Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1894-01-13
WE GIVE PLAIN FACTS.
The People Will Give Their Verdict
in Accordance With the EVIL
dence.


in Accordance With the EVIL
dence.
According to law and established Gus
tom the county printing for the ensuing
wear was let by the Board of County
Commissioners last Monday. Omnicrat
and WORLD being the only papers in the
county were, of course, the only bidders.
After both bids had been received the
Commissioners required the publishers
of both papers to make showing, by
affidavit, that they were legal publica-
tions within the law and could lawfully
do the work. The WORLD, having been
published in Trego county for fifteen
years, without missing a single number,
of course could and did make the affida-
Wit required. The "editor and mana
ger" of the Omnicrat showed some signs
of nervousness, but finally said he would
go over to his office and prepare the afh-
davit. Instead, however, of going to
his office he went to the office of his at
torney and, in due time returned with
the following affidavit written out and
to which he was sworn by the county
clerk.
STATE OF KANSAS, CO.
TREGo COUNTY.
A. E. McColIum, being duly sworn on
oath says he is editor and manager of
the Omnicrat Printing company, and
that the weekly newspaper now being
published by said company in Trego
county, Kansas, has been published for
ffty-two consecutive weeks in Trego
county, Kansas, next prior to this 9Th
day of January, 1894. That such publ
cation has been continuous and uninter-
rupted during said time.
A. E. McCoLLUM.
Subscribed and sworn to before me
this 9Th day OF January, A. D: 1894.
Attest: Q. A. HoAR,
TsEAL.l County Clerk.
The papers being duly 6led all was
now in readiness for the consideration
of the board.
At this stage of the proceeding we
presented two copies of the OmPicrat,
the first being Volume l, Number l, and
dated February 9th, 1893, the other be-
ing Volume 1, Number 50, and dated
January 9Th, 1894, and suggested that
perhaps the board would like to
have explained to them the apparent
discrepancy. In other words an expla-
nation seemed necessary to show how 81
numbers-which means 52weeks-cQuld
be crowded into a little less than II
months or between the dates of Februa-
ny 9, 1893 and January 5, 1894.
It became interesting at once. The
aforesaid "editor and manager" fixed
his eyes upon crack in the floor, his
face assumed the hue of brilliant car
mine and the sweat rolled off his face in
great drops. We do not want our read
ers to suppose that we are INDUCING
our imaginative powers in this descrip-
ton. We are giving nothing but plain
facts as everybody present will testify.
The tongue of the young man twas cleft
to the roof of his mouth" and not until
we repeated the question and the COM
missioners intimated that they thought
an explanation in order did he reply.
He finally stammered and said that the
directors of the Omnicrat Printing COM
pany had ordered him to do what he had
done, and that the minutes of the first
meeting would show it and-turning to
Commissioner Warne, who is a stock
holder in the company-said: "You
were present at the meeting were you
not2" Mr.. Warne said II was not pres
ent." 1t was then suggested that he
bring the books of the company, and as
he was in position that he could not
very well refuse without admitting that
he had been mistaken, he reluctantly |
went for his journal and brought it into
court. He was also requested by the |
commissioners to bring the files of his |
paper. This he refused to de, or at
least did not bring them. Of course the
question as to whether he had done
what he did do on his own volitiop or
w VI GlIC Nl1CSIOlS, Was 1lOC
terial at that time, but he had made the |
statement and it was the disposition of
all concerned to allow him to verify his
statement in that regard. He COM
menced reading and informed us how
the organization was started, who was
present and all about it. He showed by |
his journal that as late as January 23rd,
1893, a motion was made to organize a |
joint stock company, the same which af-
forwards became the Omnicrat Publish |
ing company, but that the proposition
was voted down and not until February |
9th, 1898, was the organization effected
and ready to do business-or would have
been ready had their charter been filed
which, of course, it had not. While |
the journal was interesting, very. yet,
for our present purpose, we will refrain |
from quoting further. 1t was suggested
that the object in bringing the journal
was in reference to the order of the di-
rectors given to the "editor and mana
ger" He admitted that there was
nothino contained in tho iourna1 coD.