Omaha daily bee., 1889-02-18
IOWAS GOVERNOR INDICTED.
Charged With Criminal Libel In the
Chester Turney Case.
READY TO FACE HIS ACCUSERS.
\ WOodPi!c From Which Several
Well Developed Scncgambians
Are Expected to BE
Smoked.
4 Fools revenge.

ram to The BEE. Governor Larrabee was
asked this afternoon if it were true that the
grand jury had indicted hun for criminal
libel. The report was current yesterday that
an indictment had been made but the officials
refused TO confirm it ana no warrant was is
sued. The governor, in reply, said that the
county attorney came to his house to-day and
informed him that an indictment had been
reached He told the county attorney that
he should be glad to have the case called at
once, as he was ready at any time to appear
in court and answer to the charge. He said
further, in connection, this afternoon, that
while the proceeding was apparently in the
interests of Mrs. Turney, the mother of
Chester Turney, the boy imprisoned at Ana
mosa, yet there were other parties be-
hind her who were pushing the
suit solely to annoy ana injure him. Il am
not at all surprised said the governor.
that this indictment was returned. l have
been kept Informed of the efforts that have
been made in this direction ana as long ago
as December was told by one OF the attor-
neys for Mrs. Turney that if | didn't pardon
the boy there would be trouble made for me.
More than that, the railroads have been Civ
ing Mrs. Turney free passage to go over the
state and work up sympathy aud feeling
against ME, and have no doubt have been
glad to help bring this about. But when the
attorney told me that would be much more
comfortable if would pardon the boy and
thus avoid this trouble told him that was
not dischargng my duties with view to my
personal comfort, and had not so far
looked to my own convenience in
doing what | thought was sright, and l
should not begin to do so now. So paid no
attention to their threats and am not sur
prised that after all their efforts they have
succeeded in getting an Indictment against
me. | am ready to go into court at any time,
and am half disposed to be my own lawyer,
and don't especially blame Mrs. Turney, as
she is being used by others. But l may feel
il my duty now to make some things public
in court that / have kept back heretofore out
of consideration for other peoples feelings.
So far as having any malicious motive in
sending out the pamphlet on which the al
legged libel is based, should be willing to
pay any damages the court might assess and
make Mrs. Turney handsome present be-
sides, if they can show that had any desire
to do her injury"
When asked as to what this pamphlet was,
the governor said it contained nothing eX
cept copies of papers fled in his Office, with
out word from him personally. He eX-
planned its publication by saying that it came
about in this way: He had received so many
letters asking why he didn't pardon Chester
Turney that he got tired of writing replies,
and so told his chief clerk to gather up the
remonstrances against pardon that had
come from citizens of Preston, where the
crimes were committed, and have them
wanted to know the other side of the case.
To these remonstrances were added letters
from the district attorney who prosecuted
and the lawyer who defended the Doy giving
information bearing on the trial. He had
sent copy of this pamphlet to each member
of the legislature since tho Turney side was
presented to the Legislature last winter, be-
fore these remOnstrances were received, and
he wanted them to see that there were two
sides TO the case. Then, Whenever person
had written asking about the case, he had
sent this pamphlet. which showed why many
of the best people of Preston did not want
the boy pardoned and didn't think it would
be safe to the community to have him let out
at present The statements contained in the
remonstrances about Mrs. Turney were not
his own, but the statements of the former
neighbors of the woman where she had
lived These papers were part of the pub
lie records on flle in his Office, and he had
loaned them several times to people who
wanted TO know about the case. Partly to
preserve them from being lost he had them
printed, so that printed copy could be given
when wanted, rather than the original cop
les.
The remonstrances from Mrs. Turney's
former neighborS stated she was not woman
of good character whose word could be relied
upon, and that she had two husbands uvlng,
having received divorce from neither. Mrs.
Turney claims that these statements are un-
true and libellous. She says her first hus-
band was killed in the war, though there are
no records of when and where he was killed,
and she does not claim to know. She said
last night when questioned, that he was not
killed in any battle, but by bushwhackers,
though she don't know when or where
1t appears that there are others besides
Mrs. Turney who are endeavorlng to get the
governor into box, and it is intimated that
tho grand jury itself was not wholly with
out intent in the matter. The
jury was strongly ant-prohbition, having
number Of what are called jugwumps and
democrats, who have no love for 50 radical a
prohibitionist as Governor Larrabee. 1t is
stated tonight that the case will be called in
the district court next Tuesday morning,
though no one expects it will go very far
When asked what he would do if he were
convicted, the governor laughingly replied
that he hadn't decided whether he would go
To the pentcntary or pardon himself out 1T
is rot improbable that in the course of time
he may make it pretty lively for some of the
friends OF Mrs. Turney who have been push
ing the indictment against him, including
two or three people of this city.