Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-10-31
PER CONTRA.
1t Is still Insisted That TaylOrs
Prosecution Was Mismanaged.

NNe'
Brookings, S. D.. Special, Oct. 27.-Many
warm expressions Of approval have been
heard since the publication Of the editorial
In the Pioneer Press based upon the special
sent from this place in regard to the su-
preme court decision Of TaylOr's case. The
newspapers OF the state either endorse IL
or remain silent, with only one exception.
Ii has been apparent that the Sioux rails
Press Is most anxious, for some reason or
another, to give all connected with the case
a very liberal coat OF whitewash. Republic
ans are outspoken-greatly more so than
the party papers-and have no hesitation In
saying that the prosecution Of Taylor has
been grossly misTIanaged. The best class
of Republicans have no desire 10 shield
those who have been instrumental In rail-
reading the case to such a farcical c)nclu-
sion. 1t is admitted that the laws OF the
state are defective in some respects, but 1t
Is a bold man who will undertake TO ex-
plain why in the history of the state no
petty thief, small malefactor, unknown or
poor man. who had stolen a small sum or
property Of small value, never failed TO re-
ceive a good long sentence, while a big
thief like Taylor goes practically free.
Some one Is to blame for the outcome, but
1t can hardly be the supreme court, which
was compelled to pass upon the case just
as II was presented. 1t Is not the business
VI ~ Jul W 81 pASn w A'N hAA'AN. go
Of the prosecution. The only cause for
complaint the people have against the su-
preme court Is that Judge Kellam borrowed
$1,000 of Taylor while the latter was short
In his accounts. Several other state officers
were also borrowers of various sums. No
one doubts the honesty Of Judge Kellam,
but his action in sitting In the case under
the circumstances Is something unheare or.
| Long before the case first came M before
the supreme court. the opposition press
predicted that Kellam would dissent in
Taylor's favor If there was a dissentef. 1t
Is unfortunate that such a condition OF
affairs exists, but Ii does exist and has
often existed in the new states where the
influx of c~ast-Off politicians of older cOmmu-
mites has had the inevitable evil effect. 1t
is plainly evident TO all that South Dakota
must go through q vigorous programme of
purgatiOn, and every sign points to a thor
ough use of the broom next year. 1t Is well
that 1t Is so, for II will only strengthen the
Republican party and disappoint the Oppo-
sitiOn. which is ardently praying that the
dominant party will attempt a wholesale
whitewash OF the state officers.
Even conceding that Taylor was given the
utmost~ punishment that the law will permit
OF In this state, there are many other
things entirely foreign to the prosecution
itself that bring certain of the officials into
disfavOr. 1t has been shown that a select
few of them. among whom Is Taylor him
self, knew three years ago that there was,
under certain conditions, only two years
punishment for robbery of the state treas
ury. 1t has been shown that Taylor began
his stealing more than two years ago, yet
he was not detected, or at least the public
did not know Of II, until the Sd OF last
January, when he failed to make a settle
ment with the present treasurer. 1t Is as
serted that the proper officers had facts In
their possession which would have ordinari-
ly made imperative Taylor's arrest long be-
fore the LIST Of January. In other words,
they knew weeks beforehand that he was
short in dis accounts. hut they made no
move toward performing their plain duty In
the case. The result was Taylor's escape,
his long absence and voluntary return, so
humiliatlng to the people Of the state. An
other charge which has never been denied
Is that the whereabouts Of the thief were
known for fully three months before he
returned to the state, but that no effort
was made to arrest him. Taken all around,
1t is a BADLY mixed up case. and the least
harmful result that II can possibly have
upon the men connected with Ii Is to make
the people Of the state very much disin-
clined to trust them any further.