Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1891-07-01
The Bennington Case,

A couple of weeks ago the INDEX
ventilated the Bennington case in a
manner to make republicans sick, but
one has recovered sufficient strength to
make another attack, and the Cresset
of last week contains the following:
When Joe Bennington offered to pay the
costs, or portion of the costs of the case
against him, and have the same dismissed he
was informed by Mr.. Deputy County Attorney
that that Offerwas no go, but that if a certain
sum of money-to-wit, Sl00,-was placed in his
hands, that County Attorney DeGeer would
dismiss the case. Bennington refused to
place the money in the deputy's hands, but Of
Tered to place the money in a third party's
hands, to be paid to Mr.. Deputy
when the contract was carried out. This offer
was accepted, the money put uD, and DeGeer,
true to his deputy's promise, had the case dis
missed, and wholly at the cost of the county
We are assured by MIR. DeGeer that
if Joe Bennington ever offered to pay
the costs, or any portion of the costs,
he never heard of the offer. There is
no deputy county attorney under Mr..
DeGeer, whatever may have been the
case with former county attorneys.
The man signing the article as "a Re-
publican, " will confer a favor on the
peoples party if he will prove the
charges he makes. The people will not
accept his unsupported word against
that of hundred men. There IS an
assertion that DeGeer dismissed tie
case for 500. This is arank falsehood,
and if "A Republican" or any other re-
publican will prove it, he will see how
quickly the peoples party will act ID
the matter.
The only semblance of truth in the
communication lies in the following
circumstances: Last spring Judge
Carr received fee in the Bennington
case-it may have been $40 or 500. De-
Geer don't know or care what it was.
DeGeer did not know that Carr had
ever been an attorney in the case. Sey-
eral weeks after Carr had earned his
fee, he and DeGeer formed a partner
ship in civil cases, with the understand
| ing that Carr was not to touch any
criminal case, as DeGeer, being coun-
ty attorney, was bound TO prosecute
In the course of time the Bennington
case came up. DeGeer prosecuted with
all his power, but lost the case. Some
weeks after the case is over, it is insin-
uated that DeGeer had sold out. He
began to investigate the foundation for
such lnsinuations, and, for the first
time, learns that Carr had formerly
been in the case, though Carr had moth
ing to do with the case on its last trial
Mr.. DeGeer immediately dissolved all
connection with Carr, though he says,
that far as he knows, Carr never done
| anything wrong In the case.
The county commissioners went to
| DeGeer, and asked him to dismiss the
case. He told them he would do so if
Bennington would pay the costs. They
said Bennington would not do so, and
from all indications they thought Ben
nington would be cleared. DeGeer
told them that all the costs in the case
had already been made; that it would
cost but little more to Try him, and
probabIs, AT that time DeGeer was
not prepared to havQ the sheriff bring
IN two deputies to impeach the best
| witness of the state.
1t is possible that Bennington put up
500 of bride money. We don't say he
did; but we do say that DeGeer never
received a cent of it; nobody ever re-
ceived it for him; and no peoples par
ty man ever received a cent of it. We
admit that there were some queer Incl
dents. When the sheriff worked AGAINST
the attorney there was but little hope
for conviction. Remington was con-
vieted once, and q republican Judge
made mistake, agaist the advice of a
republican county attorney. Explain
| that, SOMEBODY.