Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1894-10-17
ToPekALETER

TOPEKA KANs., Oct. 9Th, 1894.
AS the republicans are making their
campaign on redeeming Kansas the
voters of this state no doubt are just
now interested in the past history of the
fellows who proposed to propose to per-
form this feat. We know the history
Of few Of them by personal contact
with verified records, and so far as we
know them We will lmpart the same to
the reader that he may Judge for him
self and tell his republican redeeming
neighbor about it.
We lived in Washington county dur
ing the years Morrill, was plundering
the farmers OF their homes and witness
ed the scene Of the sturdy frontiers
men coming to the county seat In arms,
as it were, to repel this old fraud in
his greed for pelf. Indignation meetings
were held and congress petitioned for
relief from his thieving operations
in forcing from honest homestsaders
to quit title which was utterly worth
less and he knew 1t. People In those days
would sooner hung the old demagogue
than voted for him for Office and those
who are acquainted with the facts feel
about the same way yet. SO much for
the head redeemer.
The next redeemer on the ticket is
James A. Troutman Of Topeka and he
has anything but m enviable reputation
for honesty and square dealings among
many people here. He may be honest
for all we know personally, but the fact
that numerous judgments are against
him in this county uRsatisfed, would
indicate that he is not just the man to
put in Office for the purpose Of redeem
ing Kansas. He might do all right on
republican platform with no redeem.
ing plank In it but it seems to us that
man who has lack of capacity to
successfully manage his own private
affairs is not a fit redeemer to put in
charge Of the affairs Of the state.
Then there is Mr.. Dawes he who
prefers to lay under the charge of I'M
professional and questionable dealings
which we made against him sometime
ago, then give to the public the facts
in transaction that if straight, would
not only show that he did that for
which he kept pay, hut that We were
wrong in our conclusions that there
was something crooked in the matter
referred to in the following letter
which explains itself.
TOPEKA, KANs., Aug, "a, 1894.
F. B. DAWES, Clay Center, Kans.
DEAR SIR:-We have been informed
that you are much agrieYed at our ar
ticle published three weeks ago in the
reform press Of the state in which we
set forth our personal reasons for
opposing you for the Office Of Attorney
General.
We are aware Of the fact that the ar
ticle in question is anything but COM
plimentary to you in a personal, po-
itical, or professional way, and we
believe that our statements are not too
severe IN this matter, taking into con
sideration the shabby treatment N.Y.
self and brother have received at your
hands. You know that you have been
appealed to time and again by us for a
statement Of the disposition of the
Oakland Home Insurance company
case. 1 stopped of In Clay Center once
as you no doubt remember, for the ex-
press purpose Of getting a written
statement to send my brother. You
put me off saying you were two busy
then but would furnish it in a few
days. 1t has never been furnished, al.
though as you said yourself, you kept
out money for the payment of your
fees in this case.
| Your version of the matter was, we
believe that you got the attorney for
the company drunk, and while in q
state OF intoxication you got q com.
promise out of him. This sort of pro-
cedure may be strictly professional
but it is new departure to US.
Now, Mr.. Dawes, I have not the
slightest desire TO put you in bad light
in the sight Of the public, even though
our politics are ANYTHING but congenial.
II have misstated this case in any
instance will willingly, yea, gladly
publish in the same manner your story
of it. My brother and do not know
nor can we find out from you or the
company how much was actually paid
on that policy, and to what purpose it
was applied.
We wrote to the company for this
information several times, and it ig.
nored our letters altogether or referred
US to our attorney. When we went to
our attorney he told US a great COCK
and bull storJ about getting the CON
pany's attorney drunk but would never
render statement OF the settlement
over his own signature, although &C
cording to his own verbal statement
TO US this word has been paid for.
Is 1t any wonder that we feel out
ragged at such treatment from the hands
Of our attorney, and that in q cam.
paign where this attorney is seeking
one of the highest Offices in the gift of
the people why should not the facts be
| gwen to the public.
Will you afford US the opportunity of
setting you right before the people. if
we have misstated the facts as we be
lieve you allege, or do you prefer to
withhold the transaction and leave a
duty unperformed which you are pro.
! fesslonally under obligations to render?
Very truly,
(signed) Jas. M. PADGETT.
To this letter we never received an
answer and we know that Mr.. Dawes
received copy of the same. We still
offer to publish his statement of the
settlement Of that case if he will fur
nlsh it. In addition to this we were