The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-03-04

o. C7TN HE details of deal Of
r9taNJJ, LH \ questionable characters
(E7sS45SJ that entered promin-
: ! :: :. : : : !. :. !. :. !. s. )" !. !: :" 6 !. : :
z e-f[-~G emily into the last
al ~ election for a Judge in
E p this county was un.
/ b. earthed by the hear.
a iugs Of the applications
for new licenses held during the past month
mostly at intervals, consequent upon the
sickness Of one member of the Bench and the
death of another
Owing to the absence of the President
Judge who was recuperating at the seashore,
after a serious attack of stomach trouble, all
the rapidly accumulated work of the court
devolved upon the associates, Judges Bechtel
and Green, and the sudden death of the lat
ter, on the 9th ult., threw the entire burden
upon the only remaining official in actual
harness. Judge Bechtel, who has bean, as was
the lamonted Judge Green, untiring in his
devotion to the duties which devolvod upon
the court
BE that as it may, sickness and death have
brought about an unfortunate state of things
in this county, so far as our court business is
concerned which is now only partly reme-
died by the commission Of @ successor to the
late Judge Green and which requires the
speedy restoration to health of his honor the
president of the court, to complete it.
FALL ELECTION ECHOES.
II was during the recent protrcted cam.
paigu which involved the election of sue
cessor to Judge Pershing, and which re.
suited in his reelection, that the events
occurred which are referred to in the be-
ginning of this communication The Re
publicans Of the county had placed ticket
in the field as early as April, headed by
| II. Koch, Esq then serving uis last year as
District Attorney, and the Democrats nomi-
mated in July, placing at the head of their
! ticket President Judge Per-hing. Mr. Koch
mad entered the field yielding to the solicit
tations Of many members Of tue Bar and
other citizens who rcckoued on his marked
ability untiriug zeal as lawyer and the
| eXigeuCy Of court matters which demanded
a man just entering the prime of lite who
| combined fitness, courage and activity i'm his
work and whose popularity had been shown
when he ran three years before on the Re
publican ticket and was elected i'm a Demo.
cratic county. As is always the case in such
contests the lawyers divided on this Judge
| fight, not politically as in most other con-
tests, but for the sake of policy and to secure
their own ends, Most Of the Republicans,
however who remained true to Mr. Koch
did so because Of their knowledge of and
confidence in his superior attainments and
because just such a man was needed on the
Bench, it being very seldom the case that a
man Of his standing and success at the Bar
can be induced to relinquish a lucrative
practice and the independence of an advo-
cate for the more confhing, exclusive and
sacrificing duties which are demanded by a
1
Mr.. Koch a candidate was manifested by the
result when the winner only won by little
over l 100 plurality in a county which had
given Governor Pattison O7er 1000 majority.
Building, therefore, On the known strength
of Koch, the managers of the opposition
knew they had no game of child's play
before them and they resorted to any and all
schemes to defea. him.
! REsoRTING TO HEROIC METHODS.
All the machinery Of mammoth and
powerful corporation was not sufficient, al-
/ though many promises were made by bosses of
collieries to men to vote against Koch and
had the desired effect, but measures were
taken to organize another and more effective
way Of insuriug the defeat Of this popular
man, and one which was as disgracefnl as
| ingenious. A coterie of lawyers organized
and held secret meetings and for the pur-
pose of their crusade, their actions were as
| guarded as those of the now defunct Mollie
Mcguire organization. Their watchword-
! defeat Koch at all hazardS-was used at all
gatherings and every precauUion was taken
/
previously tested as to their fealty to one OF
other of their party nominees. Heretofore
the court in this county has been chary in
granting licenses to sell liquor and many men
of well known political influence have been
heretofore refused the privilege, in many
cases, it must be admitted, from just reasons
An opportunity to corral these people into a
band which could be effectively manipulated
to join the consprators in their campaign
now presented itself and to that end a list
was made up of the names of all persons VIII,
had been refused licenses year after year anJ
TO it was added the names of hundreds VIII,
were known would be applicants for new
places this year,
GETTING DOWN TO WORK.
| With this list the work began. 70 eacl
attorney was parceled out number of thes,