do
not know what the alleged proprietor OF
the Republican Is to get for the part he
is playing in the postoffice matter, but
We only hope he will be as free from ef-
forts to shield the guilty as
we are from any purpose 10 bring
conviction upon an innocent head. HIS
course in this whole matter has been
suspicious. It was his unwarranted
meddling and notwithstanding that
stopped as from getting proof in the
first place, and now he but voices the at
tempt to bulldoze the case and cheat
justice. We hope this champion will
not entirely dismiss the case till the ev.
idence Is IN. And how utterly silly ii
seems for man with the experience OF
this political failure to say in effect that
we should run to his paper with all the
evidence and all the information we
have about this case. He thereby st
tempts toereate the impression thai there
is something ont OF which the public is
being wronged. All there is about il is
we have Individually lost money at the
hands Of one We trusted as clerk No
one else suffered that we know Of The
government did not lose cent 1t did
not even deem it necessary, as we re-
quested both by telegraph and letter. 10
send an inspector here to examine the
accounts of the Office. We have done
nothing wrong that we know Of We
are not guilty of any crime as the Re
publican tries TO make ont by innuen-
do. It Is our purpose, without fear, favor
or partiaIity to see that s-no guilty man
shall escape-s Would the Repablican ike
TO have the guilty party punished or
will il continue its atteApta 20 balk the
efforts Ia thai direction. We fear that
paper is carrying its personal spleen a
little too far.