The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1893-10-06
AN OLD soLDIER's BAD TREATMENT.

AN OLD SOLDIERS BAD TREATMENT.
From Harry County News.
Benjaman NJ Roudebush, for twenty
years resident of Harvey county, now
of the soldiers home at Dodge City.
was in this city recently, while on his
jail two weeks at Wichita, pending the
sitting of the United States court. He
tells the following story: He and his
family have been inmates of the sol
diers' home at Dodge City for more
than two years past, and that at the
time he went there one Captain Swee-
ney was in charge of the institution,
and so remained until some time last
May, when he was removed by Cover
nor Lewelling. During the time he had
been there Roudebush voted at every
election without challenge or question.
When the election approached in No
vember last, this Captain D. L. Sweeney
interviewed him and desired to know
how he was going to vote; at the same
time demanding that he should vote
the Republican ticket. Roudebush re-
piled that he intended to vote the Peo-
pies party ticket, and none other
Sweeney said, 'D-n you, / will get
even with you if it takes ten years"
On the day of the election Sweeney
took all the other inmates of the home
up to the polls in a wagon, leaving
Roudebuse at the home. However he
walked to the polls, and on offering his
vote it was challenged under Sweeney's
direction. He swore in his vote and
during all the time Sweeney was in
charge of the home, he harassed and
annoyed Roudebush in every way he
could He tried to have him removed
from the home; he cut down the
amount and quality of the provisions
furnished for himself and family and
treated him at all times in an insulting
and abusive manner. Long after his
removal Sweeney would come to the
home and attempt to manage it's affairs
as if he was still in charge, until, upon
one occasio, Roudebush, whom he was
trying to drive about, said to him that
he believed Colonel Moody was at the
head of the affairs of the home and he
thought they might get along without
any further help from him. Not long
came after Roudebush and one Smith
(also an inmate of the home) with
warrant charging them with illegal vot-
ing, and they were taken before the
grand jury at Dodge City. The claim
was that no inmate of the Soldiers,
home could be legal voter; yet only
Smith, Democrat, and Roudebush,
Populist, were arrested; and they were
bound over to the United States court
at Wichita and locked up in the Sedg-
wick county Jail for the purpose, as was
said. of making test case" and there
they have been for the past two weeks
or more.
The matter came to the attention of
Hon. Joseph Ady, who was attending
the United States court, and he had the
old soldiers brought before the court
and released on their own recognizance,
the court remarking that the men could
not be guilty of any crime, but he
would retain the question and decide
it at the next term of court.
It is Mr.. Ady's opinion that there is
no cause against the old soldiers, and
that the inmates of the Dodge City
home, residing there with their fami-
lies, are legally entitled to vote at that
place.
The true inwardness of this proceed
ing is most manifest when it is remem-
bered that the only Populist and the
only Democrat in the institution we're
the only ones whose voting required
sstest case to determine whether the
voting was legal or illegal. Why should
they, FROM. all the rest, be singled out,
prosecuted and cast into prison? Why
could notGsome good Republican be
found out of the II inmates of the in
stitution that voted on whom to make
a little tests
The probabilities are that it is all a
matter of offensive partisanship" and
pure cussedness on the part of the po-
liticaI henchman, Sweeney. TEST
cases are all very well for courts, law
yers AMI the public, but how about the
poor fellow who must suffer the hunil-
iation, ignominy and disgrace-to say
nothing of the hardship-of laying in
jail two or three weeks. and then to be
tarned at large without trial, without
q cent, and hundred miles from his
home and be told by the government
Bcials that the government makes no
.ovisions for returning prisoners to
he homes from which it takes them.
And the family; have they no rights