The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1894-11-14

fight. Political questions were totally
banished from the public mind. Cald-
well, Middleton and Payette were the
all absorbing subjects of speculation.
The people Of Caldwell perfectly under
stood Payette's plot and they realized
that it was being developed with con-
siderable skill. Immediately, the whole
community set about discovering who
was the prime mover. Middleton peo-
pie said it was not A. B. Moss or any
of his acknowledged faction. They
said they did not rely on that element.
Gradually evidences began to accumu-
late against J. H. Richards. 1t was
found that some time last summer he
spent night with Messrs. FooTE and
PLowuEAD and discussed a townsite
speculation pending county seat loca-
ton; then it was given out by Mid
dleton man that Mr.. RICHARDS Ia
bored long and assiduously with PAT
FAHY and finally induced him to agree
with FoOTE and PLOwHEAD to enter
the contest with the understanding
that at the last moment Paytte forces
would all 60 to Middleton. Then it
was announced that Mr.. RICHARDS
had agreed to advocate Payette's claims
in any part Of the Payette Valley to be
designated by the Payette county seat
committee; then came forth glaring
posters headed "Cash on Top" announc-
ing that RICHARDS would speak at
Falk's Store and Parma on local issues,
understood and generally given out to
mean county seat. ALI the time, Mid
dleton people chung to the idea that
ultimately Payette would pull off. It
was understood, and fact, that a
written agreement had been entered
into between Payette and Middleton
in which leading Payette citizens
pledged that at the last moment, Pay
cite would vote soiidly for Middleton
The Middleton people stoutly main
tanned that they were not depending on
the Moss faction. As the people of
Caldwell understood the situation,
there was but one other faction of any
consequence and that was the Rich
ARDS faction. Then came suspicion
which was no sooner expressed than
largely credited, thatthe Payette move
ment meant anything to down Cald-
well and that j. H. RICHARDS was at
the head of it. In support of this came
the story that Middleton people were
on RICHARDS for q final
answer as to whether or not Payette
would pull out. FO0rE and WILSON
went to Payette with RICHARDS the
day before election and came back with
assurance that Payette would pull out;
they displayed a written compact to
that effect. Considering then the state
Of the public mind in Caldwell and the
character of the evidence Against Mr..
Is it any wonder that feel
ing ran high2 Is it any wonder that
he was cutp Indeed, the wonder is
that he received vote at all except
from among the few friends of Payette.
It is a remarkable fact that notwith-
the intensity of feeling, no
open work against RICHARDS was done
by Republicans. Some work was done
for him despite the strong prejudice.
Therefore, in this precinct, Mr.. RICH
ARDS defeat is chargeable to influences
over which no individual or set Of in
lividuals had any control. The sus-
picion against him may have been
wholly mistaken, but it existed and
was SO powerful that any one who at
tempted to allay it was simply laughed
1t. The sentiment was rife that as
RICHARDS was engaged in anything to
Town Caldwell, SO Caldwell was justi-
led in everything to down RICHARDS
Il Caldwell had been beaten, there
would be no concealment Of the senti-
nent against RICHARDS, but as both
Caldwell and RICHARDS are victorious,
he incense has been greatly allayed
md that principle In human nature
which makes men always court the
sinnina6eida. asserts itself.