The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1888-09-21
EXPLODING THE DOODLE LIE.

The campaign lie started by an IRE
sponsibIe campaign sheet regarding the
alleged bribery of Scheffer delegate to
vote for Merriam in the late state con.
vention, has been completely refuted
and exposed by Mr.. Dahl, the Fergus
Falls gentleman who was charged with
doing the bribing. 1t appears that C. D.
Baker, one of Schefer's disgruntled
managers, was at the bottom of the mat
ter, and gave the st. Paul News the tips
from which the sensation was manufac-
tured. The latter was maliciously will
ing to SANDER Mr.. Merriam, and accept
ed without question what puported to be
an affidavit, signed by one Isak V. John
son, delegate to the Republican state
convention, alleging that q. o. Dahl, of
Fergus Falls, had offered him $3.50 if he
would vote for Merriam. Mr.. Dahl no
sooner heard of this than he at once
stamped it as an unqualified falsehood,
and promised to make it hot for the
authors OF the calumny. A reporter of
the frightened NelCs was forthwith dis
patched to obtain confirmation of the
rickety story, and brought back two "af-
tdavits." One of these was signed by
johnson, repeating the statement that
u. y. Dahl had offered him $3.50 to vote
for Merriam, and the other by brother
In-law Strohlberg, alleging that he heard
Dahl make the offer.
These instruments were used as an ex-
cuse for sticking to the dirty falsehood,
while every journalistic hyena of Demo-
cratic persuasion Joined in the circula-
ton OF the miserable calumny.
Yesterday Mr.. Dahl, who is a promi-
nent and influential Scandinavian, and
very popular in Otter Tail county, was
In st. Paul with proofs of the falsity of
the entire story, and which brand it as
an Intentional and malicious fabrication.
Mr.. Dahl furnishes two affidavits, in one
Of which the aforesaid Isak V. johnson
declares point blank that 6. o. Dahl
never offered him $3.50 or any other sum
to vote for Merriam, and that he did not
see Mr.. Dahl while attending the con-
vention at st. Paul, and did not know
when he signed the Nelrs affidavit that
Mr.. Dahls name was used therein. In
the other affidavit Mr.. Strohlberg says
that Dahl was not the man whom he
heard make the offer to johnson, and
that he had never seen nor known Mr..
Dahl till he met him when he signed
this affidavit. Mr.. johnson is a Fin
lander and is not very familiar with the
English language. During the second
day Of the convention he alleges that he
heard some one say that he could get
800 or $3.50 if he would vote for Mr..
Merriam. Mr.. johnson is not sure that
any one made an explicit offer. So far
as he knows, it may have been simply a
joke, as of course it was-or something
thinner.
Upon this weak UNDERMINING the lie
was started, and two affidavits were OBJ
tanned which to all intents were forger-
les, as it is clear that advantage was
taken of the mems ignorance of the Eng
lish language to obtain their signature to
statements whose real effect was DELHI
erately concealed or misrepresented.
The attempt, forgery and all, was
worthy of the party which depends upon
lies, personal abuse and such, to elect its
candidates. 1t is stated that the Scandi-
navians of Otter Tail county are pretty
indignant over the matter, and the out
come OF the affair is surely to prove bad
1or The Democratic party and its ticket.