Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1898-10-13

A Dassardly Outrage.
The fusionigts have gone and done It.
They have fired "a the evidence that
was to convict Kirk q. Philips OF hav-
ing received and retained interest on the
public funds, and a more sorry spectacle
than they have made Of themselves has
never been seen in this country. Indeed,
they will have good reason to congratu-
late themselves If they manage to steer
clear of the penitentary for their share
in the proceedings.
The evidence against Mfr. Phillips
that was to startle the world was pub
lished in the Sioux Falls Press of Sun
day morning. 1t consists of q s:anog-
rapher's report Of an alleged examin-
alton of one Gale S. Carpenter, assistant
cashier of the defunct Dakota National
Bank of Sioux Falls, but it was neither
signed nor acknowledged by Carpenter
and contained nothing that would be
accepted as evidence by any court in the
land.
The witness was brow beaten and
coerced, but he could not be forced into
perjuring himself by stating that MIR.
Phillips received interest as charged.
The testimony is utterly worthless for
the purpose intended, even If ii was re-
gular, but the manner in which IL was
obtained was an u rage upon the laws
Of the state that calls for the severest
condemnation and brands those con
nected with IL as desperate and danger
Gus men.
About a month ago the Populist a
ayers at Sioux Falls discovered that
young Carpenter was in deep financial
distress and, acting upon this fact, they
conceived the scheme of bribing or CO.
ercing him into making an affidavit that
would convict Mr.. Phillips of havilg re-
ceived interest from his fathers bank
the defunct Dakota National, in which
the treasurer had lost $4,000 when it
went to the wall. Although young Car
penter wa a republican, he was given a
job in the office of the populist county
auditor at Sioux Falls and had been
there but a few days when {. s. G.
Cherry called at the Office, took him into
the vault and subjected him to q severe
examination relative to the affairs Of the
bank. Although his bread depended
upon telling a falsehood, Carpenter
strenuously denied that he had any
knowledge that interest had been paid
to Mr.. Phillips, and no amount of per
suasion or coercion could induce him TO
tell the lie.
Failing TO get what they wanted by
persuasion or bribery, the fusion .aGa-
ayers next resorted to intimidation. A
bogus suit was arranged and the pupuiist
sheriff served a fraudulent subpoena
upon Carpenter. He was then dragged
70 a private room where one d. j. Con-
way, another populist and a notary,
acted as judge of the inquisition, and L.
s. G. Cherry as chief examiner. Car
penter was given no opportunity to con-
suit with anyone or procure an attorney,
but was informed that unless he swore
TO statements that would incriminate Mr..
Phillips he would be thrown into Jail.
Threats were freely used against the
young man, who did not know the pro-
ceedings were irregular, and every ex-
pedient known to be desperate men was
resorted TO in the hope of compelling
him 10 break from the truth. Even
under these circumstances the conspira-
tors failed TO force him TO give the false
testimony they desired.
The conspirators text prepared what
they claimed was a transcript of the
evidence given by Carpenter and exer-
cised every deyilish ingenuity to get him
TO sign it. He refused, however, and
steadily contended the alleged transcript
put words into his mouth which he
never uttered. He went further and
refused TO sign the report of the exami
nation as published in the Press, alleg-
ing that the report was garbled and
false. He did more. He went volun-
tarily before a notary public and execut-
ed an affidavit which convicts the fusion
managers of the most dastardly outrage
attempted in modern days against the
! rights and liberties of an American
citizen. This voluntary affidavit is as
follows:
State of South Dakota, County of
Minnehaha, $50. s. Carpenter being
| duly sworn, says as follows: During
the years 1896 and 1896 / was assistant
| cashier of the Dakota National Bank of
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and held such
| position until its suspension in Novem-
Der, 1896. On the 9th day Of September
1898, | was employed in the office of the
| county auditor of Minnehaha county;
about the Is or 18th day Of September,
1925, Mr.. US. G. Cherry of Sioux Falls
came q the Office of the auditor and call
ed me into the vault, and asked me il
Mr.. Phillips the Republican candidate
for governor, had a deposit In the Dakota
National Bank; i answered yes; he ask
ed how much. and l stated l did not
t~u1,- xA.s 70 x,ar.al. ~ tlar aba, -