St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-20
SPHINX COUNTY TROUBLES.
Some False Statements OF History
Corrected.

To the Editor Of the Globe:
ASHTON, Oak, Jan. lS.-The disposition OF
the Pioneer Press TO publish impartially the
facts in relation to the Sphinx county troubles
is not such as should be expected from a
public Journal. In its issue OF Jan.
10 appears the following article: sThe
first vote on county seat was taken in
Sphinx county in 1850. The canvass NJ board
declared that no town having received a ma
jority OF votes the county seat must remain
AT Old Ashton. known only in name, where
the first board located IL. In the fall of less
another vote was taken, with no choice
though Redheld received plurality. In No
yember. 1854, IL was discovered that Redheld
had. after all, received q majority OF the
votes cast In lsSO. On the night o. Dec. 5.
1854. during the controversy, unknown par
ties removed the county records from Old
Ashton 10 Redfeld, where they have remained
Efforts were made by Ashton men TO recover
the records, but they were successfully re-
sisted. For several DAYS Redheld was dlled
with armed and excited men, and clash Of
arms was feared, but no bloOdshed occurred
A few months later the courts permanently
settled the dispute in favor of Redheld."
In justice to other portions of Sphinx county
the misleading and untrue statements con-
tanned in the above should be changed TO con-
form 10 the fact, which are as follows:
The first vote on county seat was taken in
1880 and declared as above and the second
vote was taken in the fall OF 1854 with no
choice. Shortly after election in 1884, and
before the canvassing board met. one of the
poll books OF 1850 was stolen from the vault
and the remaining one mutilated and changed
so as to show the result in favor OF Redfeld.
On the night of Dec. D, 1854. unknown parties
broke into the vaults and carried all the rec
ords 10 Redfeld. but they were all returned
to Old Ashton in less than two weeks upon
the order Of the district court Redfeld
claimed the county seat on the vote OF 1850,
as shown by the poll books, but never dared
TO let the matter come into the courts, know
ing that their fraudulent manipulation OF the
poll books after they had stood four
years, might receive too full an airing.
The legislature or 1855 took the matter into
its hands. and located the county-seat at Ash
ton. on the Milwaukee road. where il still re-
mains. The robbery of the public yault was
"A mystery. and one of Pinkerton's best detec-
tives spent several weeks In the county look
ing up the case and developed good amount
of evidence. Suspicion poin ed to Il number
of the leading citizens Of Redheld as the per
petrators of this black crime. and at this term
of the district court the matter was brought
before the grand jury, and a large number
of witnesses appeared Contrary To all prece-
dents and by means of a hostile district at
torney, the defendants themselves were al
lowed togo before the grand jury, thus making
| il n star chamber trial without the inter
position of court. II is needless TO say that
no indictment was found. but the best infOr-
nation is that the grand jury adjourned with
out taking a vote on the question. Five OF
the grand jury were from Red
/ field. the remainder, with the ex.
ception OF two from Ashton. were from
remote parts OF the country, and yet we are
/ informed that the sentiment of that body
was IL To ) in favor of indictment. The
county commissioners employed NJ. J. Gordon
/ Of Aberdeen and a. b. Melville of Huron tC
/ prosecute the case, and a warrant was sworn
| out against sixteen. rs indicated in previous
| dispatches. All except one, Rev. o. s. Bias
| ford, waived examination and gave bail in
the sum OF $1,000. Mr. Basford's official
| position at the time of the robbery and now,
/ that OF county commissioner. made il very
embarrassing for him TO plead guilty to the
charge, and he stood trial, which will take
! place in about ten days. The evidence in the
case is known to but a few, but il is rumored
that there is a direct testimony of several
witnesses TO the identity of several of the
defendants. 1t is not necessary, as stated in
the Redfield dispatches, for the defendants &c
prove themselves innocent They are pre-
sumed 60. and IL devolyes upon the pros
ecution TO prove them guilty, which they
claim can be done If the case ever comes &c
/ trial.