The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-07-30
SUMNER COUNTY's PECULIAR ROW
County Commissioner Farant's Predica- /
ment Resulting from a Political Scheme.


ment Resulting from a Political scheme.
Yesterday the preliminary hearing of
the case of the state of Kansas against
]. p. Farout, one Of the commissioners
of Sumner county, was heard before a
justice of the peace at ArgOnia, who re-
served his decision until this morning.
This is an interesting case a s ii is the
first brought under the Douglass anti
corrupt practice act passed through the
legislature early in the spring of 1893.
In the summer Of that year the Demo-
Gratis and PopulistS were making a deal
to fuse against the Republicans. They
had fused the previous year and COM
pletely defeated the Repulicans. 1t be-
came a matter Of great Importance.
therefore. to form some deal or combi-
ma ton whereby fusion could be pre-
vented.
At that time George IT. Pitts was
chairman of the Democratic committee
and John T. Stewart was chairman of
the board of county commissioners. Mr.
Stewart was the only Democrat on the
board
J. 2. Farout. a Frenchman. was also
a member of the board of county COM
missioners from the south district, his
home being at South Haven. He was
Republican.
1t soon became noised abroad that a
deal had been made to prevent fusion
on about the following conditions:
In case the Standard, which was the
leading Democratic paper in the cOun-
~. and the party organ. proceeded with
all its metal powers and influence to OPP
pose fusion Mr.. Farout would vote with
Mr.. Stewart to give the Standard the
county printing.
In due time the Standard proceeded 10
oppose fusion with all its might Il
partially succeeded for the two parties
nsolk Of no sf,~5y-
court. Hon. ]. +. Halsell being the nom
inee.
During the campaign the Standard
followed up its effort with attacks upon
the Populist ticket which so enragcd
the Populists that they scratched the
name Of Halsel from their ticket on
election day and thus accomplished the
election Of the entire republican ticket
by hiG majorities and the defeat Of
HalSel by about thirty votes.
Accordingly to the alleged agreement
the Standard got the county printing
in due time.
Subsequently the wellington Monitor
bought out the Standard from Mrs
Herring. the principal inducement be-
ing that the paper had the county print
ing. The commissioners not liking the
previous action Of the Monitor i'm polit-
zeal matters, especially Mr. Farout. de-
clared the county printing contract held
tN MIS-. herring 0on-tr& nSferr9 z bic
and voted a new contract 10 the Cald-
well News and the Wellington Mail. A
law suit followed and it was during me
trial of this law suit that the facts of the
deaf with the standard came out. John
T Stewart was Il witness and he r~ac
tical!y told all that story. not thinking
as Mr.. Wood states. that ne was in
eliminating Mr. Farout.
In order - make the case STRONGER
County Attorney II I. WAnsS. 49,,
a thorough investigation and in the
files Of the South Haven New Era
found a communication from NJ. Far
out giving the whole thing away. not
thinking then, that there was ANYTHING
criminal in his action.
The affair has caused quite a sansa-
ton IN Summer county and the -relir,i |
nary was held before the only Demo |
critic justice Of the peace IN the county.
50 .hai neither Republicans or Populist |
party bids could interfere win a fsfr
trial of the case