Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-05-29
osDwAY's INDICTMENTS.
A Fair Presentation of the Case by a North
ela Newspaper.
Grafton News and Times.

eln Newspaper, =
Grafton News and Times.
10 the last issue of the News and
Times, q paragraph announced that Gov.
Ordway had been indicted by the grand
jury at Yankton. The indictment is for
corrupt conduct as an officer of the
United States in the organization of .
new county. II is alleged that man
named Tebbetts, the governors private
secretary, was tue instrument employed.
Gov. Ordway stated some time ago that
Tebbetts vas somewhere in New Hamp:
shire and that his evidence could be
procured. But the court authorities
state that he cannot be found, and it is
intimated that his absence is for the pur.
pose of keeping out Of the way. While
the grand jury was in session it was re-
ported that the conduct of Governor
Ordway was under investigation, and be
Semandea he ca11sd .ns as os,oo;.+a5 right, ;, to
plain and justify. Attorney Gen
eral Campbell refused this privilege. In
consequence. the conduct of the jury and
Campbell has been very harshly criti-
cised by the papers favorable to the
governor. Perhaps if it had been case
OF poor man charged with stealing a
loaf oi bread or wretch who had been
Keeping bawdy house aud the alleged
criminal had made the demand, the peo.
pie who berate the court SO fiercely in
this instance would be prompt to
denounce the demand as brazen at.
tempt to interfere with the course of
justice. 1t ls q mournfui fact that men
who have wealth, position or favors to
bestow can US easily find supporters here
as any where in the world. However, the
attorney general of the United States
supports the attorney general of the ter
ritory and justifies his conduct.
Governor Ordway has been hotly de-
nounced as having misused his position
for purposes of personal aggrandlzement,
as having traded power for money.
These charges have been as promptly
denied ana branded as false and infa.
nous, and proof has been demanded.
Now, nine-tenths of the people of the
territory have no opportunity of know
ing whether the charges are true or false.
The mere fact of making charge proves
nothing, and q bare denial is Just as
valueless. A denial that is merely q
begging of of the question, preyarica.
ton or an evasion of the point at issue
is worse than valueless, as it shows q
disposition to concea! something that
would not bear investigation. 10 say
that nothing has been proved. when the
general opinion is unfavorable, amounts
to nothing. No verdict has yet branded
the star route frauds, and yet there are
certainly few so blind as to deny that
there was fraud.
Gov. Ordway has demanded the oppor.
tunity of being heard. The very best
opportunity will now be offered. q tria
by q jury of his peers, where he will have
the most favorable an open opportunity
of meeting the charges. II be is limo
cent, as claimed, he will make haste te
present his case. In order to prove him
self pure he must avoid every appear
ance OF an attempt to escape on merel,
technical grounds. A bare acquitta
such as is admitted in Scotch court
where jury may present verdict O
mot proven" would be nearly as fatal q
an adverse verdict. He must not aim Il
escape punishment but to secure trl
umphant acquittal.
Taking this view Of the case, it seem
strange that those papers that profess
great friendship for the governor shoul,
} be go horriied at the. thought of his be
ing placed in such position. 1t is cel
talnly humiliating to be cited before
court on criminal charge. But whe
charges of base misconduct have sped a
over the territory and are reiterate
weekly, the opportunity Of meeting thes
charges and those who make them, face
face, should be hailed as relief. A full
free, open, impartial investigation, re
sulting in triumphant acquittal shoul
be anxiously sought for. In the interest
of good government, the fair fame OF OF
: territory, truth and justice, We hope fe
) Just such o result.