People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1895-09-05
Col. Peckham's Statement.


Below We give Col. Peckham's state
ment Of the Reed matter. The state
msnt is clear and sets forth the fact.
in the case, which entirely clears tn,
colonel Of all blame in the matter:
To the Editor Of the Winfield Courier;
In your issue Of August p. l fine
copied from the Topeka Capital al
article cOndemning my alleged con.
duct in the Reed murder case. In the
Kansas City Journal of the 22d inst. !
notice another article on the same
subject, based also upon a gruSS falSi.
fcatiOn Of the facts. AT the time OF
the last trial Of the Reed case in the
district court Of COwley county, Mr.
Isaac Reed, residing in MaSSachu-
settles, and che father of Judge Isaac
6. Reed, had on deposit at the First
National bank Of Winfield, 5000. and
out Of that sum, by his direction. that
bank paid to me the sum Of $500. to be
Used by me in paying the necessary
expense Of procuring evidence Of non
resident witnesses, in paying the cost
OF taking the case to the supreme
court, and in the employment OF addi-
tiOnal counsel IN the case if | deemed
1t advisable. 1t is not true. as charg-
ed, that this money was TO be paid to
me upon certificate of the StenOgra-
pher or that the payment TO NE was
IN any manner, clandeStinely OF fraud
ulently, obtained. As TO the other
counsel in the case, Mr.. Elliott of
Wellington and Mr.. Beekman Of Ark
anSaS City. il was entirely unneceS-
sary TO proclaim that they were free
from any blame in the matter. 1t
was impossible for them TO be charged
with any responsibility. Neither the
custody OF the fund, nor any control
in its disposition, was entrusted to
them, but solely to myself. Out Of
the sum so placed at nv disposal |
have paid 1876 for the purpose for
which il was cOnfded to NE, and have
in my hands the balance, remaining
readyt be paid on demand to the per-
son from whom | received it, or TO
such other person as he shall deSig-
nate. OF the amount | have so paid.
1852. 30 was paid to Mr.. K. B, Cooke.
the official StenOgrapher, for trans
CripJ Of the proceedings upon trial,
necessary 10 be embodied in the de-
PENDANTS bill Of exceptions, and the
bill OF exceptions was duly completed.
signed and fled in proper time, and
Judge Reeds right to an appeal stands
thus fully protected. To take and file
such appeal in the supreme court the
law allows two years from rendition
Of Judgment, and the Judgment in
this case was rendered at the Septem-
Der term, 1894, of the district court.
The only remaining question in the
case is the perhaps natural inquiry as
70 why l have not before this time
filed the case in the supreme court.
/ cannot at this time, without ans
werS which have not yet received to
letters | have written TO Judge Reed
at Lansing and to his father in MaSSa-
chuSetteS, fully answer this question
for the reason that they involve mat
tiers which can only properly be dis
cuSSed between lawyer and client. |
can only say at this time that l had
intended To tile this case in the Su-
preme court about the first Of October
OF the present year. and that in my
judgment and for the best interest Of
the defendant it ought not to be filed
before that time.
As soon as l knew OF the attacks
being made upon me, wrote at once
TO Judge Reed and to his father, re.
queSting to be relieved from all furth-
er responsibility in the matter, aud TO
have the money remaining in ms
hands and its application to such
use as they desire cOnfded to some
other person.
l have In no way imperiled or SaCri-
feed the interests Of Judge Reed in
this mater. and have faithfully stood
Uy ulu, WITHOUT lee, curing three TIL
ais in the district court and one in the
supreme court, and do not believe that
the public or the editorial fraternity
will sanction the unjust charges
against me when informed Of the
facts.
That they have been misinformed
IS evident, whether from sources
prompted by malice or not, l am una
bic now to say, but hope speedily to be
able to ascertain.
Requesting you to give my commu-
nicatiOn the same publicity you have
given TO the copied article referred to,
/ am respectfully yours,
CHAS. ]. PECKHAM.
Winfield, Kan, August Is 1876.