Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-10-22
|NEFARIOUS!
JUSTICE BATTERED FOR PEG.
PIES PARTY SUPPORT.
JUDGE EICHOLOON'S VACCINATIONS.
A Card from O. T. Mead and G.. W.
Hurd Showing the Disgraceful
Trade Entered into by Cranston
and Nicholson with the Accused
Whisky Sellers Shameful Prosti-
tuition of Office.
To the Editor of THE uEFL1c1oR:

| To the Editor of THE EEFLTCToR:
We understand that the peoples par
ty orators, among others Mr.. S. Palmer
who spoke at the picnic at Talmage
last Friday, are holding us up as ex.
amples of republican corruption, based
upon the statement that we have threat
ened to prosecute the Abilene violators
Of the prohibitory liquor law unless they
come to the support of the republican
ticket at the coming election. Permit
us to put the other side of the question
before your readers.
Since early in January, 1891, B G..
Cranston has been county attorney of
this county. At the February term of
district court there were no prosecutions
against the Abilene violators Of the
prohibitory liquor law.
We do not know why they were not
prosecuted.
at the May term of the district court
none of the Abilene liquor dealers were
prosecuted.
We do not know just what caused
the county attorney to refrain from
prosecuting them
In July, the county attorney held an
inquisition at his office, as provided
for by law, for the purpose ofinvestiga
ting the sale OF intoxicating liquor in
the city Of Abilene7and there took, the
testimony of large BumbsF Of wit
nesses and obtained great mass of ev-
idenc5.
The fall term of the district conrt
commences on the first day of Ssptem
Der, 1891, and at that time no cases had
been commenced against any person in
Abilene for selling liquor.
About the first of September, proba
bly, few days before, Mr.. Cranst3n
went to Council Grove to consult with
Judge Nicholson in regard to commenc
ing the prosecutions, based upon the
Investigations made by him. phe pros
ecutions were not commenced before or
at the beginning of the term for the
reason that the persons engaged in the
liquor traffic in Abilene donated GER
tain amount of money to be used in
promoting the interests of the alliance
at its picnic to be held here the first
week in September.
On the fifth day OF September, Mr..
Cranston commenced prosecutions in
the district court for the unlawful sale
of intoxicating liquor against David
Allison, Samuel Barr, Edward p. Phil.
lips, G.. W. Shook. William Shook, a.
K. Vanderbilt, and John Wardell.
The cases we're not called for several
days and in the meantime it had been
on the streets that there was
an agreement and understanding that |
the cases should be continued over the |
term in consideration of the influence
Of the defendants in behalf of the PEG
pies party ticket at the coming election.
The fact that the matter was being
publicly discussed reached Mr.. Grams
ton; and when, as the cases were called,
one Of the counsel for some of the de-
PENDANTS requested a continuance of
the cases until the February term of
court for the reason that his associate
was engaged to start the races
at the Abilene fair, Mr.. CranstOn stat
ed at that time that he was ready for
trial and that he saw no legal reason
for a continuance of the cases.
The defendants upon hearing this
became alarmed and w. l.. Nixon. can
didate for county treasurer on the PEG
pies party ticket, was requested to see
Judge Nicholson concerning the trial
Of these cases.
After a short absence, Mr.. Nixon re-
turned, represented that he had seen
the Judge and saidithat there was no
occasion for any alarm as the cases
would certainly be continued.
Afterwards the cases were again call
ed, together with another case of the
same kind just commenced against
RohreT and Dean.
At that time one of the undersigned.
who was counsel for the defendants in
the last named case, made an applica-
ton for a continuance Of that case on
the ground of the absence of material
witness, whose testimony could not be
had at this term of court, this being
legal ground for continuance. In max
ing this application, it was confined to
this single case and. counsel was not
in any,ofi the other cases
and so stated.