Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-05-31
FROM co. ATTORNEY HoTCHKIss

Mr.. EDITOR
1 have never deemed it necessary
heretofore, to take up the quill to de.
fend myself but now think it time tt
pluck some of the feathers of imagina
ton of the republican editors of this
county in their unwarranted and un'
gentlemanly attack on my professional
ability.
In last weeks Register, we find the
following extracts from piece written
not only to tear down my standing
but to insult every man who supported
me for my last term of office, and tc
build upon the ruins a reputation for
Judge Nimocks, whose reputation was
established long before the Colonel
struck this county.
The first extract we will note, reads
as follows: with Judge Nimocks as
county attorney no extra expense for
| additional attorneys would worry the
county commissioners" This refers
no doubt to the action of the board in
employing Nimocks to assist in the
cases which the article refers to IN
another place, las being 30 Important
to the county" Now after L had been
county attorney for three years, and
had just as important cases for the
county, and had tried them successful,
and without any extra expense to the
county for additional counsel, and had
as good record for competency as any
prior attorney, and better record by
$oo6 as to ines turned in to the school
fund on criminal cases than any OF my
predecessors; and a better record by
several hundred dollars in my favor
on payment of costs in criminal cases
by the county, it remained for the last
year of 10y last term, when ! refused
to let, or consent for the board of coun-
ty commissioners to give the Santa
Fe Railroad Company So 900 by way of
a compromise for its personal tax due
this county; and when republican
members of the board found the law
would allow the county attorney $500
for collecting this tax, then it was
that Clayt Moses and Judge Nimocks
and few others conceived the idea
that the county was in great need of
help and was ip danger, no6 SO Much
for want of brains in the county at
tOrney's Office, but for some republi-
can attorneys to divide the fees with;
and we protested with Mr.. Moses that
we could pilot our own boat, and en-
ploy our own assistant counsel in this
matter, if any we needed, but after
being prevailed upon by Moses and
Nimocks, l consented to divide fees
and allow Judge Nimocks to be the
lucky man. And now L have found
ont, when 1 thought L was warming
with friend, to my regret, I md that
he turns ana stings me by trying to
convince the people of Barton county
that they elected the very essence of
incompetency.
Again we quote the following, from
the same article: with Judge MINI
ocks as county attorney every case in
which the county was Interested would
be. presented in legal form, and the
technical points, which has been the
means of throwing so many cases out
of court and have cost so much money
by incompetent men occupying this
Office for several years, would disap-
pear and every case would come up in
proper shape" Great HeavensI If
the Colonel had wanted to tell the
fact in this matter, he would have said
this: the only case that had been
knocked out of court on technical error
in papers, and that had cost the coun-
ty any money that amounted to any
thing at all, was the papers in the
Jones case at the last term of court,
in which Judge Nimocks was counsel.
and which was submitted to him as
such, as l was greatly in need of help
at this time on account of one of my
children being dangerously i'll with
scarlet fever and required my attention
at home, and I depended largely on the
oOii1lJ Di CuuSO NlluOCkS III t0lS IndU-
ter. I am not trying or intending to
throw any blame on him whatever in
this matter, nor to shift the response
bility from myself, but 1 think those
who are guilty ~ of supporting me
should know the truth in the matter
at least.
Now have no doubt some one will
say, "how about the Baker case, that
was quite an expense to the county. -
In answer will only say 1 plead guilty
to being over persuaded in this latter
case by republican county officials, who
got most of the money that the county
lost il this case, and by relying upon
the truth of several afidavits that
were furnished me as to the important
points in the case before sending for
Mr.. Baker, but on the preliminary
examination OF shortly afterwards 1
found that these affidavts could be
contradicted and refuted by the de-
feEdant. This cost was not from any
deficiency in the papers. 1 want how
1xro~ cor boro +hoE